LivingSocial Steps Off the Web

• February 14th 2012

by Shilpi Paul

Since moving into their new home at 918 F Street NW, DC-born daily deals company LivingSocial has been making creative use of their office space, which got attention last year for being particularly cool.

Their newest venture, on the lowest four stories of the building, brings their internet presence to life. In addition to facilitating interactions between customers and retailers, LivingSocial is now bringing teachers, chefs and musicians together with paying customers on their own property.

DCist took a tour of the new project, which houses a chef’s kitchen, dance floors, studios and a music venue space. More luxury than thrifty, the new venture will alert subscribers to opportunities like a multi-course dinner at a pop-up restaurant, a cooking class or a tango lesson held in LivingSocial’s own studio.

Chef Mike Isabella is one of the first to make use of the new structure. Later this week, he is running a four-day pop-up restaurant out of the space with a test menu from his newest project, Mexican-themed Bandolero. At $119 per person, it’s not much of a deal, but every day has sold out. LivingSocial invested in creating a restaurant-quality kitchen in the hopes that this type of experience will take off.

If successful, the space will allow restaurateurs and retailers a low-investment way to test out more creative ideas. It will also encourage subscribership to LivingSocial: right now, only subscribers are allowed in — no walk-ins.

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This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/livingsocial_steps_off_the_web/5133.