Hugh Hefner And The Playboy Mansion Will Always Be Icons

There are three houses that are icons, capturing the American way: The White House, Waffle House, and the Playboy Mansion, the home of the late Hugh Hefner, who died last night at 91.

The gothic-tudor style home in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, was originally designed in 1927 by Arthur Kelly. This home has exceeded all real estate speak though to capture something few homes in the world can capture, a spirit of the American way. When the home was bought by Playboy in 1971. Much like the White House, the west wing of the building became the editorial offices of the newfound Playboy Magazine. Through the ages the mansions several guest rooms, game room, infamous grotto and other nooks and crannies have been home to some of the most raucous parties of three different decades.

In 2016, the mansion was sold for $200 million to Daren Metropoulos, the co-owner of Hostess Brands and head of the investment firm Metropoulos & Co. While the iconic Hefner will live on throughout history in the pages of each issue of Playboy, and alongside the pantheon of iconic writers, artists, and thinkers in American history, the mansion he called home for so many years will always live on as one of the homes that outlined the American dream of one person starting a business through innovation, class, and tenacity, and growing his life to fill a home as spectacular as this one. Rest in Peace.