Meet Brett Latteri of The Den

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brett Latteri.

Hi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story is unconventional for this industry as I didn’t come up as a server or manager or bartender or through the kitchen. I came from a different point of view – I had some business experience and I dove in headfirst naively. I got my ass kicked early on and learned a whole heck of a lot about business very quickly. I have constantly been moving forward and learning every single day. I love it and hate it all at the same time. It can be really rough, but the majority of the time, it’s been really great.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been an exciting journey so far, minus the ups and downs from the pandemic. Even when it’s great and the road is perfectly smooth, there are always challenges. Even when business is steady and stable, there are a million things coming at you from every direction. I always have to be on top of my A game because if you let it slip, the business will just go. There are so many pieces moving constantly in this industry; it’s a puzzle that is always changing. I think a common misconception when you first open a bar is that you open the doors and get to enjoy happy hour every day with your friends. That’s not the reason to open a bar/restaurant. All this to say, it is extremely fun and rewarding.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What don’t I do? If you own a small business, your hands are in every aspect of it. I do everything – I have a team running areas such as front of house, back of house, admin, events, but I’m involved in everything. We work collaboratively as a unit, so everyone is on the same page and we’re moving forward in the right direction. I’m very hands on.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
The thing that makes me the happiest professionally is when the space is full, and I see people meeting new people and chatting with strangers. When I see people who didn’t originally know each other become friends, it’s so rewarding to see. That along with the sounds of cocktails being shaken makes me the happiest when I’m on site. Personally, it’s spending time with my wife, dog, and family.

Contact Information:

• Phone: 323-656-0336
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denonsunset/

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