Meet Tim Mars of The Lexington in Downtown Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tim Mars.

Tim, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I moved out to LA in 2002 after going to the University of Kentucky in Lexington. I did stand-up comedy locally in LA and on the road until the summer of 2010 when I became intensely interested in commercial real estate. I had many years’ experience bartending and managing restaurants and I had also worked at the Hollywood Improv as a promoter for quite some time. So I decided to combine those two experiences and open The Lexington. After two and a half years of permits and red tape, it finally opened and has been going strong for 4 years this month.

Has it been a smooth road?
Just getting it open was a struggle. I started with very little money. I worked crazy hours, borrowed money and even slept in the place for six months while waiting for approval on permits. My family thought I was nuts and at one point suggested an “intervention” and that I should seek counseling. Which, of course, I thought was nuts.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
At the end of the day, we’re a bar. But beer is about one percent of what we sell. 99% of what we sell is experience. If you hang out at The Lexington just a few times a week you will make friendships that could last a lifetime.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Truthfully, I would not recommend opening this type of business in LA. All cities approach entrepreneurs in different ways. Cities in Texas and Nevada beg people to come there and open businesses and create jobs and culture. What LA could do better is to eliminate redundant, outdated paperwork and processes that stall the time it takes to open the doors for business. They should also eliminate “expedited processing”. The government should work hard, efficiently and quickly for all people looking to start businesses. And they should charge the exact same fees to everyone as well.

Pricing:

• 12oz PBRs $3 all day every day.

Contact Info:

• Address: 129 E 3rd St. Los Angeles CA
• Website: www.TheLexingtonBar.com
• Phone: 213-291-5723
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: TheLexingtonBar
• Facebook: Facebook.com/TheLexingtonBar