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Pih Good Sam Sports Lounge gets beer-and-wine license for Wilshire Blvd location

Pih Good Sam Sports Lounge gets beer-and-wine license for Wilshire Blvd location

Money Moves Los Angeles, CA local

New sports lounge near Good Samaritan Hospital clears a beer-and-wine permitting step

September 22nd, 2026: State issues beer-and-wine license to Pih Good Sam Sports Lounge

Overview

Updated Sep 24

Pih Good Sam Sports Lounge cleared a permitting step Sept. 22, when the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) issued it a license at 1245 Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles. The type-41 license allows beer and wine sales at an eating place, served with food — no spirits.

That's one approval in a longer chain. It doesn't mean the lounge is cleared to open or that its doors are open. The beer-and-wine route is common in California because full-liquor licenses are capped by population and costly, making type 41 the practical start for new restaurants and bars.

Why it matters

The license moves a new sports lounge toward opening in LA's hospital district, but it pours only beer and wine with food — no spirits.

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Key Indicators

Type 41
License type
On-sale beer and wine at an eating place, alcohol served with food.
Beer & wine only
Permitted alcohol
The license excludes distilled spirits; a separate, quota-limited full-liquor license would be needed to pour them.
2026-09-22
License effective date
Date the California ABC record shows the license active.

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Organizations Involved

California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
State regulatory agency
Licensing authority for the lounge's beer-and-wine permit

The California agency that licenses and regulates the sale of alcoholic beverages, issuing type-41 beer-and-wine permits to eating places.
PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital
PIH Health Good Samaritan Hospital
Hospital
Anchor institution of the Wilshire Blvd medical district where the lounge sits

A large downtown Los Angeles hospital on Wilshire Blvd, known as Good Samaritan Hospital and part of the PIH Health system.
PG
Pih Good Sam Sports Lounge
Business (bar and restaurant)
Licensee; not confirmed open

A sports lounge planned at 1245 Wilshire Blvd Ste 180, Los Angeles, holding a beer-and-wine license but not yet shown operating.

Timeline

1 event Latest: September 22nd, 2026 · 2 months ago

  1. State issues beer-and-wine license to Pih Good Sam Sports Lounge

    Latest Licensing

    California ABC records show an active type-41 on-sale beer-and-wine license for Pih Good Sam Sports Lounge at 1245 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 180.

Scenarios

1

Pih Good Sam Sports Lounge opens for business

Possible Resolves by Mar 22, 2027

Discussed by: Community and hospitality press in Los Angeles; the ABC's public license records tracking the permit's status

If the lounge clears the remaining local hurdles — health permit, building and fire inspection, occupancy approval — it can begin serving beer and wine with food to the public. An opening would likely be announced locally and reflected in active ABC records and food-hygiene filings. Proximity to Good Samaritan Hospital gives it a ready stream of visitors and staff.

2

Permit lapses as lounge never opens

Unlikely Resolves by Sep 22, 2027

Discussed by: Industry watchers noting many newly licensed venues stall on later permits or financing

The license could go unused if construction, financing or local approvals fall through. Type-41 licenses must be renewed with the ABC, and an unused permit may be surrendered or lapse if the business never operates. The name and address would drop off active ABC records without the lounge ever pouring a drink.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1935

California's post-Prohibition liquor quota (1935)

After Prohibition ended in 1933, California's ABC capped on-sale general licenses — the ones that allow full liquor — at one per 2,000 county residents. In big counties like Los Angeles, that made full-liquor permits scarce and pricey on the secondary market.

Then

Restaurants and bars that couldn't get a full-liquor license turned to beer-and-wine permits, which faced no population cap.

Now

Decades later, most new California bars still launch beer-and-wine only, upgrading to full liquor when a license becomes available.

Why this matters now

It explains why Pih Good Sam Sports Lounge starts with beer and wine rather than a full bar.

1885–present

Good Samaritan Hospital anchors the Wilshire medical district (1885–present)

The hospital, founded in 1885, grew into a major downtown Los Angeles medical center on Wilshire Boulevard, drawing patients, visitors and staff to the surrounding block.

Then

A thick cluster of clinics and medical offices now lines Wilshire, with nearby restaurants and services catering to hospital traffic.

Now

The area became one of LA's densest medical-office corridors, with steady foot traffic around the clock.

Why this matters now

The lounge's name echoes the hospital and its address sits on the same Wilshire block, positioning it to serve hospital visitors and staff.

Sources

(3)
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control California Department of Health Care Access and Information 211 LA