Dancing the Night Away

For David Torres, second-generation owner of Los Candiles Nightclub in Glassell Park, you could say it runs in the family. It was here that in 1965, his parents first met on the dancefloor at Los Candiles, then named El Jardín. Having both recently immigrated from Ecuador and El Salvador respectively, his father and mother frequented El Jardin to dance and get away from the routine of their daily lives. They both worked for nearby factories as janitorial staff, and El Jardin was the perfect escapade. 

In El Jardin, David’s mother saw not only a place of enjoyment and entertainment, but also a business opportunity. She proposed to the then-owner of the bar to allow her to rent the space, where on nights when the club was closed she and her husband could host events and open it up for business. They were successful in this endeavor, and El Jardin was soon open seven nights a week. During the daytime, they continued to work at their janitorial jobs and then head to nightclub every single evening to operate it. 

“It was definitely all my mom. My mom was a risk taker, she wanted it all. She saw an opportunity, and this nightclub has definitely been a blessing. I could see their hard work, and then as far as remodeling, my parents did a lot of it.”

In 1979 the opportunity that David’s parents were waiting for arrived: the owners of El Jardin were looking to sell. They purchased the property, officially becoming the new owners of an establishment that brought them together, and saw their relationship and family grow. To celebrate, they change the name to Los Candiles, ushering in a new era. 

At the time, nightlife in Los Angeles was limited to either just a bar or a dance floor with disco music. His parents had a different vision for Los Candiles; they wanted to introduce something newer and flashier, a Vegas-style show with drag performers and impersonators. 

“They originally wanted to bring a Las Vegas show to Los Angeles because they said back in the 70s there was not really much. It was either disco or a bar with nothing, maybe just a pool table. They found that niche, that little spark that was different, just by incorporating a show. They didn’t really care if they were straight or whatnot, they were more focused on bringing that variety show, making it seem like a Vegas show, with the big old feathers and grand openings.” 

Here in Glassell Park, over the years Los Candiles would become a space for coexistence at a time in which the queer community was still very much stigmatized and persecuted. At the height of, and after, the AIDS pandemic, Los Candiles didn’t turn away queer individuals but rather invited them in, whether as performers or customers. 

Growing up and coming of age at Los Candiles, David remembers the extent to which his parents worked to make the nightclub an inviting space. 

“As a kid, we would promote the nightclub at the Gay Pride parade every single year, ever since I was two years old. Pretty much from 1985 till 2006, we would go. We’ve been, I would say, an important part of the community, because back in the eighties it was frowned upon, as far as LGBT, but it’s become more okay.” 

Now as the current owner, David continues this tradition of acceptance and commitment to his customers and employees. 

“We’re literally a melting pot, just a whole bunch of different cultures and people and it’s not about what your gender is or anything. It’s more what your story is, what are you contributing to our group, because we’re all one group. That’s basically what it comes down to. I’m humbled to be a part of it.” 

David continues to run Los Candiles with the same ethic and dedication as his parents. While now only open for three days a week instead of seven, the spirit of Los Candiles remains present. His mother passed away in 2019, but his father still comes in from time to time to check in on the business. David is well aware that Los Candiles is a testament to his parents’ tireless struggle to accomplish their American dream, and so he works to maintain that legacy a reality. 

“I’ve come a long way; I came here as a two year old and now I’m literally in my parents shoes, and it means a lot. The main reason why Los Candiles has been so successful is because it’s still the same, you still have that same feeling when you come here for the first time. Just last week, we had a client who’s been coming here since 1983, that’s the year I was born, and she said, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s still the same feeling, it’s still the same great place.’ The whole point of my parents starting this was to transport people, transport them to a place that makes them relax, gets them just outside the bubble they’re at. 

That’s what my parents meant for Los Candiles, and hopefully [that’s] what Los Candiles means for the community—a place where you can express yourself and just have fun.”

David Torres is the second generation owner of Los Candiles nightclub, purchased by his parents in 1979, then known as “El Jardin”. This nightclub has a storied legacy in Northeast LA as a site of joy and community building. You can visit them at 2100 Cypress Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Or on Instagram @loscandilesnightclub.