17 years and five million dollars later, something has to change.
January 6, 2017 7:27 AM   Subscribe

Netscape programmer Jamie Zawinski's DNA Lounge is in trouble. In the 17 years since I signed the lease on DNA Lounge, I've spent about five million dollars on it. That is a truly gargantuan amount of money, inconceivable to most people, including many of my friends. Including me. Maybe if you'd had that magic briefcase dropped into your lap, you'd have done something more noble with it. Or more venal. Well, this is what I did: I spent most of my adult life running a nightclub, in a near-constant state of panic.
posted by mecran01 (6 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: Ah, jeez, I didn't notice at first the kinda right-there fundraising box between the article and the comments. That does kinda throw a wrench in the gears for a front page post, much as I hope things work out for jwz and DNA. -- cortex



 
What a shame. DNA Lounge has been on my list of places to go after reading this Ask. I wish Denver had a similar place.
posted by asperity at 7:40 AM on January 6, 2017


I refuse to believe JWZ is not his full and complete name.
posted by beerperson at 8:21 AM on January 6, 2017 [4 favorites]


Perhaps we should rethink the idea that institutions can be both profitable and nurturing simultaneously.
posted by infinitewindow at 8:39 AM on January 6, 2017 [2 favorites]


Sad to hear this, but I thought by now he'd already known:

The dreamers invest their time, sweat and resources into a large club.
The sleepless invest their time, sweat and resources into a small venue.
The best way to make a small fortune on any investment is to start with a large windfall.
posted by Smart Dalek at 8:45 AM on January 6, 2017


I've been reading jwz's blog for most of that time and it has always made operating a nightclub appear horrendously expensive and frustrating. The decision to open Codeword boggled me: you have one perpetually-struggling location, so let's take on the expense of building out a second? "Now you have two problems."
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 8:47 AM on January 6, 2017 [2 favorites]


TV and movies have taught me that nightclubs are primarily viable as fronts and money laundering operations for organized crime.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 9:07 AM on January 6, 2017 [2 favorites]


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