Sunday, July 13, 2008

Who sells cupcakes on Melrose?!


Johnny does. Well not yet, but very soon! This weekend we had the pleasure of hanging out with the man himself, Johnny Cupcakes, on a recent trip to Melrose and Fairfax. Unfortunately, since the LA shoppe is still in its infancy and needs a ton of work to be satisfactory according to its creator, we can't post any pictures up but strongly urge you to check it out on Saturday August 2nd. Make sure you peep his blog @ www.johnnycupcakes.com and keep updated on this momentous grand opening!

Before this weekend, all I knew about Johnny Cupcakes was what I heard from some friends who know him personally and what he talks about on his blog. I've read a couple interviews and seen some video clips of him talking about his brand, but I always wondered what he was like in real life. Luckily, we got that opportunity yesterday and let me tell you, he isn't hiding anything! Everything you see on the blogs is everything he is. It's pretty rad to meet people who are just as real as they perceive themselves to be. It's not an image, and it's not a gimmick. He really is a cool, down-to-earth dude with a ton of ambition and a world of knowledge. Oh yeah, and he does magic.

Since he used to be in a hardcore band just like Matt and I, we knew that he had to have some "DIY" in his blood. In fact, after meeting him, I think it IS his blood! He works very hard to do what he does, and is always finding ways to improve his brand - in his own way and no one else's. He doesn't submit to "industry standards" and refuses to do anything that would disconnect him from his intimate relationship with his fans. In my opinion, this is the best part of the way he runs his business. I think it's awesome when brands, and even bands, keep in touch with their customers and fans. Instead of being just blind supporters of your company or your music, these people become your friends and family. In the end, the experiences and the relationships that are made from this approach are worth so much more than any paycheck.

In fact, that's exactly how we met him. A few days ago I received a message on my personal myspace from Johnny Cupcakes inviting me to go check out his new LA shoppe. Initially I thought this was just an automated message that went out to all of his myspace friends who lived in the Southern California area, but then I realized, you know what.. he might actually run this thing himself and even reply! So I figured it wouldn't hurt to send him a message too. I replied to him telling him how much of an influence and inspiration he is to me, Matt, and Brian and that we unfortunately would not be able to attend his shop opening because we would be leaving for our next full US tour on August 1st. Long story short, he replied the next day and invited us to come visit him and hang out. We ended up exchanging numbers and meeting up when me, Matt, and the gang were chillin' on Melrose. And now we're all friends! What a great dude. I can't tell you how many times that we've sent an email to another brand or another band and never received a reply. These people could learn something from Johnny.

On August 2nd, you better be there at 7959 Melrose Ave!

(photo: www.johnnycupcakes.com)
Have you had your cupcake today?

- Vince