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This article is about the entertainment company. For the music venues and Knitting Factory Works record label, see Knitting Factory. For the record label, see Knitting Factory Records.

Knitting Factory Entertainment (KFE) is a privately-held entertainment company that owns, operates, and partners multiple hospitality entities and venues around the United States. It was founded in 2008 and is the successor company to The Knitting Factory, an alternative music and art venue in New York City.

Overview

Entertainment and hospitality venues

Knitting Factory Entertainment’s owned-and-operated holdings include Knitting Factory concert houses in Boise, Idaho, Spokane, Washington and Brooklyn, and The Federal Bar gastropub in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. Partnership holdings include El Tejano in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, Thirsty Merchant in Valley Village, Los Angeles, The CanTiki bar in Glendale, California, The Regent Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, Arrive Hotel in Palm Springs, California, Boomtown Brewery in Downtown Los Angeles, and Smash Face Brewing, Loaded lounge, and El Tejano in Denver.

Knitting Factory Presents

Knitting Factory Presents is one of the top 100 promoters in the world[1] and produces national and international tours, concerts, and events. Knitting Factory Presents books Outlaw Field in Boise, Idaho, Big Sky Brewing Company Amphitheater in Missoula, Montana, Fawcett Hall and Alma Mater in Spokane, Washington, Slowdown in Omaha, Nebraska, Wine Country Amphitheater in Walla Walla, Washington, Elevation 27 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Hop Springs Beer Park in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Maha Festival in Omaha, Nebraska, and Desert Daze in Moreno Valley, California.

Knitting Factory Presents previously booked SLO Brew in San Luis Obispo, California, The Highline Ballroom in Manhattan, Myth Live in Minneapolis, True Music Room & Bar in Nashville, Tennessee, Memorial Stadium in Boise, Idaho, Rachael Ray’s Feedback Festival in Chicago, Horton’s Hayride in San Pedro, Los Angeles, and The Decemberists' Travelers Rest Festival in Missoula, Montana.

Knitting Factory Management

Knitting Factory Management handles a roster of national and international recording artists that includes !!!, Bedouine, Boots Riley’s The Coup, José González, Junip, Lee Fields, Saul Williams, and Seun Kuti & Egypt 80.

Partnerships

Knitting Factory Entertainment’s partnerships have included the Van Johnson Company, Selby Artists Management, Partisan Records, Talkhouse, Giant Step, TBA Agency, Buckhead Group, Arts and Recreation Inc., Spaceland Presents, Fillmore Capital Partners, Moon Block, Boomtown Brewery, Fandiem, The Connect Group, CMoore Concerts, and W3 Entertainment Group.

Filmed entertainment

Knitting Factory Entertainment’s principals are occasional film producers, with credits on Neptune Frost, They Will Have to Kill Us First, and Finding Fela.

History

The Knitting Factory venue founder Michael Dorf opened a Los Angeles club in 2000[2], under KnitMedia, Knitting Factory Entertainment’s former parent company. Jared Hoffman, the founder of Instinct Records, took over as CEO from Dorf in 2003[3].

Knitting Factory music venues (2008-2009)

Hoffman oversaw the acquisition of concert promoter Bravo Entertainment, before rebranding their Boise, Idaho and Spokane, Washington clubs as Knitting Factory concert houses[4]. Morgan Margolis, who has served the Knitting Factory brand since 2000, took over as CEO in 2008[5]. Also in 2008, Knitting Factory Entertainment partnered with Brooklyn-based indie label Partisan Records[6].

In July 2009, Knitting Factory Entertainment announced they would close the Los Angeles Knitting Factory club to launch a new concept, The Federal Bar[7]. That same month, the Manhattan Knitting Factory club held its last show before reopening at a new Brooklyn location on September 9, 2009[8][9].

On December 31, 2009, a new Knitting Factory location opened near the Reno Arch in the heart of Downtown Reno, Nevada[10]. The venue had a capacity of 1265 people and averaged 18 to 25 concerts a month from artists such as Willie Nelson, The Smashing Pumpkins, Rob Zombie, Skrillex, Modest Mouse, Alice in Chains, Cormega, and Zedd.

Expansion (2011-2015)

In 2011, Knitting Factory Entertainment launched The Federal Bar in the NoHo Arts District, Los Angeles. Located in a former bank, The Federal Bar houses a restaurant, music complex, and speakeasy[11].

In 2013, Knitting Factory Entertainment opened The Federal Bar Long Beach in Long Beach, California, also located in an historic bank building. The Federal Bar Long Beach featured a restaurant, a 300-person capacity music venue, and speakeasy[12].

In November 2014, Knitting Factory Entertainment opened The Regent Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, in partnership with Spaceland Presents[13].

The Federal Bar Brooklyn opened adjacent to the Knitting Factory Brooklyn location on June 19, 2015[14].

Partnerships (2016-present)

In February 2016, Knitting Factory Entertainment opened the Arrive Hotel in Palm Springs, California, in partnership with Arts and Recreation Inc[15]. In April 2016, Knitting Factory Management was founded[16].

In June 2016, Knitting Factory Entertainment announced its partnership with Moon Block on the critically acclaimed Desert Daze music festival at the Institute of MentalPhysics Joshua Tree Retreat Center in Joshua Tree, California[17]. The festival has since moved to the Lake Perris State Recreation Area in Moreno Valley, California.

In July 2016, Knitting Factory Entertainment partnered with Buckhead Group to launch El Tejano in North Hollywood, Los Angeles[18]. The Buckhead Group partnership then opened The Thirsty Merchant in Valley Village, Los Angeles in May 2018 [19] and The CanTiki bar in Glendale, California in October 2021[20].

In 2019, Knitting Factory Entertainment announced three concepts to be opened in LoDo, Denver, in partnership with Fillmore Capital Partners: El Tejano, Loaded lounge, and Smash Face Brewing[21]. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed opening until fall 2021[22].

Between 2016 and 2020, Knitting Factory Entertainment closed three venues, the Reno Knitting Factory club in January 2016[23], The Federal Bar Brooklyn in May 2017, and The Federal Bar Long Beach in May 2020[24].

In April 2021, Knitting Factory Presents announced it would take over as talent buyer for Pappy & Harriet's in Pioneertown, California[25]. Since then, the agreement has become mired in an ongoing legal dispute[26]. According to Billboard, “Knitting Factory Entertainment CEO Morgan Margolis claimed his former partners, JB Moresco and Lisa Elin, concocted a crisis to push him out”[27].

References

  1. ^ “2020 YearEnd Worldwide ticket sales top 100 promoters”. Pollstar. December 14, 2020.
  2. ^ Rubien, David (March 28, 2000). “Opening of Knitting Factory West-Coast Venue Postponed”. MTV.
  3. ^ Sisario, Ben (July 10, 2008). “For the Knitting Factory, Westward Ho (Brooklyn, Too)”. The New York Times.
  4. ^ Waddell, Ray (January 30, 2006). “Knitting Factory Acquires Bravo”. Billboard.
  5. ^ Gelt, Jessica (November 11, 2012). “Morgan Margolis is building a Knitting Factory empire”. The Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ “VMG Renowned Indie Labels Partisan and Knitting Factory Records Partner With Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA)”. Warner Music Group. August 29, 2013.
  7. ^ Roberts, Randall (July 20, 2009). "Knitting Factory Hollywood Closing Its Doors". LA Weekly.
  8. ^ Sisario, Ben (January 1, 2009). "At Knitting Factory, a Final Manhattan Show". The New York Times.
  9. ^ "Satellite Lounge opening, Knitting Factory Brooklyn still not". BrooklynVegan. May 7, 2009.
  10. ^ “Knitting Factory Heads To Reno”. CelebrityAccess. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  11. ^ “The Federal Bar is among the area’s newest opening”. Los Angeles Daily News. January 27, 2011.
  12. ^ O’Connell, Sean (June 14, 2013). “A new Federal Bar is latest wave on Pine Ave in Long Beach”. The Los Angeles Times.
  13. ^ Brown, August (November 7, 2014). “Downtown L.A.’s Regent Theater finally opens tonight”. The Los Angeles Times.
  14. ^ “The Federal Bar, aka Knitting Factory’s new restaurant, is open”. BrooklynVegan. June 22, 2015.
  15. ^ Descant, Skip (February 18, 2016). “Calling all locals, Arrive Palm Springs has arrived”. The Desert Sun.
  16. ^ Waddell, Ray (April 26, 2016).“Knitting Factory Rebrands Management Division as KFM”. Billboard.
  17. ^ Waddell, Ray (June 2, 2016). “Knitting Factory Partners With Spaceland & Moon Block on Desert Daze Fest”. Billboard.
  18. ^ Elliott, Farley (July 21, 2016). "It's Tex Mex Paradise at El Tejano in North Hollywood”. Eater.
  19. ^ Hindle, Michelle (July 18. 2018). “The Thirsty Merchant Brings Beer, Hooch, and Games to Valley Village”. Thirsty.
  20. ^ Elliott, Farley (October 28, 2021). “A Colorful New Tiki Bar Opens This Weekend in a Surprising Glendale Space”. Eater.
  21. ^ Sexton, Josie (January 14, 2020). “What’s coming to the former Tavern and Cowboy Lounge in LoDo? Tex-Mex, a brewery and a ‘rock and roll bar’”. The Denver Post.
  22. ^ Sexton, Josie (October 12, 2021). “Massive new dining, nightlife complex opens near Coors Field- but who will it cater to?”. The Denver Post.
  23. ^ Bynum, Brad (March 24, 2016). "Factory closes". Reno News & Review.
  24. ^ Addison, Brian (May 9, 2020). "‘We’re just trying to survive:’ The Federal Bar to close Downtown location." The Long Beach Post.
  25. ^ Blueskye, Brian (April 22, 2021). “Knitting Factory, Desert Daze founder to take over booking at Pappy and Harriet's”. The Desert Sun.
  26. ^ Roberts, Randall (July 21, 2022). “Inside the battle for control of a legendary music club – and the soul of a high desert town”. The Los Angeles Times.
  27. ^ Brooks, Dave (March 10, 2022). “Iconic Desert Cantina Pappy + Harriet’s Facing a Heated Ownership Fight”. Billboard.