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Josh Lebowitz on how he transformed his simple BBQ hangout into a booming business
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Here in New York we like -- -- I don't know many years to barbecue -- looked.
Kind of nightclub or very much -- nightclub right now brother Kenny that we have the CEO president Josh level it.
Joining us sunset decorated our -- above this yummy food just in time for lunch.
I love your slogan that some sound in humans but you're from Brooklyn -- yes.
-- -- the story is actually.
Develop the love for barbecue.
Oddly enough was insulin Boston there's there's part of -- restaurant regular school yeah.
-- -- -- north and that parlayed that -- actually with when my best friend trip through.
Through the south to California ultimately and coming your way.
Over there and it became and I -- fashion.
He had to silent I just -- -- -- You know tasted so.
I ironically enough when I was moving back to new York and applying for a job happen to run into Jimmy who founded religion inspecting 89.
And I he hired me to be the general manager of his 92 street location that is just opened -- him like -- -- you know the name was -- it came in and do you know didn't -- it was a good brand at the time didn't didn't really make a whole lot of sense for the justice and -- what is.
If there you happen one of irresponsible quick -- -- a -- started 1989.
You have six restaurants here in in the northeast with dozens infringement yes -- -- room success and growth over the past few.
You know I think I think it's it's.
You know from from.
When I saw I started with -- in 96 and you know it was always known as the most -- that place that that that people went -- news.
You know -- would wouldn't really know what we were where -- restaurant or bar it was just this this combination and that was so engaging to our customers.
You you know we developed.
-- amount of regulars over the years we've just been consistent.
You start primarily as -- And didn't nightlife stuff kinda just -- I'm asking because many businesses start you missed it is gonna work out what had to identify yourself.
I'd -- we started as as as a bar and restaurant had a very it at a pretty small menu.
As as time went by his competition grows as as the cost of doing business in New York increases you need to expanding into the find new ways to do business when we opened up in Murray hill that was kind of -- game -- mean it was a much bigger bar was a much.
For people who don't know Murray hill is like me just graduated college -- Yeah it.
Which you -- -- to do it was originally back back in the ninety's it was up in in the eighty's and ninety's from every side.
That's slowly moved down to Murray hill and now -- -- moved further downtown Brooklyn so we keep following them.
But.
Yes yeah -- -- We do -- our -- in you have to kind of find where they are an open in those areas and and and you know our customer hasn't changed it's always been you know kind of the upwardly mobile just post college.
And you know we we provide a place where.
Post college 25 to 35 year -- can kind of reminisced about what life was like then because what was good as he never went in the past I don't think that's nice upon -- that range.
Okay I'm back yard demographic actually aged I'm gonna get away so when when when the when -- -- are doing the nightlife guide.
We were -- number one for 21 year olds or 21 of the whatever -- the ratings are its when he went.
And as time went on and we started.
Peeking into the thirty year olds in the forty year -- we actually appeared in the last issue as one of the top 10440.
Girls so apparently were.
Era in which you could see as our customers from.
Fifteen years ago or so going which -- -- -- -- been listening to think so often and then years.
Yeah a lot of cities having any city with that kind of got kind of demographic you know Philadelphia we love we love DC -- in DC -- -- perfect market for us.
Boston Stanford and around the Nazis 'cause Chicago would be great Charlotte -- -- an industry that would more.
You're very lucky with some timing of mr.
-- next year -- how are you planning to capitalize on super wal 48.
We're coming here -- -- -- You don't know exactly will definitely be involved you know there's and a ton of opportunities where where you know.
Holding out a little bit to see what is available there but we always had relationships with athletes -- What when reporters -- -- Jonathan Bowman's.
Football player and we just -- whatever it is it's going to be did a great event in New York.
Any obstacles and starting probably in the -- that you -- of us know about.
You know that that the biggest obstacle when growing is -- staff is finding finding the great people to grow -- because.
No one can do it alone and as you expand certainly if you go to different cities you lose the support of the infrastructure from where you're from which in this case New York.
And without really talented you know management you're going to be.
Boston there's -- contracts issued -- -- mall's hiring competent workers who stay with you and help Ukraine brand.
And I wouldn't say necessarily issues it just did there it you have to develop them over years to take -- -- it's hard to find someone.
Off the street and then be perfect and understand your culture and be able to really -- Get the business so.
You know -- -- people out there you know you you need to find them and then you need to work for them for a long time you know president and -- which I think.
Comments it's like a lot of -- the unions of CIO's it it's hot it's hard to really get that involved in what actually goes on in Washington because.
The speed with which actually comes -- -- us pretty pretty.
Well aren't saying I was sad holiday in in the market -- -- -- happened today they've been doing nothing for okay.
Ten years -- Credit.
To give your employees health insurance.
We do give all of our management.
A -- health insurance okay are you cutting back anybody's hours to 29 hours from thirty -- and without.
Sensitive actually I don't really get that.
Concept all together so.
And it's an impossible to manage that type of consequence and entrepreneurs who will react the way they need to -- and will always find a way to.
Keep our business is efficient in some way at some point but the cost is gonna get passed through the customer.
So you're saying you're not affected by Obama care is an and listening that in -- will -- I don't know if anyone knows exactly what it's going to be when he finally happens and if so -- the so.
Kessler ordered me to wait and see actually what what the details are it's hard really speculate on Egypt cookbook right now -- you know about but it -- Barbeque.
I -- this now.
It came out last year but -- maybe eight ish months ago to Melbourne Amazon.
And it's great as it did you know it.
It's a lot more than what is available in the restaurants it's really a guide to to -- creating a brother Jimmy's event so there is stories about tell you parties about.
Backyard barbecues about what you just say patty's day menus to go -- that's it's really about events is much it is about.
Thank you yeah.
-- and I hope to see -- thank everybody for watching -- I think --
