Los Angeles’ Singles Only Social Club, L.A. SOSO Club for short, is taking the local dating scene by storm. In fact, they recently hosted the Westside’s Largest Group Date at The Brig on Abbot Kinney Blvd. 

SOSO Club is the brainchild of two best friends, Stephanie Scheele and Mackenzie Zoppi, who were determined to find a better way to date in real life. Their philosophy goes against society’s preponderance to be chronically online, even when it comes to their own love lives, as both Stephanie and Mackenzie can attest. Their goal was to create opportunities for like-minded single individuals to meet in low-pressure environments the participants already enjoy. 

LA SOSO Club hosts events around the Westside and is open to all interested singles. SOSO Club promotes events solely through its Instagram account, which garnered over 1,000 followers in January of 2024 alone. SOSO Club also sends email invites and reminders to their database of over 3,200 contacts. They acknowledge they can’t guarantee participants will find the one at an event, but they continue to see many success stories and hear so much praise for the club that they are confident that attendees will at least get a phone number. 

The club’s first event was held in April of 2023 and comprised of 40 singles meeting for happy hour at a park in Santa Monica. SOSO Club now hosts a monthly “First Thursday” event at a bar in Venice, which garners over 300 RSVPs, equating to significant and impressive growth and engagement for the club. 

SOSO Club has hosted events at, and in partnership with, some amazing L.A.-based companies including Ice Pass, The New Bar, YAHIR, Venice Backgammon Club, and Belles Beach House, among others. Their resident “First Thursday” events take place at The Lincoln on the first Thursday of each month. That means tonight, May 2 for this month and June 6 next month. “First Thursday” is their most popular event.   

Westside Voice caught up with SOSO Club at their event in early April hosted at The Brig in Venice. The general rule for entry for the evening was, “You must be single and you must bring a single friend.” Stephanie and Mackenzie have always served as each other’s wingwomen when heading out on the town, as such they thought it would be the perfect way to encourage groups of single friends and their plus ones to meet new people in a fun and engaging environment. 

I mingled with the singles and asked what drove them to SOSO Club. 

“I’m not really looking to play basketball, but I am looking to practice,” Zahin Khan said. “If I find the right girl I’m open to it, but for now I’m just getting my feet wet.”

Carson Cunningham met Stephanie through beach volleyball and became friends with her before the club’s inception.

“I’ve watched it grow from a picnic with thirty people at Palisades Park. I’ve been going to events ever since,” Cunningham said. “I’ve met some great people, but I am still single as I look for something serious.”

Cunningham knows he would eventually like a wife and family, but sometimes finds the Los Angeles dating scene difficult. He is a transplant, but he also realizes that some people are only in Los Angeles briefly, another factor that can make dating long-term hard. 

“If you’re looking to get off dating apps, meet people face to face, and have fun with other single friends, Stephanie puts on a good event,” Cunningham said. “Even if you don’t meet anyone, you still walk away having had a good time.” 

Kelsey Leign found out about the event through her roommate who saw an ad for it on his phone. 

“We couldn’t attend the first few, but tried for this one,” Leign said. “So I bought the ticket and told him he’s coming!”

A self-described introverted extrovert, Leign knows she gets her energy from other people. 

“I’m not looking for anything in particular, but if something comes from a friendship that would be great,” Leign said. 

“When I moved here it was hard to socialize, it was hard to meet new people in general, friends, relationships, anything,” Emily Nenninger said. “Having an open place to mingle has been great.”  

Nenninger has also met a few people and gone on some dates based on SOSO connections, and while she’s still single, she has made an amazing group of friends. 

“I don’t love dating apps as it can be hard to make a real connection,” Nenninger said. “But just being around single people provides a good opportunity to make meaningful bonds with people.” 

As for me, I really enjoyed the low-pressure, in-person group date. It was laidback and fun with a solid showing of people and the accompanying vibes to match. In the low light of sunset, the entertaining icebreakers were good fodder for getting the conversation started and the mood going. If you’re sick of dating apps and are looking to meet someone “IRL,” SOSO Club might just have the place and person for you. Be prepared to mingle and to be approached by everyone. Sure people will group or pair off, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of other fish in the sea, or fishermen looking to reel you in.

While the majority of SOSO Club events have been hosted in West L.A., they are looking to expand to other neighborhoods in the Los Angeles area. SOSO Club’s next events, after this month’s First Thursday, are SOSO Club presents: Let’s Get Sweaty on Friday, May 10, at Fitstop (located at 3032 Wilshire Blvd.) and SOSO Club presents: OMG A Day Party on Saturday, May 11, at Club Tee Gee (located at 3210 Glendale Blvd.). 

https://linktr.ee/lasosoclub

Photo by the author.