We had the good fortune of connecting with Alejandro Hernandez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alejandro, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor that’s brought success to NoHo Chess Social has been the welcoming community that’s been established here. New comers show up as a strangers and leave as friends.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a chess club we pride ourselves on the community we have built. We have been nurturing and developing a safe space for everyone regardless of their backgrounds. Making chess feel like more than a game has been the hardest part, but we’ve managed to hurdle that barrier. Marketing our club as a social event has been the key to its success. Yes, we come together to play chess, but we also come together to be amongst friends. Sometimes all you need at the end of the day is a friend to decompress with. So why not do it over a chess board?

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This city has so much to offer to anyone who visits. Being that we are a chess club it’s only natural that we recommend places where you can play chess. There’s a good handful of chess clubs you could visit in the LA area including LA chess social which happens once a month at various venues. This club is unique in that it is ran as a pop up event offering live music from a wide range of genres. Second would be Rookie chess league. If you’re a night owl who loves high energy then this is the place for you. Rookie chess happens every Thursday and runs into the late hour offering an upbeat environment and a hip crowd. Highland park Chess happens on Wednesday’s and offers a toned down intimate vibe that’s more built for good conversation over a chess board.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are really healthy relationships between club organizers in the chess community so my shout out has to go to them. A few clubs that we proudly associate with and support are LA Chess Social, Rookie Chess League, Highland Park Chess, and DTLA Chess.

Instagram: noho_chess_social

Image Credits
Alej wood

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.