If you know…things have definitely been changing. Origami, Caior, Culture, ThankYouThankYou, SlowDive, The Back, Scotty Quixx, Suite 1200, Legacy Lounge. All are the names of entertainment establishments that have been ordered to close by the city of Norfolk within the past year or so. While city officials have gleamed over their supposed solution to violence found within sights of entertainment, a huge gap in the local marketplace has presented itself. Obviously the consumers have found themselves in search of new places to relax; it seems as if Portsmouth is primed to provide that answer. But what of the creatives and entrepreneurs who used these venues as sights of commerce and business? It’s true the city may have done a good job of pushing us off our square and out of our regular hangout spots but…..the games not dead. It just shifted.

Foundation Keeps you Fertile

Take local apparel brand @MadeInNorfolk as a case study. Founder / Owner Amir Driver has been grinding for over a decade now, and is a great example of a business that has had to react to the shifting landscape of Norfolk. For several years, MADE was headquartered in a commercial location outside of Military Circle Mall, a longtime fixture in the city. Redevelopment projects forced Driver to relocate his store to another location, an act which itself presents significant hurdles to business operations and logistics. Although we aren’t speaking on a nightclub, bar or lounge…this issue is being felt by many of the entrepreneurs and owners of firms within hospitality and entertainment. Whether its the city council laws that force owners to abandon venues or landlords who refuse to rent to creative entreprenuers due to fears of “disturbance”…..many of us have been searching for the spaces where we can operate and function without interference. The funny part about it all is….if you know the real shakers, movers and groovers…then you can see we are already on the next wave / format of what culture is in the 757.

It used to be pop-ups, open mics, regular parties and “one-offs” like day parties, brunches, paint and sips, comedy shows, etc. For the event curators, brands, artists and owners themselves, the clubs and venues we had at our disposal acted as the sights where our careers played out. Its one thing to connect and engage over social medias, videos and other digital means….but community and brand building takes foundation from real life interaction. Our careers only exist because we have built fans and followings. They have a real desire to connect; to be around us in real life….they want to touch the products we make, they want to experience the mysticism that arises from our creative constructs. Simply put, all of this was happening inside these venues that the city in one way or another pushed us out of. But its coming across like all the creatives and hustlers are reacting in a positive manner, really taking the action from front-street venues to side-street, “speak-easy” “if-you-know-you-know” type spots.

So we used to be on Granby or maybe at Broadway for some of the bigger events….but now the games gone underground. Places like the MadeinNorfolk store out Poplar Halls, or SpaceStation near Sherwood and Shoop Park. You got the JuiceBar spot off NorthHampton, or the Warehouse near 26th / 25th. Gabe Niles has been doing his thing at Plaza Del Sol with Baila Saturday’s….or even how Q5 is keeping his Slow Jamz open mic rocking at 80/20 burger bar. Its really the same activities; parties, pop-ups, brand-days, etc….but the crowds and atmosphere is really concentrated right now. The days of super packed clubs and bars are on hold right now, least in Norfolk. But this new shift in tone and direction may be what the brands and entrepreneurs on the scene needed.

Profit from people, not just propertys

Look at it like this. The scene broke up, we had to take it indoors. Most of these establishments that are rocking now are actually owned by apparel founders and entrepreneurs. This is a great sign in and of itself. While in years past it was always the norm to seek out club, bar, lounge and restaurant venues to host events….the shut-down really forced us to focus on ourselves. Throw in the effect the COVID pandemic had on commercial lease pricing and now you’re looking at opportunity. Now you are starting to see the kids who were once quick to jump and do a revenue split or outright pay a venue owner invest in themselves. These kids were forced to take a timeout…..and in that time I think a lot of us started cooking up and realizing we have value in the marketplace. Its always been about “creating”; whether that’s a great event or the next hottest apparel line. But once that process gets interrupted and you have to jump back to the literal “who, where and how” of connecting with your following; its there where you start to tap into the foundation. The real structure of your movement that is going to allow you to build a solid and lengthy career.

Change is good for everybody. Its inevitable. Its the catalyst for growth and expansion. Take V'Money for example. MadeInNorfolks newly proclaimed floor manager may be a new face, but this is what comes when change presents itself. New people come around, new ideas pop-up and new masterpieces happen. So the second part to understand is that the venues and spaces really are the backdrop to what is the lifeline of what we do: the people. Its ALWAYS going to be the people who keep you alive in this game. Doesen’t matter if we are meeting at Culture Lounge, Slowdive, my house or the WhiteHouse. We can change locations but long as the people stay commited to the cause, we’ll be okay. ON THE SAME HAND…..it’s important to craft an environment where your community can thrive and resonate, so i’m not saying the setting doesen’t matter at all. It’s a dual-sided argument. Put the people first; pay attention to their needs and desires…cater to that. In whatever environment. But mind the fact that your brand, business or firm will need to carve out a space and literally “plant down”; tying yourself to a physical location that allows you to engage in commerce and money.

If They Got Love For You, They’ll Help You Live On

I used to picture the game like it was this popularity contest whose votes were counted by ticket sales and Instagram likes. Anybody who is really in it knows this game is fickle, shifts all the time and will never end. You will never capture the ENTIRE market or come to a point where your following never leaves for the competition or other horizons. My time maturing in the game has brought me to a new point of realization. Its really more this long, slow-drawn out process of making people believers. You have to be okay with their belief in you presenting itself organically. Meaning it generally always comes on their terms and timing. But if you are able to achieve this feat…..by whatever means or method necessary….you should find that your creation contains an energy.

This energy is the shared connection between the people who make up your following. You have to nurture this energy. This comes from your commitment to enganging; whether through digital means like videos, posts, images…or physical means like product sales, experiences and events. New ways of working, new places to work at…all of that is going to change. Have to stay on top of it. But its always the people. Your believers. The ones who are going to dedicate to offering time, effort and free promotion. Your workers like V’Money. The artists who come grace your stages like 2800 ENT, FroWundas or _95Leo. The regular patrons who come cop your tees, shorts and such. They are going to keep you going and alive out here.

So thats what it is. Pay attention. Lock in. Realize that it’s not always going to stay the same. Gotta be ready to adapt. But keep your eyes on whats important and what is going to drive your career. If you are in the creative industries it means you should have an eye to see the field; in its present, its relation to the past and future. I dont know where you’re reading this our checking this out from…but around my parts, the 757….its not many open hands offering true support. But I have found that when times get tough….when things get weird and start to falling out from under us….thats when we really strap it on and decide that whatever comes….we bout to rock out and survive through it. And thats ON KLUB!

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