Downtown L.A's Business Blog

I’ve spent a little time at Bottle Rock, on the north-west corner of Hope and 11th street: Last week, I had lunch there and was afforded the opportunity of chatting with the chef,  staff, and with Fred Hakim and his brother.

Here is my take-away: Bottle Rock is not just a bar, it’s  Down town’s own corner- a hybrid wine bar and eatery that focuses on pleasing your palate whilst providing a truly comprehensive choice of wines and liqueurs at value-prices.

And, well, Fred’s  not just an owner: He’s a  proprietor-he  cares passionately about his stock-in-trade and speaks with a glimmer about  what he does know-and, interestingly, what he doesn’t  know- quick to point out that there is a world of knowledge that his staff brings him, from which he can grow as business man and as an individual.

That’s huge: We are living through a recession partially caused by the great and the good because they failed to see in their work-force, in their teams…the great and the good, instead settling for B’s and banking on bonuses.

Fred spoke with passion tonight (our second encounter titled: The Adventures of Fred and Martin….that’s another story for another post) about how his team teaches and touches him and about how his children nourish and enliven him-their effervescence, curiosity, and achievements.

And so a connection: Two men striving in Down Town Los Angeles through a tough patch who love their families, and love to learn-knowing that there is so much others can teach them. It felt right: It felt natural.

Look, that’s the point: Values. We have to nurture those businesses and the teams, and proprietors in our Down Town L.A that bring to the table the kind of values that we wish to ourselves embody.

Bottle Rock is a terrific eatery and a smashing wine bar with a superb selection. But its so much more than that: It’s the story of a man big enough to build and to risk to add value to our neighborhood-to our Central City, with the kind of values through action that all Down Town L.A  can be proud of: The willingness to listen, learn, and labor.

We  should join together and go often to Bottle Rock-baseline,  it’s excellent, and then, well, there’s the best reason of all: It’s the right thing to do.

Thanks for the adventure, Fred, and I look forward to the next one.

Bottlerock: www.bottlerock.net