Lj's Lounge Podcast
The official podcast of LJ’s Lounge is more than just behind-the-scenes content — it’s warm, honest conversations about life, relationships, leadership, health & wellness, business, music, culture, and building something meaningful in Orange County.
Hosted by founder Kenneth Jackson and special guests, each episode explores the “why” behind LJ’s — from our perfect Costa Mesa location and people-first philosophy to the soulful details that make this feel like home — while diving into the bigger things that shape a well-lived life: health & wellness, financial wisdom, relationships & mental strength, entrepreneurship, and more.
Thoughtful, relatable conversations designed to inspire and uplift you — at the table and in the world.
Lj's Lounge Podcast
Two Powerful OC Promoting Legends Reunite
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Two heavyweights from Orange County’s legendary promoter scene come together like never before. Kenneth Jackson and Louski Ramirez reflect on decades of throwing events, shaping nightlife, and living the hip-hop culture — from breakdancing battles to packed venues. Old school respect, new school vision, and the love of the culture that still burns strong. Real talk, real emotion, and real gratitude. This episode hits from the heart.
Totally, totally, totally, totally. Ready? Cool. Orange County in Greater Southern California. Welcome to another edition of the LJ's Lounge Podcast. Uh, your grateful host, DJ Little Ken, aka Kenneth Jackson. And uh today's another special day. Uh, this conversation specifically, uh, we go back like rocking chairs. Um yeah, this is this is gonna be a fun one. Uh fun one in the sense of there's this consistent element. Quite honestly, I'm gonna go to the hip-hop culture. Um, right? Um I I look at you and I just immediately think of breakdancing and my bomber jacket with the Gumby on the back and et cetera. Yeah. Uh ladies and gentlemen, uh one of the investors at LJ's Lounge, uh, good friend, and we go back like rocking chairs, Luce Ramirez.
SPEAKER_00Thank you, my man. That's crazy, dude.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, right.
SPEAKER_00Just to sit here and chat. So crazy.
SPEAKER_01I love it. Yeah, so um we'll go back and forth, but the first thing for the audience, and just to sit here and reminisce, like uh Pete Rock and CL Smooth, talk about um, from your recollection, just the history of our relationship and how we connected and what that looks like through your lens, so that people know kind of this journey.
SPEAKER_00You know, recollections are really good because I don't remember. I really don't. Like we've done so many things over so many decades. I don't remember where we started. The one of the most fondest memories uh of our beginning stages as friends that I remember is us taking our little boys to go play. Mmm. Remember uh by Akila little jungle gym set where they run through the tunnels and the balls? Yeah, that was my first. Look that I was like, wow. Oh, you just took me way back. We go back, yeah, we go back.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So our little boys are now grown men and they have their little boys. Yes, yes, they do. So yeah. So the rocking chair analogy really fits in. Yeah, yeah. Um, but one of my favorite foundations of our friendship is is for me at our at my personal prideful pinnacle point of promoting, we've gone through a lot of the little spots. We did a lot of little joints, and we got our foot through the door, and we started building momentum. But when we went to Roxbury, to me, that was success. Yeah, that was huge. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'll never forget, we were just getting going, and and for me, it was just ultimate chaos. And you were just always calm and smooth, just bring your crates, set up, chill, I'm ready to do this. You you had it like back of your hand, and and I was I was pulled 35 different ways, and and I I took the easy way out once, and I'll never forget this. I was like, no, Kenny, you're gonna you're gonna do the downstairs room. I got so-and-so, I don't even remember who, it didn't even matter. I was like, I just knew you would help by not causing me a headache, and you would be do a phenomenal job. So we you went to the down room, like, look, dude, I'm gonna tell you this like I'll do it because I know you need you want me to do it, but but don't get mad at me if that room's packed and everything happens. I said, you know what, dude? If it is and it's packed, I will never ask this again. And sure enough, what do you think happened? Oh my god, dude. So we had the upstairs and the downstairs. I couldn't even get into the room. I was like, I was a promoter, I couldn't even get into my room, it's like the job or something. So the room was packed from from start to finish all night. The upstairs was you know, okay and sparse, but the downstairs rooms killed it. So that moment on like never again, Kenny. What do you want me to do for you again? And that was it. That was it. Do you remember that?
SPEAKER_01Yes, and and I'm gonna tell you, um, you you know, the team, the investors, you guys know I'm a I'm an emotional dude. Like it's uh I I wear my heart on my sleeve, and I'm not gonna lie, remember we started this conversation, you're like, I forgot. I I forgot about that night. I vividly remember now that you bring it back up. I vividly remember it.
SPEAKER_00And I remember the only time I saw you get stern, not not even upset, but just a little little boop, a little heart boop. Yeah, all right, dude, I'll do it. But I'm telling you now, don't get mad. I'm like, what's this fool talking about? Get mad, dude. Just go spin. Oh, dude, the whole house was in the one small room.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, no. Um that's a that that's a powerful moment. Thank you for sharing that, man. I'm this this is this is why I wanted to have these conversations because there's such a rich history of us, the hip-hop culture, the music culture, um, entertainment, um, one of the investors, Jara, his band that we'll get into, but you being around, and people don't realize you were on the street team, correct me for wrong, street team for 92.3 the beat back in the day. So right for years. And so I think that was an that was an offspring of that, if I'm not mistaken.
SPEAKER_00You know what's funny is that we we come from um what I would call some severe high testosterone alpha males. Like, you know, we we we are all alpha males, like big time. For real, you know, uh Bubba and you know, you know, the people we hung out with were all alpha males. Yes, so we all had our niche and we were all growing at the same time, but we all had different paths. Yes, and it all came slowly together. We crossed several times, and the rocks were in that foundation of our friendship for me. I knew a few things. I could take you with me and me with you on our journeys because we each had each other's back. You showed me how to give me enough room to grow it yet still guide me, and vice versa. So when LJ's was announced or talked about, I knew it was my turn to step up with my education and knowledge to back you with something. So it was it was a non-negotiable. It was like, dude, sign me up. Like it was hands down, it was a done deal because our whole life's journey, we we were go both going the same direction, family and taking care of things, being responsible. I went this way and you took that road, it but we ended up in the same places.
SPEAKER_01We were on we were on the same freeway, we were just in different lanes.
SPEAKER_00Oh, for sure, for sure. Same freeway, just like yeah, I speed a lot.
SPEAKER_01I I I tend to take shortcuts and speed a lot. I I used to be I used to be far left. I'm much more, I'm pro-60, I'm much more on the far right now. Yeah, I let I let that fly. For sure.
SPEAKER_00And I think that came with with time, age, and maturity. And and you've always been there to guide me in the in the most candid of manners.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, I appreciate that. I mean, it means a lot, man. Um I think um, yeah, I'm trying to keep our emotion in check because you talk about testosterone, but at the same time, we're definitely passionate about our kids, kids, grandkids, etc. But I will never forget, um, I've been working on this, this concept had been in my mind for decades. Then things started taking, you know, things started taking shape. What I'll never forget is we had talked about it, talked about a little bit, I hinted around you, and you were like, hey man, what's going on? What's going on? And we had a very powerful conversation one night, very emotional, powerful conversation at Yard House in Irvine Spectrum. I was. So, um, so yeah, so share, share some of your. Yeah, yeah, we're going there, we're going there. Share some of that. And what it means to you now.
SPEAKER_00It means happiness. It truly it is. To see everything we've worked for all our lives, come to a point where it actually makes dollars and it actually makes sense, and we can do something with it is is is very a prideful moment. So it's it's something that most people don't get the opportunity to do. We have a huge chance to make a dent in our community, uh, to family, friends. Uh we get to put a stamp in our lifetime to buy a facility. You know, we we we have something. I don't know for you, but for me, I never never thought I'd have. You know, it's crazy.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I I will tell you, um, I share your emotion, obviously. Um I would say the thought and the aspect of did I ever think I would have it? It it's funny because uh I spent a lot of time over the past week, flew my mom out again, she's been working with Chef, um, and just the cherished moments. I knew it was possible. It was the avenue and the how. You know what I mean? And then through this journey, God just kept putting on my heart the people to reach out to. Because I think the the biggest challenge for me was going to be, yeah, I had my own little nest egg, so to speak, but there's so much more that was needed. And then I was like, okay, how can I be intentional with who else is involved in this project? That A has the desire and B has the means. And so to have that conversation with you, and then you overwhelmingly were like, I'm in, and then have you didn't even ask me, I just forced that.
SPEAKER_00I was like, dude, I whatever you're doing, I gotta do with you. This is crazy.
SPEAKER_01That's fair, that's fair, that's fair.
SPEAKER_00You know, you'll be on talking about this. Let me ask you, because that's kind of when it became to fruition that this is really happening. At what point along your journey, because to be that's what I said, that was the first like realization of what's happening, but it happened way before, and I was unaware of it. You you you would drop, I say hints, but you would always talk about this. This is something that you've talked about forever. This is something like like someone saying, uh, this is my favorite car, I'm gonna get it one day, and and now it's one day, and I didn't realize you're that serious. I mean, I knew you were serious because you don't talk about much, but when you do, it's for real, and you gotta plan and some graphs and charts and you send out data. So it's a whole you know fiasco with that. So so I didn't get any emails or you know, charts, but uh, but I kept hearing this with you. So so at what point did you go, okay, this is real, I'm moving forward? Was it when you started looking at leases or or places or what what moment? Because there's got to be a definitive moment in time you go, oh yeah, I'm doing this now. Like this is this this it I'm all in now. Even though I haven't signed and gave any money out, I am all in now. It's moving forward. It starts today.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so um so it's funny. You sound a lot like Ramsey. Does that make sense though? It makes perfect makes perfect sense. And what I would tell you is um it's not a definitive moment, it's a series, it's been a series of nudges. And so I I can, you know, again, my a lot of my journey, I'm a in many regards, I'm a flawed man. There's some things I do really well, and there's some things that I'm still working on, namely from a relational perspective. But there is an undisputed gift that I have where I with all this conviction that I can muster up, God gives me nudges. Um I wasn't gonna go to Texas. My sister will tell you, we were not going to go to Texas with Toyota in 2017. Toyota announced they were moving from Torrance to Texas. I will never forget it. I was sleeping and God just said to me, You're going to Texas. And what I learned in hindsight was the Texas move wasn't even for me, Lou. The Texas move was for my sister. My sister is thriving. But if I didn't go to Texas, she wasn't going to Texas. So my point to answer your question is there are these definitive moments in my life where I am given the nudge. No, this is what you gotta do. I know this is what you gotta do. And here's here's my advice I want to throw to anyone and everyone.
unknownOkay.
SPEAKER_01We have to learn how to take time to silence the distractions. Okay. In the world we live in right now, people too often they have too much noise, they're talking, the radio's on. Sometimes you gotta shut up and sit down and be quiet with yourself and deal with your baggage. And in those moments, that's when I get the nudges. So back to your specific question, it was always the how of like, okay, God, this has been on my heart for decades. How do I do it? How do I do it? How do I do it? And then one of the one of those nudges was like, you need to leave Toyota. And I don't think I've ever said that to many people. So I'm telling you, and I'm telling the audience, um, Toyota offered a package, and that nudge was this is the time for you to go. And that also aligns with the conversation I had with Ramsey, what that I did never expect him to say. And I was sitting in the circle of orange with Ramsey, and we were talking about retirement. Hey, I think I'm gonna take this package, and I flipped and I said, I said, hey man, so what are you gonna what are you gonna do? And I'll never forget the moment. He looked right at me and he said, I'm waiting on you. And I was choked up. And it's exactly what you just said.
SPEAKER_00I did the same thing too. I remember when we went to you said it.
SPEAKER_01You said it at yard house, like you were like, you were like, yeah. That's when you when I said, Hey, this is what I'm gonna do, you were right. You didn't give me a choice. You're like, I'm in.
SPEAKER_00I was like, you're you're in a pack of alphas, amongst alphas, and you're still our leader at a lot of times, and we were waiting for that move.
SPEAKER_01It's powerful, bro.
SPEAKER_00Good.
SPEAKER_01Um, so it has been remarkable to, and I thank God every day. Like, I get to come here, and Ramsey said it, and I will tell you at first, because of my alpha-iness, it rubbed me the wrong way, and I'm being transparent and vulnerable, which is men, we don't do a good job. He was like, it's kind of like you work for me, and my alpha came up, and I was like, My alpha came up, I'm like, fool, I don't work for nobody but God. I was like, yeah, yeah. My my ego, bro, I get it, I'm only about five's eight, I'm buck fifty on a wet day, but I was like, bro, I don't work for nobody. I don't care. I was like, I don't work for nobody. And but the truth of the matter is I sit here in this moment humbled, going, you're right, I I I work for the impact. If you know me, you know that do I like money? Yes, to an extent. What I love is I love to make an impact. And so knowing that all these brothers count on me to lead the right way, I've already won. Doesn't matter what happens when we open the doors, when we open the door, I don't care what we my motto, I've already won.
SPEAKER_00You know, we we sat even before Yard House, we went and had lunch at the Korean barbecue. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And and I realized You had a real skeptical look on your face. I I realized you were testing the large, I mean, I had no idea what for what. We want to swim in, we're gonna go jet skiing, we're gonna go to the mall. I couldn't figure out what you're getting at, but you were asking these questions like I just told you, yeah. Whatever you, whenever you're ready, dude, I'm down, whatever. Because I didn't know what you're doing. And to me, it didn't matter. That's fair. You know, I love you for who you are, what you represent in life as a man, as a human being. So it didn't matter if we're gonna go in the corner and shake signs for car washes. I didn't care. Let's let's go. It's an adventure, it's a journey, and I trust you. So putting all that today, it for me, and I I know I know you're getting it now because you you're running nine million things at one time, and I'm happy and jealous at the same time, I laugh and point the finger at you. But it feels good to have someone I immensely trust and respect to do all the decisions making. I know you're not, I know you delegated and I know, but I but I use that in a in a way that is is soft because it's a lot. It's it's a lot of things from from the drapes to the floor to the scones to the buttons. I mean, it just and the list doesn't stop. And and for you to take that on and and um make all the right decisions. Because I because I know you don't just pick something and that's it. No. There's there's data, there's research, there's surveys, there's questionings, there's you know, I mean, so your your answer is is probably 10 times more sound than mine, because I'll be lazy. Yeah, I will just take the green one. Yeah, you know, so I love that.
SPEAKER_01Thank you, brother. And I and I don't take it like and let me let me share something. Um, and I know we keep mentioning Ramsey, but it's how all these conversations tie together because I'm gonna be on another one. And I'm gonna I'm gonna be on another one. I'm gonna keep saying Luzki, so one of the things that um he said it, my mom said it, and I knew it, but I needed to hear it again. The timing. I've been groomed for this moment from my mom, but through the Toyota, through the DJ, the Roxberries helped me. I remember DJing, you know, shout out, Pretty Tony, pretty Tony, Tony Stewart, shout out. Um, I DJ'd with him. One of my first things I ever did was Newport and 17th, roaring 20s, and that was late 80s. And so all these experiences have groomed me for this moment. It grew, let me rephrase that, it's groomed us for this moment, right? So it's funny, people, so we had an awesome orientation yesterday. The employees yesterday, Monday, June 1st, new month, new week, new beginnings. We did our orientation, probably about at least 40 employees for LTA's here. It was humbling, and I kept my emotions in check. And one of the questions was have you ever owned a restaurant before? Which I thought, okay, fair. And I was like, no. And maybe let me go back. I think, have you worked in a restaurant before? Haven't you owned it? Have you worked in it? And so I gave experience and I talked about right up the street, full circle. I worked, Harbor Boulevard, Chuck E. Cheese, Garden Grove, that's where I started. Now, now I own the pizza oven. I said, I ain't getting back in the Chuck E. Cheese uniform. I'm not doing that sneaky uniform. But it's full circle. So it all these experiences, if we're wise enough to let them come together, it comes back. And that's where I think we keep getting tested. We keep making the same dumb decisions, you're just going in a circle. And so I think I've really tried to humble myself and take all the experience. So when you talk about the drapes, it takes me to auto shows. People talk about events, it takes me to um events with doing a BEO with hotels in my corporate career. So it's um I take the experience and I do, I'll reach out and I'm open to input. So no, no, it's cool.
SPEAKER_00You know, you you brought up for a moment there in the promotions that I did, and and and I was on the radio and stuff. For me, that was my uh shovel and pick to beat down more doors, like with authority. Because you and I have always beat down doors.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_00First of all, they didn't like the color of our skin. You're a little darker than I am. I got a good hand though. But but but the fact is in South Orange County, we stand out. Dang, you go in there. Yeah. So for us to stand out and do what we did was phenomenal. Yeah, like we broke barriers. And the radio station backed that. The radio station was all about it. Like it, there's no color lines. I remember that. That was their line. That was it. For me, it wasn't. I just saw my buddy. That was that was it. That's how I rolled. And I know that's how you rolled. And so we had some of the most eclectic mixes of people in one venue in a peaceful environment supporting what we love, which was hip-hop. And we were hip-hop, yeah, and we groomed it, we cultured it, and we were a large running factor uh throughout Southern California of hip-hop. So that was my opportunity to break down that door and do it the most legal way possible instead of being forceful. So, and to me, this is your way now. Like you got the door, and now you're opening the door, and and we're gonna show people things that I don't think they've ever experienced or seen because you've taken along your journey of life all these different moments in time and put it into this one, and and it shows from the from the soul of the photos to the color concept to the beads on the tables are the the stools to the smoothness on the tables, everything comes out with flavor. Um, there's nothing that's generic about this place, there's nothing that's really well said food stamp. It really has everything has soul here, and it's it's so neat. And I gotta tell you that my first moment of oh my gosh, this is gonna be huge, was our food testing. I I didn't know how the food was gonna go. Like, I gotta be honest. And I don't own restaurants, and I I don't I don't know. I I I eat as you can tell, but uh you know, being Italian, I know flavor. But I was like, and I kept asking him and I tried not to bug him as much as I do. And which is okay. I like it. So how's the food? How's the chef? And to me, that was the first thing he should have had. I mean, but you're like, oh, it'll come. And it's like your your belief and faith is so strong, and I admire that. And I I I try daily to follow that. I try so hard. But and and then we got Chef and came along, cool guy, loved him, chatted with him a few times. And I heard, you know, I heard a little about cooking, a little bit cooking.
SPEAKER_01So real quick, real quick, guys. Lou is talking about um, and I stressed the crap out of the team. On Saturday, May 30th. Yes, yeah. On Saturday, May 30th, um, my concept was we're getting very close to opening, and I wanted to do a stress test. I was like, hey, I'm gonna. I've we have been dark for soul to soul and promoting. I did my last DJ gig at Mozambique on May 22nd, and so we've been dark. So people are wearing us out on soul to soul and where you DJ. And so there's a group that's been pretty loyal. It's about it was about 15, 20 um white females, um, but they've been coming to the brunch. And my mom was in town, and then remember I told you I get the nudges. I was like, you know what I'm gonna do? I loved it. I loved it. I'm like, I'm gonna do a test. I was like, hey, I'm gonna invite some people here. Some people got a birthday thing going up. I'm gonna invite some people here. Brilliant. We're gonna have about 50 people here, and we're gonna test the food. And everyone was like, You have lost. Well, let me not just get one. The team was like, this fool's lost his mind.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_01But I wanted the stress test straight up, and I also wanted to test the food, and it gave me an opportunity of like, okay, I'm gonna bring some people together. So I reached out, not too many people. I was smart, I called our liquor license attorney and said, Hey, we don't have the liquor license yet, but this is what I want to do. He's like, Kenny, do this, do this, you can you can do it. Private event. And it was also an opportunity to test the team. So I had a doorman, I got a bartender, um, you know, I shouldn't say I. We. We got a door person, we got a bartender, uh, we got a bar back, we got a server. Monty did a phenomenal job helping to arrange front of the house. Chef did a great job. And my restaurant consultant, Charles Smith, he was like, yeah, they they were all looking at me like, you done bumped your head. So glad I did it. I invited you, you brought a guest, uh, invited another jar of one of the investors as well. My mom was here, family. So you can let them know how was that event.
SPEAKER_00You know, and I'm gonna do my best to articulate this in the most respectful manners to all companies. But I think of this as success. So if as a successful Chinese food place, I think Panda, or not Panda, I think uh PF Chang is a very successful restaurant. They've got it down path. I realize this is the PF Chang of Soul Food. Now, let me clarify the shrimp, it was all good, it was all good, but I'm really meticulous. But the shrimp, the gumbo, catfish, I gotta sneak to try it. Um, and there's one other item left. Chicken and waffles? Yes. Thank you. Okay, you can tell by my reaction, yes. Oh, bro. Game over. Like, like for real, game over. And not because I'm an owner, like none of that. Like, this is real talk. Bro. PF changes to come to us for the 24 flavors now. When that Kobe beef comes out, I can't wait to try the 24 sauce. So, so you took exactly what I was dreaming of and go, we got this. And you did, and you you nailed it, you you put it out of the park. So those flavors that you provided with excellent cooking, oh, dude. And it was it was um, it was the perfect blend of authentic and modern. That's what I was worried about. Because my sister is very bland when it comes to food, and that's awesome. She likes her pasta sauce. I like a little tapete when it I like spicy, whatever. We all have different flavors. But I can't see her liking the collard greens. But I tried them, I was like, oh my god, she's gonna love these. The mac and cheese, oh my gosh, she's gonna love these. The flavors aren't like your standard flavors, and it's not Cajun, it's not spice, it's that gumbo, like I told you, that gumbo, I that was like a roadmap in my mouth, just like, oh my god, like we got this. We what what the heck, man? That was that was like unfair. That was unfair eating. That was really just crazy. So to try the food and be fortunate to be a part of that, that was the moment I realized, oh my gosh, dude, that this is I have no doubt on a professional level that this is not gonna be successful. I knew no doubt Kenny was gonna make this happen. Period. I it didn't matter what we had to do, it would happen. But we're selling a product that's phenomenal, and that blew me away. Now I'm like, okay, this means change franchise, we're gonna go to Texas this year. I already know Kenny's already grafting that out, and he's already putting all the formulation aside because in about six months or nine months, when when we're barely done being overbooked and not being able to get people in, because that's about the time frame I already see happening. He's like, I do I gotta talk to you, and we're gonna go sit and talk. And I'm gonna realize what he's really been brewing in the background. Like, so I need a GM here, and we're gonna go. I know him, I know this now, and I'm not gonna hold back. I'm like, Where do you need me? He is not lying. I'm like, where do you need me? Because this is it's real stuff. He is not lying. And if I was just cool, it was good, I would tell you, yeah, it was good. I'm glad we did it and everything else. But man, PF Chang's gonna run. Like, that was that was some good stuff. Thank you, bro. I was like thinking, okay, hopefully it's better than airport food, maybe better than like, I don't know. Okay, so so you went there. You went there.
SPEAKER_01So, two things I think it's important to share. Uh, three things. First is grandma would say we're not gonna get too big for our britches, and we'll grow wisely and smart. Yes. Which is why the menu, we're only gonna have about 35 items to start. Boom. So we'll grow smart. But secondly, what I would tell you, you said airport. I've already told the team candidly, there's no reason why I I want to be in John Wayne Airport, I want to be in DFW, I want to be at O'Hare, I want to be hey, I want this in Charlotte, Atlanta. I want this.
SPEAKER_00I want to be there. Hey, I'm so happy I'm on for the ride. I already knew this would happen. I am not playing. There are no limits to these walls or boundaries with us. Absolutely not. They they put the wrong kids up front to do this.
SPEAKER_01We're running. I I told my mom, they should have never given Maya Brown behind this building. Yeah. Um, here's the other thing that I need you to talk about real quick. You talked about the food, you've talked about the meticulous detail and being intentional. Thank you. Love you, I appreciate that. It's nice. It's nice when you put forth that effort and it's recognized. So you talked about the food, you talked about the decor. Yeah, but I need you to mention something Saturday that I thought was phenomenal as well. Talk about the team and the service of the people that we hired over here on Saturday, bro. You know, you cannot omit that.
SPEAKER_00No, and and that warmed my heart, truly did to find cultured people with the same like minds and the family values preach is is digging through a hay bale and looking for that needle. And so far, the six or eight that we had, my brother and my sister. That's how I felt. Like, welcome to the family. You know, they did such a great job. And it wasn't like um robotic. No, it was just like, you good? Yeah, we I'm good. Are you good? Yeah, it was it was casual.
SPEAKER_01Lou, no, it was hospitality at its finest.
SPEAKER_00At its finest. It's it's it's like if we were at home and family was there, and how we'd say, Hey, can you pass me the sugar? Like, that's how it was. It was just from the heart. And it was so good to see. It was so good to see. And if they didn't know, they asked. They didn't front, they didn't fake it, they didn't act like a fool. I'm oh, what's that? And you know, then I explained, like, oh, good to know. And note to self, you know, it was just normal conversation. And and I think, you know, aside from the amazing food, that's what's gonna keep them coming back, and the relationships they're gonna build that we've already built, and they've already met them, you know, they're already like, oh, we're joined in now. It happened that fast. It was it was instantaneous. Even from Chip at the door that I didn't get a chance to talk too much. Yeah, Chip's cool cat. Yes, cool cat, nice guy, and very humble. And the the people behind the bar and the people roaming the floor. I mean, it it was good. It because it's it if it didn't happen, oh, I'd be so I'd be like, okay, so are we serving? Yeah, because yeah, I mean, Chef and Monty, you know, it's just it's I think other than all the things you're doing and getting lucky and strategic, we did get lucky, or you did pick the right people for the right positions and the right roles because it looks like they were meant to be there. It it's organic.
SPEAKER_01Monty has a saying that we both have an author that we like. Um, uh, I want to say it's Unreasonable Hospitality is the book. Um it's one of Danny Myers, a restaurantur, Shake Shack, and he says, um put the aces in their places. And so again, leadership is about hiring the right people, setting the right expectation, and then getting out of their way. And so, to your point, it it felt good. The service was on point, the food was on point, the ambulance was on point, and then uh, hey, we gotta do the music, did a little DJ. I love it.
SPEAKER_00I was always wondering, are you gonna come back up? Because I hope you do. That's why I'm here. Did a little DJ set the end of night.
SPEAKER_01And hey, the ladies got up and just took them. So it was yeah, it was phenomenal.
SPEAKER_00That that was the the sneak peek to the joy of my heart. That was so awesome.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, it was fun.
SPEAKER_00So when it opens, it's gonna get sick. It's ridiculous. Yeah, it's ridiculous.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no, uh, so thank you for the conversation. Thank you for the time. My last question for you to proverbially drop the mic that I would ask you. I think I truly believe we'll be open by the end of the month. Um, we'll see. If we don't, I'll wait on God's timing. But that said, I would like to know whenever we open, what is that gonna feel like for you to walk through that door? What what are you expecting to see? What are you hoping to see? What and the emotions you'll be going through, what does that look like?
SPEAKER_00You know, that's a really great question. Because I lay in bed night after night, up late and up early, thinking about LJ's 24-7. And and I think that's no pressure, Kenny, no pressure, no pressure. I think that I got to experience it last Saturday. It was awesome.
SPEAKER_01There's nothing else to say. Um I will say thank you for being my brother. Thank you for having the courage to have the difficult conversations. People don't know, you know, whether that's, you know, we'll get off the text, we'll talk in person. But um, you know, I think uh my son has taught me that lesson is that just that honesty, and don't run from those those honest conversations. But just thank you for believing in this. Um every day is not perfect, um, but the one thing I can tell you, and I say it to all the investors, to all of our employees, all of our guests, you guys will get every drop of hard work, integrity, passion, and excellence that I can deliver every day. As long as there's breath in my lungs, this place and everyone around me that I love, you will get my very best. And I will.
SPEAKER_00I know that, hands down, brother. That's why I don't even that's that's the greatest part about our relationship, is I know you deliver. You you come full force. And you know when I you need me, I come full force. There's there's no question about it. So just watching it unfold is walking through the doors of the day it opens, it's just gonna be another prideful moment that it's happening and it's gonna keep moving. And I'm gonna try and uh enjoy to smell the flowers as long as I can that day because my mind is like yours. I'm already thinking the next spot, just like you. I knew it happened. I knew it happened. But yeah, thanks, brother.
SPEAKER_01Thank you. Appreciate you, y'all. My man, Luski Ramirez in the spot. Cheers, cheers. That's fun, bro.