Today we’d like to introduce you to Riley Hodges.
Riley, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up in the bar business from a young age. My parents opened Shannon’s Bayshore Saloon in 1995. Years later, after graduating college, I was able to focus on our family business. I found a strength in working with good people to get things done. In 2006, we opened our second bar location, Shannon’s On Pine, in downtown LB. We kept the same approach in being a friendly neighborhood bar. I was able to grow as a manager through many challenges in developing a solid team of what is now about 70 employees.
In 2009 we doubled our size, built a kitchen, and as of this year, we expanded to open a new music venue upstairs, At The Top. We’ve had a great year so far in hosting talented indie, rock, funk, reggae, rockabilly, jazz and DJ artists, as well as offering special events, like swing and salsa dancing, CineSpin films and other cool stuff.
We have more projects in the works with The Carvery restaurant and future plans for an underground Speakeasy. After purchasing the property at the location of our downtown business, we’ve since embarked to restore our 1930’s Art Deco building, the Rowan-Bradley, with black marble, clerestory windows, and custom medallions and grillwork.
I feel that it’s very important to be able to balance and re-define the work that you do every day. My dad has always demonstrated the power of ambition. I think that this type of work should encompass an entrepreneurial spirit and a genuine passion in completing your own creative vision.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Working in a bar and restaurant business has unique challenges. I think the most noteworthy struggles always come down to the people involved. Whether it’s working with government agencies, outside businesses, customers, or your own employees, there is always a learning curve to overcome. So how people react to those challenges can make a huge difference.
Some of the more unique challenges have been while undergoing construction. I like to think of it as an adventure into the unknown in order to create something new, all the while continuing to operate your business daily. We’ve run into all kinds of obstacles in this process. Luckily, I’ve had the fortune to learn in this process by working with a talented team of go-getters!
Another example of a challenge was during our transition to serving a full menu of food, which has taken many years to get to the kind of consistency that we are able to achieve today.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Shannon’s Bayshore, On Pine, and At The Top story. Tell us more about the business.
Shannon’s Bayshore is a very busy Irish-American ‘dive’ bar on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore. We are known for popularizing a drink called Shoot the Root, have lots of longtime regulars during the day and are packed with college kids at night. We are most proud of being an established neighborhood bar that so many people love and have made great memories here.
Shannon’s On Pine, and At The Top (soon to be Shannon’s Corner) is a similarly busy bar, restaurant and music/events venue. We specialize in being the only Sports Pub in downtown Long Beach, now with more really cool stuff to do! We are most proud of keeping true to our name through many periods of growth, with lots of hard work and dedication from our loyal team.
What sets us apart from others is our passion and vision in being all that we can be, and having the unique approach of being family-owned and operated. Plus, we sell the most Jameson, collectively, than any other bar business in California!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I think that luck, if there is such a thing, comes with an investment in the universe. Good karma brings good luck. Taking it further, there is that whole luck of the Irish thing, too…
Contact Info:
- Address: Shannon’s On Pine, At The Top – 201 Pine Avenue Long Beach, CA 90802
Shannon’s Bayshore Saloon – 5335 East 2nd Street Long Beach, CA 90803 - Website: www.atthetoplb.com
- Phone: 562.436.4363
- Email: [email protected], [email protected]
- Instagram: @shannonsonpine, @atthetoplb, @shansbayshore
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/atthetoplb – www.facebook.com/shannonsonpine
- Twitter: @shannonsonpine, @atthetoplb, @shansbayshore
- Other: www.shannonslongbeach.com
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