Today we’d like to introduce you to Mia Von Criss.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
What do you get when you combine a speakeasy’s brain with a piano bar’s heart and gussy her up in 80’s glam makeup? Tramp Stamp Granny’s checks all of the boxes that until now, fun-loving Los Angelenos didn’t even know they were in such desperate need of.
Tramp Stamp Granny’s is the brainchild of director/musician Mia Von Criss and her husband, actor/musician Darren Criss, a passion project initially inspired by the legendary piano bars of New York City. Part-time New Yorkers themselves, the pair had always wanted to bring a piece of those institutions to the City of Angels, but with a fresh dose of millennial Hollywood panache.
After years of having nights out with friends invariably ending up at their own home for cocktails and singalongs by the piano, they decided it was best to share the party with other like-minded LA residents. Residents who, like them, loved good drinks, jazz standards, musical theater, live music, and karaoke… But never had a place they could blend it all together.
Along with partners Danny Massare and Brian Swier (founding member of Bowery Presents) its former “Beauty Bar” venue was secured, and the team has rallied support from other notable owners such as Benj Pasek (of award-winning Pasek & Paul fame) and Z100’s Elvis Duran. “TSG’s,” as the neon sign displays above the bustling foot traffic of N Cahuenga Blvd, boasts original entertainment to a city like Los Angeles, the DJs of TSG’s are its nightly pianists- leading patrons in singalongs of their favorite requests, as well as accompanying the occasional brave soul who tips enough for a solo.
And although this is the backbone of Tramp Stamp Granny’s entertainment, its appeal goes farther than just a few rousing renditions of “Tiny Dancer.” TSG’s has become known for it’s glamorous art-deco aesthetic, its walls irreverently decorated with pink glitter, tattooed bodies, and neon- the perfect balance of kitsch and class. This same dichotomy can be found in the bar’s custom craft cocktails- with tongue-and-cheek names like “Boob Soup,” “Actress/Waitress/Mattress,” and the house special “The Tramp.” Tramp Stamp Granny’s celebrates the harmonious marriage of musicology and mixology, and has one soaring objective: to unite people through song, cocktails and what its founders lovingly like to call “upscale debauchery.”
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The biggest struggle to date was securing a liquor license. We ended up waiting almost a year before we could open our doors, months after we were ready to go! But once we got our license, everything was in place to hit the ground running, and we did just that, opening our doors to the public a mere week and a half after the license was granted. Ever since then, it’s been a wild ride, not without its ups and downs of course. But we’re lucky to have an incredibly dependable, hardworking and talented staff that make this place feel more like a rowdy singalong family reunion than anything else, so it all works out in the end. We enjoy providing a safe, yet wacky & unique space that people look forward to visiting again and again.
Tramp Stamp Granny’s – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
What we feel the most proud of, is the creation of a space that provides its customers with a feeling that they don’t feel anywhere else.. Piano bars are few and far between in Los Angeles, and we aim to satisfy all classes of music lovers, who crave the joyous, raucous singalong, but doesn’t necessarily need to get up on a microphone to prove it. Together, the patrons of Tramp Stamp Granny’s become the chorus, they become their own entertainment. And that, along with a higher caliber of craft cocktails to spice up their lives, creates a different kind of party than anyone else’s. We’d go all night if we could. We never want our party to end.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success for the owners of Tramp Stamp Granny’s isn’t the monetary kind. I’ve watched the faces of new customers as they enter a small elegant-looking, yet neon speakeasy, nestled between the clubs of Cahuenga, not knowing at all what to expect. When their expressions shift from confusion to utter excitement when they hear the words of Abba’s Mamma Mia, we know we’ve made a new friend, that’s all the success we need.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1638 n. Cahuenga Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90028
- Website: trampstampgrannys.com
- Phone: 3234985626
- Email: [email protected] for reservations
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trampstampgrannys
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TrampStampGrannysLA/
- Twitter: @trampstampgrans
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/tramp-stamp-grannys-los-angeles
Image Credit:
Monika Sedziute, Matty Tae, Stephanie Breijo, Mia Von Criss
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