The Falls Possibly a Failure?

It hurts me to write headlines line that. I’m the consummate Downtowner. I want every business down here to succeed, and The Falls is no exception. However, I can’t help feel, every time I’m having a beer at Spring St., that it’s a piece of Hollywood transplanted to our happy little small town. A Hollywood club in the middle of our picket fence community just doesn’t seem to make sense. In fact, it’s a bit odd. Dress codes and lists confuse my little DTLA mind. Not to mention that the bar staff is rude. Just uniformly typical Hollywood rude. No one’s in the bar, but you’ll-still-have-to-wait-till-I’m-done-chatting-with-the-one-other-person-in-here kinda rude. 

But wait you say, “Isn’t Exchange LA just a bigger douchier version of The Falls, like right next door?” No, I would respond to you. Exchange is dark most nights, focusing on only private events until they launch more local centric and huge name DJ events open later in the year. Smart. I digress…

How can we support our local bar The Falls? I mean it is just the right size for DTLA. It’s got some really awesome design elements, and from local artists even. And after all, we are all over at Spring St. way too much (feels a mental slap across the face from Spring St. GM Michael). I think the only logic thing we can do is hope management puts in some really great new staffers, and then take the place over. Anything is fun with all your friends, and with the size of this place I think you and 7 friends could set this Hollywood bar straight, and back on the path of being one of us. The successful small town lounge I’m sure it really wants to be. 

Lines and Dress Codes in a Small Town

For those of you who are new to my column, I’m a long time Historic Downtown resident (that’s what we’re supposed to call it by the way “Historic Downtown” according to the DCBID - repeat it - consistent branding is important people!). Anyway, not to date myself, but I DO remember when there were NO lines in DTLA. That is no longer the case. 

It’s not all bad, lines mean that people want to come down here, are willing to wait, and are helping our local economy. However, we are just a small town. If you were in the picket fence version of DTLA, lines and dress codes would seem ridiculous. The goal in small towns is to get the locals in and keep em coming back. Sending away a regular because the shoes they’ve got on are the raggedy Vans that they love does not bode well for repeat business. 

There’s got to be a happy medium. Luckily, we’ve already got one. The DTLA Resident Card can help business owners identify locals, and guess what they are already using it! (Shameless self promotion here as my company runs the program) Exchange LA, already has a Locals Line and its FREE before midnight. Next time you’re waiting in line at somewhere super cool in DTLA ask em if they’ve got a Locals Line, maybe they’ll add one!

Now back to the dress codes. Sometimes you just gotta keep the riff raff out. Dress codes are the best way to do this. DTLA owners listen up! A consistent door staff who is empowered get to know the locals, make exceptions to the usual rules, and is above all friendly will carry these clubs the rest of the way to keeping their neighborhood business.