BUSINESS

The Brig Celebrates Big

Longtime Venice watering hole hosts anniversary party

By Michele Robinson

The Brig recently celebrated its big 70th anniversary on Oct. 23. Located on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, The Brig is an iconic and well-loved establishment in Venice. “We got a great turnout for the 70th anniversary,” said Jared Meisler, co-owner of The Brig. “The neighborhood celebrated and all of the regulars were there.” An estimated 400 to 500 people came out to celebrate the special day, which included live music, two happy hours, food trucks, and complimentary tattoos from a local tattoo artist. Several DJs entertained the crowd including DJ Dred Foxx, DJ Illa and DJ Jayvon. The celebrations lasted until 2 a.m. “For the 70th we offered great drinks, great DJs, and great music for the neighborhood crowd,” Meisler said. The Brig’s cover band, The Brig Band, played an extra-long set lasting about three hours. In the past, The Doors guitarist Robby Krieger has joined them as their special guest. Krieger co-wrote many of the iconic group’s most popular hits including “Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me” and "Love Her Madly.” “The Brig Band has played at The Brig for the past 23 years,” said co-owner Patti Reiss. "They have a group of core players and can be found here every Tuesday at 8 p.m.” At the anniversary celebration, tattoos from Royal Heritage Tattoo and Body Piercing were offered for free. Over a dozen people received them and will forever have The Brig immortalized on their bodies. There were also discounts on drinks and special gear. During the 2 to 4 p.m. happy hour, drinks cost 70 cents. Limitededition hats and T-shirts were also available. St. Joseph’s Center, a local Venice nonprofit offering assistance to those experiencing homelessness, received a portion of proceeds from the anniversary party. The Brig, with its iconic sign of Golden Glove Boxer “Babe” Brandelli, has been a gathering place and staple of the Venice community since 1952. Brandelli, who was a local Venice boxer in the 1930s, was The Brig’s first owner. He ran the establishment for about 50 years until his retirement. The current co-owners, Dave and Patti Reiss, bought it in 1999, then Jared Meisler came on board several years ago. Capturing the eclectic spirit of Venice, The Brig was considered a biker dive bar. When the current owners took over, one of the first things they did was remodel it. From February to April 2001, they closed The Brig to make the updates. “We wanted to give it a new elevated look,” Dave said. “We kept the original sign and the mural that was restored in 1990.” Created in 1973 by a local Southern California artist and muralist named Art Mortimer, the mural is a “snapshot” of Babe and his beautiful wife Betty. The Brandellis are posing outside The Brig. Considered a mural within a mural, it depicts Mortimer on a ladder working on the mural in the background. The mural can be found located at the rear of the bar, near the patio. The owners also changed The Brig’s hours and expanded the list of spirits served. Originally, it was open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., 365 days a week. When they took over, they decided to open it in the afternoons. They also enlarged the bar menu to include cocktails, good beers, and other drinks like agave spirits. Currently, The Brig is known for offering its popular Mojitos menu and house cocktails that are named after boxing moves like “Knockout” and “SouthPaw.” There is even a “Babe Brandelli” shot, in homage to its original owner and founder. In 2008, another innovation was the Reiss’ connection to food trucks. Besides drinking, many of The Brig’s regular customers wanted something to eat. During this time, food trucks were transitioning to offer good cuisine by reputable chefs. This included the Kogi Korean BBQ Taco Truck, which was co-founded by celebrity chef Roy Choi. Choi, who is a big advocate of street food culture, was one of the first

Originally established in 1952, The Brig features a bohemian charm and charisma that reflects the neighborhood’s diverse spirit.

trucks to park in The Brig’s parking lot. Since this beginning, The Brig has continued this tradition and brings in local food trucks on Fridays. This is the origins of the First Friday Food Truck night on Abbot Kinney. From 5 to 9:30 p.m. on the first Friday of every month, locals can come out to dine and enjoy dozens of A-list food trucks. To commemorate the 70th anniversary and this incredible historical link to The Brig, food trucks were on-site all day and night with a special appearance by the Kogi BBQ Truck. Celebrating 70 years, The Brig is proud to continue its long history as a local hangout that draws in the neighborhood crowd. “The ambiance, relaxed neighborhood feel, and world-class bartenders are what The Brig is all about,” Meisler said.

The Brig

1515 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, Venice 310-399-7537 thebrig.com

NONPROFIT SHOWCASE DEC. 15

Could your nonprofit use some love this holiday season? Why not remind Argonaut readers how your organization could use their support via donations in December? We are offering a special advertising section just for nonprofits

Artwork is due Monday Dec. 12 Publication Date Dec. 15

CALL TODAY: 310.574.7655

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Introducing Our New Pawrgonaut Pet Page!

Next issue on Dec. 15. Pics needed by Dec. 9. A space where you can share your funniest, cutest and most adorable pet photos once a month. Just email to KKirk@timespublications.com

Be sure to include your pet’s name, your first name and your town.

Winning the Wright Way

Local company receives prestigious business award

COURTESY PHOTOS

Gabriel Smith works for Wright Health Agency, which received the 2022 Most Ethical Small Business award by the Better Business Bureau.

By Michele Robinson

It takes a lot of hard work and ethical service to win the prestigious 2022 “Ethics Small Business Award.” That is exactly why Jonathan Howland Smith and his son, Gabriel, won this accolade for Wright Health Agency. Blair Looney, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), publicly presented the award to the agency. During the NBC-covered presentation on Sept. 7, 2022, Looney said, “In the history of the BBB Ethics Award, Wright Health has received more letters of recommendation and positive reviews than any other business.” Wright Health Agency prides themselves on their ethical business transactions and is thrilled to win this award. The award covers the geographical area of Central and Southern California and is reserved for companies that have smaller than 10 employees. “It is an honor and blessing to be awarded the most ethical small business in Central and Southern California,” said Doug Wright, founder and president. They credit this win to their strong belief that a company should express ethical behavior consistently, starting at the top and trickling down. “Our founders, Linda and Doug Wright, led by example and expect our small team of five people to put honesty and integrity first, before sales,” said vice-president Jonathan Smith. “We always spend quality time with every client to learn their unique needs and expectations.” Established in 2002 by Doug and Linda Wright, Wright Health Agency is an independent health brokerage firm. It provides a wide range of health insurance products and services to senior citizens in West Los Angeles, Pasadena, Coachella Valley and five Western states. Both Jonathan and Gabriel are natives of Venice. For Jonathan, ethics is a value that was instilled in him as a child. However, this father-son team's value of ethical service doesn't start there. They come from a long local lineage that dates back to early Venice pioneers who arrived in the early 1900s. For over 115 years their family has made a difference in Ocean Park, Venice, and the West Los Angeles community by helping construct many of the churches and over 100 homes. Prior to joining the Wright Health Agency, Jonathan and his wife, Diane, were founding pastors of the Venice Vineyard Church. In 2015, Jonathan became part of the Wright team and Gabriel joined the growing company in 2019. Since Jonathan joined forces with Doug and Linda, they have vowed to keep the business small and done over 100 community educational and sales events. Educating seniors to help them understand Medicare basics is just one of the ways Wright Health serves their communities. Another attribute the team offers is consistent client care. “We don’t just sign up a senior in a Medicare health plan and expect them to navigate the often confusing maze of Medicare alone,” Gabriel said. “We take care of our clients. As a result, they tell their friends.” Additionally, the agency provides its clients with expertise. The sales team spent hundreds of hours each year preparing for the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). During this time (Oct. 15 to Dec. 7), they studied the Medicare law changes, plan benefits, and became certified annually with most major carriers. This enabled them to help their new and existing clients confidently select the plan that is right for them. Their expertise helps promote high customer retention, with many of their clients remaining loyal to the Wright Health Agency for years. When asked what is next for Wright Health Agency in light of this award, Doug said, “We value being a family-run company who helps people and knows our clients. Our plan is to keep doing what we do. We will keep our finger on the pulse of all the Medicare plans out there and help each client get the best plan that is right for them. Quality service from our team will take us into the future. Our prosperity will continue to emerge from satisfied customers who trust us.” All services by the team of Jonathan Smith, Gabriel Smith and Doug Wright are always free to every client.

Wright Health Agency wrighthealthagency.com