Opening June 2026 in Los Angeles ahead of the World Cup, Pawn Shop blends community-driven sports culture with elevated dining and luxury viewing

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESS Newswire / April 7, 2026 / Dolphin (NASDAQ: DLPN) today announced that two of its subsidiaries, The Door and Shore Fire Media, have been selected to lead communications and launch strategy for Pawn Shop, a new hospitality concept designed to redefine the modern sports experience.

Developed by Diego Torres-Palma of Ventana Ventures, Pawn Shop will open this summer, strategically timed with the World Cup, at 5901 Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles-formerly the site of Brothers Collateral Pawn Shop. The 7,808-square-foot venue will restore the historic 1930s building, reintroducing it as a community gathering place while delivering a high-end sports viewing experience.

At the culinary helm is James Beard Award-winning chef Tony Messina, a partner in the concept, bringing a food-forward approach that elevates the traditional sports bar model. As the former executive chef and partner at Uni in Boston, Messina earned national acclaim and built a reputation for blending precision technique with bold, unexpected flavors.

Pawn Shop is positioned as a next-generation destination where great food, a high-energy bar program, and sports shape culture. The space will feature more than 60 televisions and stadium-style private mezzanine suites, designed with a luxury hospitality sensibility. Distinct from nightlife-driven concepts, Pawn Shop is intentionally built as a premium sports venue, anchored in community, accessibility, and repeat visitation.

The Door and Shore Fire Media will lead strategic communications and earned media as well as cultural positioning and talent-driven opportunities. Together, the teams will focus on establishing Pawn Shop as a defining voice in contemporary sports culture through high-impact storytelling, high-profile partnerships, and buzzworthy launch moments.

The integrated campaign will roll out in phases leading up to opening, with a focus on sustained cultural relevance, strategic partnerships, and a steady cadence of earned media.

More details on partnerships, programming, and launch events will be announced in the coming months.

For more information, visit https://www.pawnshopla.com/ and follow @pawnshop_la.

For media inquiries, contact: pawnshop@thedooronline.com

About Dolphin
Dolphin (NASDAQ: DLPN) is where cultural creation meets marketing execution. Founded in 1996 by Bill O'Dowd, Dolphin operates as both a venture studio-developing and investing in breakthrough content, products, and experiences-and a marketing consortium, featuring leading agencies across every communications discipline.

At its core, the venture studio creates, produces, finances, markets, and promotes new businesses and cultural ideas-ranging from acclaimed film, television, and digital content to consumer goods, live events and partnerships that define entertainment and lifestyle. Surrounding this entrepreneurial engine, Dolphin's marketing prowess brings together best-in-class firms including 42West, The Door, Shore Fire Media, Elle Communications, DISRPT, Special Projects, The Digital Dept. and Always Alpha. Together, this collective delivers unmatched cross-marketing expertise and relationships across every vertical of pop culture-from film, television, music, influencers, sports, hospitality, and fashion to consumer brands and purpose-driven initiatives. Dolphin marketing has been the recipient of many accolades, including #1 Agency of the Year on the Observer PR Power List in 2025, The PR Net 100, and the PR News Elite 120.

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CONTACT:
James Carbonara
HAYDEN IR
(646)-755-7412
james@haydenir.com

SOURCE: Dolphin Entertainment