The building at 533 King’s Road, London, began life in the mid-19th century when John Bowden founded the Royal Brewery.
The building features vast, open-plan spaces engineered to hold massive brewing vats and heavy equipment. It later falls under a succession of different brewers.
Brewing ended in 1924 when the premises were converted into a wine and spirits outlet known as the Cremorne Gate Cellars.
Brewery owner Watney Combe Reid sells the site to the GLC.
The historic iron gates (originally from the Cremorne Pleasure Gardens) are eventually donated to the GLC.
Richard Taylor leases the former Brown & Pank Bottling Plant from the GLC (£8,000 PA, six‑month rolling lease).
He establishes his stripped‑pine furniture business where “Society Girls” strip furniture in acid tanks.
Richard sublets spaces to antique dealers including Chas Godson, John Bradbury, Nick Gifford Mead, John Hobbs, Anthony Outred and others.
The building becomes known as The Furniture Cave.
A devastating fire burns down the upper floors. The Greater London Council (GLC) earmarks the remaining structure for demolition.
The GLC plans to demolish the building and adjacent houses to create a park.
The tenants successfully persuade the GLC not to demolish it.
Four tenants purchase the building under Firm Four Ltd. Richard Taylor, still holding the head lease, is invited to join as the fifth partner
Christopher Hunter opens Country Cousins, a cabaret/dining club on the first floor.
Famously hosting Freddie Mercury’s birthday party in 1977
Firm Four, the group of tenants who purchased the building, commissioned Architects Andrews Downie & Partners to carry out a substantial reconstruction of the upper building and roof.
This reconstruction marked the first major architectural intervention since the fire and helped stabilize and modernize the structure.
Country Cousins is transformed into the highly successful nightclub Crazy Larry’s.
Richard Taylor lets the front second floor to Jeremy Norman and Richard Branson, who open the Power Station Gym.
One Firm Four owner sells their share; Jeremy Norman buys in.
Richard Taylor and Jeremy Norman buy out the remaining shareholders forming Blakenhall Ltd.
Power Station Gym is converted into a private members club called eMbargo
The derelict Lots Road site is redeveloped into Chelsea Harbour (14 acres, 16 buildings).
One building becomes Design Centre London, transforming Lots Road into a major design destination.
The Furniture Cave benefits from the new design focused footfall.
The building transitions to a mix of traditional antiques and contemporary design products.
The exterior colour of the building is changed to grey beige with its distinctive detailing painted in a rust
Derek Frost oversees periodic exterior upgrades.
The Building colour evolves: pale → grey‑beige → rust detailing → green → brighter green
The building undergoes a massive upgrade and is officially rebranded as the Furniture and Arts Building (FAB).
The Building colour changes to the brightest neon green.
FAB becomes widely known as “that green building on King’s Road.”
The Lots Road loading bay becomes a principal entrance
Crazy Larry’s seeks larger premises and closes; its late night licence is transferred to FAB’s basement.
The club reopens as Public in late 2010 by nightlife kingpin and friend of the young royals Guy Pelly, it established a particular appeal for the well-heeled clientele.
It was an open secret that its name was a reference to the public schools from which the vast majority of its regulars hailed.
Due to neighbour complaints and behaviour, Public closes and FAB loses its late‑night licence.
Jaks Kings Road takes over the former Public basement and the smaller ground‑floor bar (renamed Zefi Bar).
A new doorway is added to the courtyard for external smoking space.
First‑floor rear is upgraded with three large windows overlooking the park.
Jo Cowen Architects move into the new office space
Mick Jagger celebrated his 80th birthday on July 26, 2023, with a lavish party at the Embargo Republica nightclub in Chelsea, attended by a star-studded guest list including Leonardo DiCaprio, Lenny Kravitz, and Ronnie Wood.
The event featured his family, including his daughters and ex-partner Jerry Hall, and was filled with entertainment legends and Hollywood stars.
