Late last year, The PM Lounge held a bang-up, red-carpet extravaganza of a grand opening.
It was a three-day, invite-only open house for the private social club, which is set inside a 16,000-square-foot building that once housed a grocery store (and later the reptile store Lost Realms). There were celebrities dropping in and performances, including DJ sets from Steve Aoki and Shaquille O’Neal (or his EDM alter ego DJ Diesel anyway) and music from Ben Harper and “The Voice” winner Michael Huntley.
This was the lounge building its interest list and scouting prospective members.
Things were considerably more low key as the lounge officially opened to members last week.
While the grand opening focused in on The PM Lounge as a Vegas-style nightclub, “that’s the tip of the iceburg,” general manager Gilbert Quesada told The Bee during a tour of the space on Wednesday.
A large screen is seen near the stage as we take a look inside the new PM Lounge, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com Inside PM Lounge
Inside, the lounge is split into four focal points; each representing a piece of The PM Lounge experience.
Through large double doors off the main entrance there’s the dining room; its booths and tables tiered to maximize views of the stage on the other side of the room.
The stage itself is a quarter round, with full sound and lighting that can accommodate a seven-person band. It’s set off with a black-draped curtain and Steinway grand piano.
At the back of the room is a full bar.
It’s made of what looks like white marble that’s illuminated from the inside. The light is adjusted to fit the time of day and/or mood of the room. The back bar is stocked with top-shelf and/or limited-edition liquor shelved beneath three arches made of wood, brass and more of that illuminated marble.
The final focal point is a 34-foot wine wall, which when full stocked will carry 800 bottles. The wall looks in on the Baccarat room, so called because it is appointed with plate and glassware from the high-end luxury company.
Each of the focal points are tied together with an aesthetic that is classic and elevated, what Quesada calls “modern Art Deco.”
While the bones of the lounge are designed to be timeless, the decor itself will likely get a refresh every three to five years, Quesada says. Membership clubs, especially those that have been around a long time, can tend to feel outdated.
That’s something The PM Lounge members voiced concern over in surveys prior to opening.
A classic decor greets members to the new PM Lounge, seen Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
Framed black and white photographs adorn the walls of the golf simulator room, seen during a tour inside the new PM Lounge, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com So, how much does it cost?
The club’s initial pitch was based on the concept of elevated service and experience, but prior to opening it had played coy on its price structure, only saying there would be a monthly fee and a cap at 800 members.
We now know those dues are $3,500 a month.
That is higher than other membership clubs, Quesada said, but it comes with no initiation fee or monthly food or drink minimums, something others often require. While the club would like to have a one-year commitment, there are no contracts and the fees work month-to-month.
For that, members get a steep discount on the food (prepared by Michelin-trained executive chef Charles Armenta and presented by a staff working off the Forbes standards of service) and free access to the facilities. That includes a private-room golf simulator (with a full slate of PGA-level courses) and four meeting rooms (including the Baccarat room, which has been used steadily).
Members also get access to the lounge’s event programming.
That includes the parties, four concerts a year, plus New Year’s Eve and the like. But there will be other specialty programming, including a planned food paring diner featuring Macallan’s limited-edition Time: Space whiskey.
And Quesada knows that some will question whether Fresno has enough people with enough money to support The PM Lounge’s business model. But Fresno has generational wealth. And the region is growing.
The lounge received more than 3,000 inquiries during the run-up and through the ground opening. Prior to opening, it had an interest list of some 250 potential members.
While, the lounge won’t say how many of those were converted to actual members, Quesada said he’s happy with how things look this first week out.
“We’re at a success point already.”
Cocktail tools are prepared at the bar as we take a look inside the new PM Lounge, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
The entryway for PM Lounge was designed to offer a setting for selfies, according to Gilbert Quesada, executive director of operations. Photographed Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
The entrance to the new PM Lounge, shown Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 in Fresno. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA ezamora@fresnobee.com
This story was originally published February 25, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
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Joshua Tehee covers breaking news for The Fresno Bee, writing on a wide range of topics from police, politics and weather, to arts and entertainment in the Central Valley.