Owner Todd Ferrari and former Local Habit owner & chef Nick Brune have unveiled their first joint venture - Lot 8 - a new 4,200 square-foot open air event space in San Diego's Mission Valley. Located directly off Interstate 8 in Hotel Circle, the aptly named project is now open for events of a variety of scales in the once-vacant parking lot adjacent to the Atwood Hotel, formerly the Mission Valley Travelodge where the historic Albie’s Beef Inn and Adam’s Steak ‘N Eggs duo were before closing last year.
Lot 8 brings a minimalist, sustainable outdoor venue to the centrally situated locale of Mission Valley, providing an attractive option for corporate events and wedding planners alike. The concept is the brainchild of Brune, a veteran event producer (formerly of Hillcrest’s now-defunct Local Habit) whose company Eco Caters has been brought on to provide the culinary component for the space, and Ferrari (owner of Downtown’s Quad AleHouse, Urban Boutique Hotel and Atwood Hotel) who brings years of hospitality experience to Lot 8, in collaboration with John Carey (owner of Platinum Party Rentals).
With decades of combined related acumen, Brune and Ferrari set out to create a turnkey operation tailored to accommodate parties of all sizes (up to 300) and a range of events from more traditional weddings and corporate events to innovative programming including art installations, local maker pop-ups, cocktail parties and musically fueled dining experiences such as Chef Brune’s own SoundBite roving dinner series.
The flexible space has been left intentionally open, providing a blank canvas for event planners to cater to the specific whims and visions of each particular client. Upon entering the high-walled sanctuary, guests are immediately transported to a serene setting with unmarred palm tree views epitomizing the sought-after Southern California lifestyle. To complement the open-air functionality, specific eye-catching elements infuse a sense of urban kitsch into the space from an upcycled horse trailer repurposed into a cocktail bar (fittingly named The Pony Bar) to a shipping container that serves as the property’s on-site kitchen and can be transformed into a food truck serving a range of items. Rounding out the built-in design components, lush greenery provides warmth to the project in the form of vertical gardens that make way to an expansive living succulent wall.
The flexible space has been left intentionally open, providing a blank canvas for event planners to cater to the specific whims and visions of each particular client. Upon entering the high-walled sanctuary, guests are immediately transported to a serene setting with unmarred palm tree views epitomizing the sought-after Southern California lifestyle. To complement the open-air functionality, specific eye-catching elements infuse a sense of urban kitsch into the space from an upcycled horse trailer repurposed into a cocktail bar (fittingly named The Pony Bar) to a shipping container that serves as the property’s on-site kitchen and can be transformed into a food truck serving a range of items. Rounding out the built-in design components, lush greenery provides warmth to the project in the form of vertical gardens that make way to an expansive living succulent wall.
Lot 8 is located at 1201 Hotel Circle South in San Diego's Mission Valley. For more information, call 858.246.6129 and visit lot8events.com.
