Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 103

be a legend linda and brad johnson
By Matt Dougherty
Photo courtesy of Post & Beam; rendering courtesy of V Starr

FAMILY BUSINESS

The husband-and-wife founders of Post & Beam Hospitality
have a flair for narrative

Brad Johnson caught the design bug from his father. When Howard
Johnson became the owner of popular nightspot the Cellar on
Manhattan's Upper West Side in 1973, he turned it into a celebration of
Black culture by displaying black and white photos of jazz luminaries
throughout. "Just those touches made it personal and resonate with
our customers," says Brad, whose first job was washing dishes at the
restaurant. Growing into the role of operator, Brad managed to book
Keith Sweat and Chris Rock as entertainment at the Cellar, and then
moved to Los Angeles to pursue his own career as a restaurateur. It
seemed he found his calling: His first project, nightclub and blues
lounge the Roxbury in 1989, was a hit, and became the setting of the
1998 comedy A Night at the Roxbury.

Then, in 1993, he opened upscale Southern restaurant Georgia on
Melrose Avenue with high-profile partners including basketball legend
Norm Nixon and actor Denzel Washington. It was there that he was
introduced to his future wife, Boston-raised Linda, by a mutual friend. "I
admired his ability and approach to creating different rooms with warm
and inviting hospitality," she says. "How customers feel in the space affects
sales, how staff efficiently maneuver in the space affects labor, so design is
critically important." They became fast friends, but when Linda helped Brad
open New England seafood concept Menemsha in LA's beachfront Venice
neighborhood, their relationship sprouted in different but complementary
directions. Today, they're partners in life, and in business at Post & Beam
Hospitality. "As CFO, Linda is clearly the more analytical and tends to bring
reality to my crazy schemes and dreams," Brad says.
Together, they opened the midcentury modern restaurant Post & Beam
in LA's Baldwin Hills neighborhood, which Brad points out is surrounded
by the top three wealthiest Black communities in the U.S. Sourcing some
of the furniture and fixtures from Craigslist and other secondhand sources,
the space is decked out with atomic hanging lights, Eames dining chairs,
vintage wrought-iron patio furniture, and pebble art. Now the Johnsons,
with the help of V Starr, are restoring the iconic Sunset Lounge in West
Palm Beach, Florida, where Louis Armstrong and Ike and Tina Turner once
performed. "Paying homage to that era while also creating an unpretentious,
sophisticated vibe is no small challenge," Brad says. "V Starr exceeded what
I thought possible."
Despite the pandemic, the pair is exploring opportunities to extend
the Post & Beam brand. "It's certainly not a time for the faint of heart,"
says Linda. "We chose to use this time for reflection, reorganization, and
reprioritizing how we want to live and work." Brad's focus has been on
writing, podcasting, and other forms of expression. "The hospitality industry,
in particular restaurants, is a microcosm of the culture," he adds. "There is
a neverending source of storytelling that is essential for honoring those who
came before us, sharing the culture, and bringing people together." hd
A rendering of the forthcoming Sunset Lounge, a
Jazz Age landmark in West Palm Beach that is being
resuscitated by Post & Beam Hospitality and V Starr

hospitalitydesign.com November 2020

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Hospitality Design - November 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hospitality Design - November 2020

Hospitality Design - November 2020
contents
from the editor
preface
from the guest editor
preface: memoir
preface: sketchbook
chapter one rethinking wellbeing
rethinking wellbeing: maslina resort
rethinking wellbeing: irth landscape hotel and spa
rethinking wellbeing: sharaan resort
rethinking wellbeing: refuge de la traye
rethinking wellbeing: hotel sin nombre
rethinking wellbeing: lago maggiore
rethinking wellbeing: buxton crescent hotel
chapter two social good
social good: kellee kemp
social good: marquise stillwell
social good: michael ford
chapter three south florida focus
south florida focus: constance collins
south florida focus: jorge m. pérez
south florida focus: tony cho
south florida focus: ernie and liezl els
chapter four products
products: profile ngahuia damerell
products: seating
products: lighting
products: bath
products: wallcoverings
chapter five be a legend
be a legend: elena camps biondi
be a legend: melissa wood-tepperberg
be a legend: daniel arsham
be a legend: linda and brad johnson
be a legend: damon lawrence
be a legend: paul scialla
be a legend: louis thompson
be a legend: shai zelering
be a legend: jason wu
be a legend: sheena rose
be a legend: britta and kent lindvall
ad index
back space: jo beth Wharton
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - Hospitality Design - November 2020
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - Cover2
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 1
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 2
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 3
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 4
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - contents
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 6
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 7
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - from the editor
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 9
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 10
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 11
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 12
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - preface
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - from the guest editor
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 15
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 16
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 17
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 18
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 19
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 20
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - preface: memoir
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 22
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 23
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 24
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 25
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 26
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 27
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 28
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 29
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 30
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 31
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 32
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 33
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 34
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - preface: sketchbook
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 36
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 37
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 38
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 39
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 40
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - chapter one rethinking wellbeing
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 42
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: maslina resort
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: irth landscape hotel and spa
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 45
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: sharaan resort
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 47
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: refuge de la traye
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 49
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: hotel sin nombre
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 51
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: lago maggiore
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 53
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - rethinking wellbeing: buxton crescent hotel
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 55
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 56
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - chapter two social good
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 58
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - social good: kellee kemp
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - social good: marquise stillwell
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 61
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 62
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 63
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - social good: michael ford
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 65
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 66
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 67
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 68
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - chapter three south florida focus
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 70
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - south florida focus: constance collins
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - south florida focus: jorge m. pérez
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 73
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - south florida focus: tony cho
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 75
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - south florida focus: ernie and liezl els
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 77
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 78
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - chapter four products
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 80
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - products: profile ngahuia damerell
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - products: seating
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 83
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - products: lighting
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 85
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 86
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - products: bath
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 88
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 89
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - products: wallcoverings
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 91
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 92
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - chapter five be a legend
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 94
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: elena camps biondi
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 96
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 97
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 98
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: melissa wood-tepperberg
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 100
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: daniel arsham
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 102
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: linda and brad johnson
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 104
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: damon lawrence
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 106
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: paul scialla
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: louis thompson
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 109
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: shai zelering
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 111
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: jason wu
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 113
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 114
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 115
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: sheena rose
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 117
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - be a legend: britta and kent lindvall
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 119
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 120
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 121
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 122
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 123
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 124
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 125
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - ad index
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - 127
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - back space: jo beth Wharton
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - Cover3
Hospitality Design - November 2020 - Cover4
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