After 30 Years in L.A. and 20 in New York, Michael's Owner Sees a Changed Event Industry—and Coastal Characteristics

On Sunday, Michael's in Santa Monica will fete its 30th anniversary with a luncheon to thank its regular customers. Owner and founder Michael McCarty—who derives about a third of his business from events—does this sort of thank-you party every five years, and is planning another this year to acknowledge the 20th anniversary of Michael's in New York on November 4.

"In Los Angeles, we have the classics—like the white asparagus, soft-shell crabs, oysters, all the different things that we do well—and people run around for three hours and have a good time," McCarty said. "In New York, we do a a wild cocktail party [typically on] Wednesdays—because [nightlife is] what New York is about. Another difference between New York and L.A. [dictating the different party formats] is that, on the weekends in Santa Monica, everyone's here, whereas in New York, everyone's gone." Conversely, McCarty says New Yorkers seal deals over lunch at his New York property, but more so over dinner in Los Angeles. On a given day, McCarty estimates that 10 to 20 percent of the clientele dining in his Santa Monica restaurant are from New York, and vice versa.

So who's in the crowd? "The media is a very big portion of both of them," said McCarty, whose New York property is well-known for its media-industry draw. "In L.A., it's a larger percentage of Hollywood [people], all sizes and shapes—from actors to agents to producers to studio heads. A big portion in both cities is the art crowd."

In the 30 years since Michael's Santa Monica opened, McCarty has observed significant changes to the event industry. For one thing, the size of parties overall has swelled. "In the very beginning, [typical entertainment industry] parties used to be 200 to 300 people—now they're like 3,000. We used to do Grammy parties, when it was one artist and 200 people," but those have outgrown the restaurant.

Further, McCarty has watched as the business conducted in L.A. venues has moved steadily eastward—with new venues popping up downtown, for instance—and traffic has gotten markedly worse, enough to affect business. "When we opened up, our clientele came from all over the L.A. basin. Today, 80 percent of our clients come from within four to five miles of our restaurant. With the proliferation of great restaurants all over the city, you don't need to go anywhere [far from where you are]."

All told, McCarty says the business done during meals in his restaurants over the decades has afforded many colorful memories. "What's gone on up in our private rooms has been phenomenal over the last 30 years—great events and great people," he said. "I wish I'd had a Web cam all along."

Page 1 of 333
Next Page