House of X is a new entertainment spot in the heart of Kuwait City that combines all forms of music, art and sports under one roof. It hasn’t been open for long, but has already gotten a lot of buzz due to its convenience. HOX is a place with no identity, it does not identify as an arcade center, or a music spot, or even a stop shop. It is a collection of all things the Kuwaiti crowd has been waiting for. We have all the deets for you straight from the man behind this new fun concept, Ali Abdeen.
Ali Abdeen had a vision of starting his own business from a very young age. Coming back to Kuwait after having been abroad, Abdeen realized the true need for hang out spots in town where people could simply come and ‘chill’ with their friends. As he shared with us
“There are basic rules for businesses, supply and demand or demand and supply. The people here were indirectly demanding something like this [HOX] for a long time, for us, our age, we have no places to go and chill…” Wanting to do something different, he studied and researched the market in order to cater to the demand. “There [was] only coffee shops and restaurants” he said. From that very first notion, the foundation of HOX started.
After graduating from West Virginia University with a bachelor’s degree in Finance, Abdeen set off to start working on his master plan. Since he had a growing appreciation for the arts, he wanted his walls to be an ode to creativity. He collected impressive works of art and hired local artists to come in and create stunning paintings on the walls that stayed true to the industrial theme. Within the miscellany of artwork, lies the artwork of Ahmad Al Hawaj, one of the owners of Den Gallery in Crystal Tower. The collective aesthetic of the art is portrait and abstract, with a hint of retro packed in an industrial studio.
HOX also utilizes brand new technology, the first of its kind in Kuwait for the bowling alleys, which are interactive and can display personalized images. Customizing a bowling alley for someone’s birthday is also something that can be requested.
The spot also includes a soon to launch exclusive American diner called Billy Joe which has a large statue of liberty outside of it. Billy Joe will service American cuisine and can be rented out for occasions (as well as HOX). Abdeen emphasized that this is not just a burger place, but is an American diner inclusive of all kinds of American food.
Being a mixture of art and practicality, Yeezy’s are displayed in the midst of the location. In the corner lies a few very comfortable beanbag chairs with an enormous TV to play your favorite video games on. In another area, lies a play on words of a frame that says “The piece of art I am” where you can step into the photo-ready spot and literally be inside a frame, posing as an art piece in a gallery. As well as the inclusion of the popular coffee shop, 20 Grams.
HOX is a place with no labels or a specific identity, it’s a spot full of creative collaborations. When Abdeen explained the meaning behind the name, he said “X the standard meaning, for example when you’re playing bowling, you get a strike and it’s an X. In math, it stands for the unknown. So, I called it House of X not because of the strike, but because it’s an unknown kind of place. You don’t know where to put it, there’s no identity for HOX.” Abdeen was ecstatic with the attention and success he has gotten lately. He shared with us his plans to open up a HOX II; a 60’s sport-inspired themed space. We can’t wait to see what is to come next!
For more information follow @houseofx_kw on Instagram.
