Ever heard of Amadeo “Amador” Pietro Giannini?
No matter the answer, you’ve probably walked by his brick-and-marble legacy hundreds of times. In 1908, the philanthropist and founder of the Bank of Italy—the American-born son of Italian immigrants—oversaw the construction of the bank’s San Francisco HQ at 550 Montgomery Street.
Fast-forward 100-plus years and Giannini’s still-handsome FiDi building is undergoing a ground-floor renovation set to debut this summer. Meet The Bank at Amador (named for you-know-who), a new members-only club modeled after the European café by day, bar by night concept. It’s the younger sibling of the Amador Club (formerly known as Wingtip), which resides on the building's 10th and 11th floors, and whose private membership includes well-heeled types who’ve been craft cocktailing and oyster slurping since 2009.
If The Bank’s renderings are even a little bit accurate, future members are in for many swanky happy hours. A topnotch wine and spirits programs, as well as breakfast, lunch, and bar bites featuring a caviar cart and raw bar, are also on the menu.
The recently rebranded Amador, which encompasses both clubs, is working on the reno with Los Angeles-based firm Winston Studios. Its guiding principle? To honor and preserve many of the original Bank of Italy design elements. As a designated National Historic Landmark since 1978, there are rules to be followed.
A rendering of the upcoming private social club, The Bank at Amador.(Courtesy of Amador)
Of course, modernizing, reconfiguring, and adding color pops, amazing furniture, and fresh art are all fair game—and all part of the gorgeous plan.
After getting a sneak peek of the ginormous space, it’s easy to see how the whispers (and shouts) of history that remain will wow 21-st century folk. The pristine original Italian marble walls lay an elegant foundation. Former bank teller windows will be repurposed to create private seating/dining areas. And two larger-than-life vault doors will figure prominently, as their main-character energy demands. One may even be turned into the coolest coffee table ever, if they can figure out how to safely flip the behemoth and the floor can withstand its massive weight.
Set to open in phase two of the renovation is the cozier downstairs area, which will function as a private meeting space. Some of the OMG-iest treasures live here. Get up close to the wall of old-school safe-deposit boxes (plus all their keys) and it’s impossible to deny the existence of time travel. The remarkably preserved bank ledgers are a thrilling time capsule in their own right.
The bank building's historic interior.(Historic image courtesy of Amador.)
The Bank's Namesake: Amadeo “Amador” Pietro Giannini
Amadeo “Amador” Pietro Giannini(Historic image courtesy of Amador)
Beloved Amadeo "Amador" Giannini was a man before his time. He’s widely credited with revolutionizing various banking practices—most importantly, loaning money (often on a handshake) to Italian immigrants and middle-class merchants still in recovery mode after the 1906 earthquake. He was also the first to create a women’s department inside the branch, making it easier for ladies of the era to bank comfortably.
In 1930, after merging with the Bank of Los Angeles, the Bank of Italy became the Bank of America. To say Giannini was prosperous is an understatement. But he chose to use his wealth to help others, giving away much of it to support medical education and the arts.
The facade of the historic Bank of Italy building.(Historic image courtesy of Amador)
The Amador team made an intentional decision to mine the rich history of the Bank of Italy and its founder in conjunction with the company's rebrand and the club's debut. Today’s Amador honors Giannini’s legacy by donating a portion of its membership proceeds to non-profits in the aforementioned two areas.
“As we embarked on this exciting journey of renovating the ground floor Bank space, the perfect opportunity emerged to introduce a fresh membership tier at a more accessible fee, aligning seamlessly with our commitment to inclusivity and the continued efforts of the revitalization of downtown San Francisco," says Amador founder Evan Krow.
“We've been passionate about finding a way to extend our club’s reach to more men and women eager to join our growing community. Historically, Wingtip has been commonly viewed as a men’s private social club. With the rebrand to Amador, we want to throw that stereotype out the window and create a space that’s open to all kinds of members,” Krow adds.
A rendering of the upcoming private social club, The Bank at Amador.(Courtesy of Amador)
The 411 on Membership at The Bank at Amador
- The Bank’s target membership is young professionals, entrepreneurs, creatives, and philanthropists interested in making meaningful connections and forming a diverse community reflective of San Francisco itself.
- Unlike the Amador Club, The Bank at Amador will not require members to pay an initiation fee. They will, however, have to pony up (at least) $50 month.
- As of publish date, there is no info about who the founding members are. If you're interested in membership, join the waitlist.
- Bank members will get “selective” access to the Amador Club. Amador Club members will enjoy unrestricted access to The Bank (Note: Once The Bank opens, membership at the Amador Club will close.)
// The Bank at Amador, 550 Montgomery St. (FiDi), thebankatamador.com
