The brothers of Vienna’s Jammin Java talk the blues and benefits of the biz.
By Angela Bobo
Running a hip concert venue, restaurant and music school may seem like all fun and games, but Jonathan, Daniel and Luke Brindley know that it is built on a lot of hard work. Sure, having Joe Jonas perform a free concert at your space may sound cool, but when thousands of screaming girls appear out of nowhere, it takes skill and experience to know how to handle it. For the Brindleys, the success of a show always starts with one simple rule: “Always put the artist first, and everything else flows from there,” says Jonathan.
Sons of amateur musicians, the Brindleys grew up with an appreciation for music and artists. While they pride themselves on treating artists well, they also realize the importance of providing a comfortable atmosphere for guests. “We have great community vibes in the venue, and part of that stems from the fact that we are open all day … we get to know a lot of local people that way,” says Daniel.
Jammin Java’s welcoming spirit may have roots in family, but the Brindleys have learned that running a small business smoothly requires setting boundaries with one another and cultivating different, yet complimentary, skills. It all comes down to passion. Luke advises, “Make sure [what you do is] something that you love. … that is the only thing that is going to get you through sometimes.”
Each month get behind the scenes and find out what everyday life is really like for local VIPs.
(May 2013)
