Imagine this: A spacious spot that is part record bar, part restaurant, and 100 percent vibes. A hangout that serves Japanese meets cuisine. A place where you can kick back for on a Sunday afternoon while a live DJ spins classic 90’s hip-hop records, or stop through for dinner with a side of miso mac and cheese and stay for a game night that includes spades, dominoes and Uno.
Sound like heaven? Luckily for living downtown, it’s heaven on earth and it’s owned by a Black woman. TJ Johnson created , a vinyl cafe and restaurant, to bring together Japanese and Creole flavors with her love of music. An Atlanta native who moved to LA to pursue dual career aspirations in DJing and software engineering, Johnson has traveled to a variety of countries.
But it was her experience in Japan that left a lasting impression, so much so that she wanted to repackage the intimate experience found in their traditional vinyl bars for the City of Angels. “It’s a very calming and peaceful experience, Tokyo record bars. The people there are very disciplined, and the employees are very exact.
They wear gloves and aprons, and when they put the record on, they put on a flashlight to make sure it’s in the right groove. It’s a very technical experience,” Johnson tells ESSENCE. “And I guess when I’m thinking about bringing it back here, I’m kind of trying to fit it for the American palate a little bit because I know that when we go out to listen to music, we go out to have fun and soci.