Located in a converted industrial building, House of Wow brings together a restaurant, garden, store and thought-provoking cultural programming. Lotte Jeffs reports
How does a business innovate in Ibiza, a place where there is already something to satiate every niche from wellness to hedonism to gastronomy to shopping, to stag nights to chic escapes?
The island is unique in its ability to be all things to all people – you could go on a yoga retreat and never know the clubbing scene existed, you could stay in San Antonio and be oblivious to the beautiful surrounding countryside. It can’t be an easy place to launch a new idea that cuts through the plethora of existing options.
Step forward House of Wow, formerly known as WOW. There’s a lot to live up to with a name like that, but perhaps its community “hub” concept is what the island has been missing.
Located just outside the village of Santa Gertrudis in the middle of the island, this expansive warehouse has been reinvigorated into a restaurant, garden, shop and community event space thanks to a new partnership with Aaron Mellor who is group managing director of Tokyo Industries’ (operators of a number of clubs, bars and festivals around the world), and the Dutch creative visionary Nelleke Strijkers.
Strijkers started SPRMRKT – a successful Dutch design house that ran for 21 years. After it closed she moved to New York to run her own photography agency and in a recent interview spoke of having spent most of her days hanging out in a diner in Williamsburg, immersing herself in music, food and people – doing what she does best, networking or as it was then affectionately known, “Nelworking”. 
She arrived in Ibiza after a stint back in Holland and has bought her SPRMRKT label back in the form of an eclectic concept store within House of Wow.
Browsing the shop before taking a seat for a drink on one of the cabana beds in the garden, or dinner in the impressive restaurant, makes for a unique use of the space. It creates a uniquely relaxed vibe and as one of the few nightlife venues with no minimum spend, it welcomes more of a diverse community, which includes local people along with an international crowd.
You can snack on sharing plates while chilling, or enjoy a delicious three-course meal. The kitchen is headed up by Ibizencan chef Cristina Gledson (formerly Hostel La Torre, Portofina, Giri café, Atzaro, Boulder & Co and Pied a Terre London among others). Her vision is for comfort food executed at a high level with a Balearic twist, created from seasonal, local and natural ingredients.
The “anything goes” philosophy of House of Wow embodies the true spirit of Ibiza and also of Strijkers who you can find there most nights talking to guests, sharing ideas or showing pieces from the store.
For those looking to host a large group event in Ibiza, House of Wow should be on your mood board, partly for the ample parking on site, but more for the adaptability of the space and tables for up to 22 in the garden.
Vintage furniture, warm lighting, palms and other plants make this massive space feel intimate and cool. As the sun sets the al fresco area comes alive with magical twinkling lights and a laidback chatter.
House of Wow intends to maximise the creative use of its space with a line up of cultural events, workshops, talks and one-off “happenings” inspired by the worlds of film, music, art, sex, photography, fashion, psychedelics, wellbeing and literature.
By engaging islanders who want a space to escape the heat of the day, hang out and be creative as well as being equally appealing to visitors, House of Wow has done the impossible and devised something that feels fresh on this legendary island.