The 443 Social Club & Lounge in Syracuse, NY, is all about the music. The cozy, intimate venue features national and regional acoustic singer-songwriters, allowing attendees to experience the music up close. Owner Julie Leone has a diverse entrepreneurial background in hospitality, marketing, event planning, and booking. With this business acumen, Julie was able to open The 443 Social Club in 2019, see great initial success, and even weather COVID-19 shortly after the venue’s first anniversary.
No one knows better than Julie that despite challenges, the show must go on. Her ability to stay nimble and provide creative solutions to deliver live music to her community is what allowed the lounge to survive and thrive ever since the pandemic. Today, it’s known as a gathering place for music lovers, the only of its kind in the Syracuse area.
The 443 Social Club & Lounge partners with PostNet for marketing, promoting the artists and events on its docket, and for operational needs like menu inserts and other materials. Read on to learn more about how 443 Social Club & Lounge became well-known for its one-of-a-kind listening experience and survived the pandemic:
What was it like opening a small business?
I’m a serial entrepreneur, so I LOVE running my own business. I enjoy problem-solving and figuring out the best way to do things. The first year was terrifying, of course. And then COVID-19 happened right after our first anniversary, and we were shut down for the better part of the next two years. So we are a five-year-old business that is really only three years old. It’s pretty crazy we even survived.
Any advice for a new or aspiring small business owner?
What PostNet products or services do you use?
Printing… so much printing! While we do a lot of digital marketing, “old school” tactics like 11×17 posters, table tents, and physical copies of our event calendar are a big part of our strategy. We also regularly update our menu inserts and other marketing materials.
What do you value most about your partnership with PostNet?
Like most small business owners, I wear all the hats. I need business partners I can count on, and my neighborhood PostNet has been invaluable. They’re fast, friendly, convenient, and I feel like they are a true partner in our success.
What do you love about The 443 Social Club & Lounge?
The 443 Social Club has made a big impact in Syracuse, and I’m really proud of that. We are the only “listening room” style venue in the area, and I’m bringing musicians to our stage who used to drive right by Syracuse because there wasn’t anywhere for them to play.
We have introduced music fans to a different way of enjoying live music – focusing on the stories and the songs, and really connecting with the artist. It can be powerful and profound, and we’ve built a loyal community around what we’re doing.
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