The man behind the bar was Eric Berman, the new owner of the popular downtown music venue; and those words were probably music to his ears. Berman, originally from Lawrence, had just packed up his family and moved from San Francisco back to Lawrence. The family sold their restaurant, enrolled their son in a new school, and completely changed their lifestyle to move back to the midwest, but it wasn’t an easy transition.
Coming Home
While Eric and his extremely hard working wife Darla (you’ll almost always see her behind the bar in the evenings) were thrilled to acquire the Jackpot in December, they’ve had an uphill battle thanks to wild rumors flying about insisting that the Jackpot was no longer going to be a music venue. “The whole issue with rumors… when we first took over, we were warned that they would happen,” says Berman. “Those rumors turned out to be wrong.”
The other issue the two had to deal with involved their background. Berman says local publications in the area called them an “outfit out of California.” It’s no surprise the very down-to-earth duo took offense. “We are about as mom-and-pop as you can get,” says Berman. “Although she’s from California, I’m coming home. This is home for me. My dad is within walking distance. They made it sound like Warren Buffett owned the company, and I’m just a subsidiary. We’re just mom-and-pop, with one kid who’s in 7th grade, and we’re coming home.”
Even though Eric and Darla’s background has made them experts in the bar and restaurant field, the two have actually been more than accommodating when it comes to keeping the music scene alive and strong at the Jackpot. “This bar has always been known as a music venue, and Darla and I’s learning curve on that part of the business is just beginning,” says Berman. “That’s why we told all the people to book bands in the same way that they have been booking bands. We didn’t know what would work, what wouldn’t work… What we’ve noticed is because this is a known music venue, on nights that we have live music, our business is good. On those slower nights when we don’t have music, we’re looking to make some changes with the specific intent not to interfere with the music that we do have.”
From a business standpoint, keeping live music in the Jackpot makes sense. But Berman has a soft spot for concerts and local bands, and would have a hard time not seeing his business embrace the scene. “I’ve always felt live music is just far superior than listening to a record,” says Berman. “I remember going to see George Thorogood and the Delaware Destroyers at Hoch Auditorium years ago. I remember something George Thorogood said in that show. He said ‘Rock and roll is meant to be danced to, not looked at.’ He wanted people to get up, move your feet, shake your booty, and he’s right. Live music is where it’s at.” At this point, Berman points up to the speakers in the Jackpot that were blaring some easy-going folk and country on that lazy Sunday afternoon. “Listening to recorded music like this is ok, but I’ve been to hundreds and hundreds of live shows, and it’s the rare exception that I didn’t like it.”