The Tontine Parlor at Saks Fifth Avenue
Cultivating a Sunday Exchange of Creative Ideas, Aspirations & Synergistic Ambitions
Set against the backdrop of Saks Fifth Avenue Men's Store in Beverly Hills, the venue creates a sophisticated gathering place where carefully-crafted coffee enhances meaningful connections between forward-thinking minds.
Bringing back the Tontine spirit.
Origin Story: The Tontine Coffee-House and the New York Stock Exchange
The Tontine Coffee-House rose at the northwest corner of Wall and Water Streets in 1792–1793, and quickly became a central meeting place for merchants and traders. In 1834, legal restrictions limiting it to use as a coffee house were removed, and by 1843 it was officially known as the Tontine Building.
In the spring of 1855 it was replaced by a new Tontine Building on the same site, designed by architect James Renwick. The Tontine became a civic and financial hub. The committee behind the New-York Theatre (Park Theatre) met there in 1794, and in 1817 the recently founded New York Stock Exchange was formally organized in its rooms. Over time, the building housed George F. Nesbitt's large steam printing works and, from 1836, the offices of the New York Daily Express.
The Tontine Salon at Saks Fifth Avenue: Where Conversation Is the Quiet Currency
Like its eighteenth-century namesake, the salon is conceived as an intimate enclave for a self-selecting circle of insiders. Here, those who move easily in the worlds of finance, fashion and the arts, recognize one another not by introductions but by shared references and obsessions.
Conversation is the quiet currency of the room. Guests settle into the relaxed atmosphere, trading business and philosophical ideas, cultural discoveries and introductions in an atmosphere closer to a private members' club than any public lounge.
The tempo is unhurried, and the Tontine becomes, once again, what it was at its best: a discreet, elegant room where influence circulates off the record, relationships deepen over time and the true privilege lies not in what is owned or displayed, but in simply being in the room.
Paul R. Williams
The Architectural Legacy of Saks Fifth Avenue Beverly Hills
The architectural story behind the Saks Fifth Avenue Beverly Hills reveals a distinguished history. The exterior of the original Saks Fifth Avenue building was designed by John Parkinson and Donald B. Parkinson, while Paul Revere Williams shaped the interiors and helped give the store the ambiance of an elegant private residence.
Paul Revere Williams, often called the "architect to the stars," was a trailblazing Los Angeles–based architect whose work helped define twentieth-century California luxury living. After graduating from USC in architecture, he designed more than 3,000 projects ranging from glamorous Bel-Air estates and landmark hotels to churches, banks, and commercial buildings, all distinguished by their graceful balance of elegance and comfort.
His works include The Beverly Hills Hotel, Los Angeles International Airport, and homes of Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, and Lon Chaney. Williams also broke barriers as the first Black member and later Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and in 2017 he posthumously became the first Black architect to receive the AIA Gold Medal, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential architects in American history.
It is our expressed goal to honor Paul R. Williams's vision by creating a space with the ambiance of an elegant private residence rather than a conventional department store.
Visit Us
The Tontine Parlor at Saks Fifth Avenue
9634 Wilshire BoulevardBeverly Hills, California 90212
- When Commencing June 28, 2026 and recurring each Sunday thereafter
- Concierge No cost valet concierge available
Please advise and feel free to comment or suggest modifications regarding music, refreshments (including coffee types and pastries), as well as any future luxury amenities or additions.
Please leave comments with Tontine staff, or email suggestions to Mark B. Barron.