Creating a Cultural Movement

He started off as a Drummer in LA before finding himself managing a premium boutique agency for top models in New York City. Today, Scott Lipps manages the assignments of Claudia Schiffer and Eva Herzigova, just to name a few. On a beautiful fall day, Scott put his glamorous daily business aside to introduce his two friends Matt Kliegman and Carlos Quirarte, owners of ‘The Smile’.
The café located on Bond Street in lower Manhattan is Scott’s “second office.” He pops in here a couple of times a day to enjoy the hospitality and to mingle with the highly creative crowd, among who the café has become a popular hangout. “In their own right, Carlos and Matt are creating a sort of cultural movement with their locations,” muses Scott about the overall concept. When Matt and Carlos left their safe corporate jobs in early 2009, all of their close friends thought they had finally gone insane. What else would explain their risky shift into the restaurant business at a time when the most severe economic crisis was just about to explode? Against all odds, Matt and Carlos took off on their daring trip. What started as a single café in SoHo meanwhile evolved into a conglomerate of three hip hangout spots in New York City including an event location in the famous 'Jane Hotel' and a hipster club called 'Westway'.
 

Visit ‘The Smile’ and ‘The Jane Hotel’ online and find out more about current events.

Production Thomas Escher / Filming, Photos & Editing THE FREI GROUP / Music BUNNYSTRIPES