HOLLYWOOD, CA (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — House of Blues Entertainment, Inc. has chosen San Diego as the location of its newest club, scheduled to open its doors in late May. Veteran House of Blues executive, Jim Biafore, has been appointed General Manager of the company’s ninth club.
Biafore has relocated to San Diego from Anaheim, where he served as General Manager of House of Blues Anaheim. In Anaheim, Biafore served as a board member for both the Orange County Tourism Council and the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce and was recognized for his and House of Blues’ outstanding contributions to education by the Orange County Board of Education. Prior to joining the House of Blues team in 2000, the West Virginia native owned and operated various nightclubs, restaurants and retail stores in Las Vegas.
“Jim Biafore is a proven professional who has honed his leadership skills in our organization over the last five years,” said Dolf Berle, Chief Operating Officer, HOB Entertainment, Inc. “He is a cultural motivator who believes strongly in giving to the local community and is particularly well suited to lead our team in establishing our venue in vibrant downtown San Diego.”
Currently under interior construction, House of Blues San Diego is taking residence in the former Woolworth building on Fifth Avenue, extending the reach of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. Designed as an extravagant multi-faceted entertainment mecca, the venue will house a multi-level Music Hall featuring national and local live entertainment, state-of-the-art sound and lighting technology, general admission dance floor and seated boxes for private enjoyment. House of Blues clubs across the nation have hosted international touring artists and legends such as Prince, James Brown, John Mayer, Aerosmith, Joss Stone and Norah Jones. Estimated capacity of the Music Hall is 1,100.
The restaurant will offer artistic adaptations of traditional Southern-inspired cuisine, including House of Blues signature dishes like Creole Seafood Jambalaya, pan-seared Voodoo Shrimp with Rosemary Cornbread and White Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding. A small restaurant stage will provide entertainment for diners and a sidewalk café, located at the Fifth Avenue entrance, will entice guests with outdoor dining. Several full-service bars throughout the venue will concoct House of Blues specialty beverages, while the world famous House of Blues Sunday Gospel Brunch, a sumptuous buffet paired with inspiring live gospel performances, will be offered weekly once the club opens.
A special events sales staff will stand ready to design intimate parties in a dedicated special events room or full-blown, whole-house events for organizations and private guests. In addition to the hand-painted interiors designed by House of Blues artisans, an estimated 350 pieces of folk art will be installed throughout the club, hand-picked from House of Blues’ artifact warehouse in New Orleans. With more than 5,000 pieces, House of Blues venues house one of the largest publicly displayed collections of outsider folk art in the U.S. The Company Store, a unique onsite retail shop stocking original gifts, music, clothing and House of Blues souvenirs, will offer original folk art for purchase.
The International House of Blues Foundation (IHOBF) plans the introduction of its Blues SchoolHouse and other arts and cultural programs in San Diego during the fall of 2005. IHOBF is dedicated to bringing the arts to schools and communities through programs that promote cultural understanding and creative expression. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
