
Sound as Architecture: Shane Davis on Designing Hospitality Through Music
Shane Davis didn't set out to build a hotel — he built "a punk rock DIY version of a cultural institution." In this episode, Shane, co-founder of Public Records in Brooklyn, joins Ariela to talk about how a former ASPCA headquarters became one of hospitality's most talked-about cultural spaces. They dig into why sound should be treated as architecture rather than atmosphere, how staying independent and un-overcapitalized shaped Public Records' growth, and what it really takes to build culture — not just design it — inside a hospitality space. Episode Time Stamps: 0:00 – Introduction to Shane Davis and Public Records 0:29 – How the building's history (former ASPCA HQ) shaped the vision for Public Records 3:22 – Growth since 2019: the COVID pivot, "Public Access" channel, and expanding the space 6:56 – Public Records as a platform first, physical space second — how that changed the design process 9:29 – Staying independent: capital, investment, and resisting the "raise now" mindset 10:29 – Sound as architecture, not atmosphere, in hospitality spaces 14:05 – Advice for hoteliers building a music program: find a creative partner and have an opinion 17:53 – Why Europe stays ahead: passion projects vs. institutionalized hospitality in the US 20:34 – Designing multiple spaces within one property and why transitions matter 24:24 – Can culture be designed? Building spaces that let culture evolve through the team Episode Highlights: How the building's dual history (ASPCA headquarters, then a stringed-instrument workshop) inspired the name, brand, and concept of Public Records Growing through COVID by building "Public Access," an indie broadcasting channel, instead of rushing into new locations Staying disciplined on capital: raising money once, early on, and never again Why sound should be treated as architecture, not atmosphere, in hospitality design His advice for hoteliers building a music program: find a genuine creative partner and "have an opinion" Why Europe stays ahead of the US in hospitality creativity — more passion projects, less institutional trend-chasing Designing multiple spaces within one property: why the transitions between rooms matter as much as the rooms themselves Whether culture can be designed — his take: design can shape intention, but it's the team that creates and evolves real culture over time Episode Conclusion: Shane and Ariela close on a theme that keeps surfacing throughout the season: no matter the topic — sound, capital, design, or growth — hospitality always comes back to people. Public Records' evolution from a scrappy passion project into one of Brooklyn's highest-grossing hospitality venues shows that staying independent, staying curious, and trusting a team to shape culture over time can outperform speed and speculative capital. It's a reminder that the most memorable spaces are built less by formula and more by conviction. Stay tuned for the next episode of The Unfamiliar Shift with Ariela for more insightful discussions on the boutique lifestyle lodging industry. Keep connected with BLLA for the latest updates and explore BLLA.org for more resources. Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn to keep up with the pulse of boutique hospitality.















