Update: A day after this story broke in the LA Weekly, NBC LA runs a contradictory report, and the Weekly says Google's still scheduled to start renting in July 2014, but according to staff writer Simone Wilson, "They just might let Gold's stay in the space, strangely. (Kind of a sublet deal?) And Google won't comment on the other 170,000 square feet." (via Brad at YoVenice)
The nerds finally beat the jocks. The historic Gold's Gym location in Venice Beach, "mecca of bodybuilding" where former governator and movie star Arnold Schwarzenneger once trained, will soon be occupied by Google. This gym site opened in the late 1960s (and, to be honest, it was somewhat shabby in recent years—I was a member for some time). Ahnold is shown in the vintage stock reel here, along with other beefy Gold's Gym dudes of the seventies.
Update: Bret of the micro-local Yo Venice blog, which covers all things Venice, corrects my Gold's Gym location history, below.
Gold's on Hampton is not all that "iconic" …
Gold's moved into the building at 360 Hampton that Google is taking over in the 80's.
The original Gold's was at 1006 Pacific (now an awesome private residence.)
From 1006 Pacific, which was closed in 1976, Gold's went to 1452 2nd Street in Santa Monica.
Rumor has it that Gold's will be taking over the former World Gym on Washington near Lincoln. (It was Joe Gold's 2nd fitness franchise).
The video you posted was likely shot at 1006 Pacific, not at the location Google is taking over.
In my defense, the Hampton street location may not have been the original, but for me it was iconic enough. The '80s is a long time ago! And it was good for star-spotting: one would regularly run into celebs on the cardio equipment and free weights there, including A-listers whose stars shone most brightly in the '80s and '90s.
