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.
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
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.”
Photo courtesy of Post & Beam; rendering courtesy of V Starr
This article originally appeared in HD’s November 2020 issue.
