Shaq and The Voice Winner Ignite Fresno Members Only Lounge

Fresno’s PM Lounge opened its doors for a three day members only grand opening beginning November 13, drawing national talent and local attention to the 16,000 square foot venue at 8059 Cedar Avenue near Nees Avenue. Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Shaquille O’Neal performed a DJ set under his stage name DJ Diesel to kick off the festivities, and blues rocker Michael Huntley, the 2023 winner of The Voice who performs under the name Huntley, closed the night.

The launch was restricted to members and prospective members, consistent with the lounge’s plan to operate as a private, members only club. The team behind PM Lounge advertises top of the line kitchen offerings and luxury touches for members. As of September 15 the project had taken more than 200 membership applications toward a capped total of 800, representing about 25 percent of the planned membership. Each member is allowed to bring up to three guests per visit.

The music and celebrity lineup is designed to underline the exclusivity and draw of the venue, and Huntley underscored the moment on social media saying, “Not only do I get to perform at this exclusive top of the line venue but I also get to close the night with the legendary @shaq.” The emphasis on high profile entertainment for a members only crowd marks a different model for Fresno nightlife compared with open access clubs and restaurants.

For Fresno County residents the new lounge shifts local hospitality dynamics. A private club with a membership cap concentrates spending among a smaller base of patrons, which can raise average spend per visitor and generate steady recurring revenue if membership renewals hold. It also creates localized demand for service roles in hospitality, security, and culinary operations, and could increase foot traffic and late evening activity in the Cedar and Nees corridor.

PM Lounge’s arrival also revives a concept that has been relatively rare in the Central Valley outside of traditional country clubs and a few urban examples in the Bay Area. The Downtown Club on Kern Street ran as a member only restaurant for more than 30 years before closing in 2013. The new venue will test whether a contemporary members only model can be sustained in Fresno’s market, where consumer preferences and disposable income levels shape demand for premium social spaces.

Longer term, the success of PM Lounge will hinge on membership take up, retention and the ability to convert exclusivity into predictable revenue. With a cap of 800 members and a noted quota of applications already submitted, management faces the twin challenges of scaling operations while preserving the private atmosphere that drives membership interest. For neighbors and business owners the immediate impacts to watch are changes in evening patronage patterns, employment opportunities, and any incremental sales and hospitality tax receipts tied to the lounge’s operations.