Hospitality Abstract
When asked what the favorite aspect of his job is, Ken Barilich has a one-word answer “People”.
Ken Barilich has been involved in the hospitality business for 30 years and has hospitality experience nationally in the major urban markets of Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and New York along with international experience in Buenos Aires and China.
Ken – a.k.a. Ken Smith – along with his partner Cal Fortis founded Big Time Productions in 1989 (now a Miami based hospitality and consulting company called WITH SMITH), a national life style company based in Chicago that was created to consult, design, build, manage and market hospitality destinations. The most successful of these entertainment creations was Crobar. Which was launched in 1992 in Chicago and is still going strong in Buenos Aires today. To say Crobar is just a nightclub is to say the Delano is simply a hotel and Disney World is only a theme park. Just as the Delano and Disney have created new entertainment standards within their respective mediums, Crobar has stretched the boundaries and definition of the after-dark dance club to raise the bar higher than anyone nightclub before it.
http://www.bigtimedesignstudios.com/video.php
Ken made Miami his permanent home in 1999 with the opening of Crobar Miami. With a born ability to read the attitudes and trends of the market, the sensitivity to feel the pulse of Miami culture and the vision of one eye on today the other on tomorrow. Ken is committed to helping build the urban core of Miami into one of the most diverse hospitality and entertainment areas in the world.
As an owner, operator and consultant of restaurants, lounges and nightclubs nationally and internationally Ken is also the perfect fit and driving force for WITH SMITH COMPANY
Ken also consults with Bigtime Design Studios with his partner designer and architect Cal Fortis. Bigtime Design Studios specializes in hospitality design and has worked on high profile projects such as the Mondrian and the Betsy Hotel in Miami Beach.
http://www.bigtimedesignstudios.com
Ken has “raised the bar” on hospitality and nightlife in every market he has entered.
Restaurant and Nightclub Ownership Experience and Operations Abstract
Chicago
1982 EXIT – First “punk rock” alternative live music bar in Chicago.
1986 Outtakes – VIP restaurant and lounge “ a photo gallery with exotic fish tank bars”.
1988 Esoteria – Late night VIP bar, restaurant and dance club.
1989 The Big Nasty – Elvis inspired college bar. Number one seller of “Silly String” in the U.S.
1990 KaBoom! Warhol-inspired multilevel, multi environment mega club.
1992 Crobar Chicago – Best of Class
1994 Vinyl – “First DJ in a restaurant dining room in Chicago”.
1995 Hi-Tops – Sports Bar and Restaurant “huge sports bar with a twist – food, dancing and sports” Wrigley Field Chicago.
1995 Tequila Roadhouse – Interactive, restaurant, lounge and dance club.
1996 Watusi – Restaurant.
1997 Glow – VIP restaurant and lounge. Introduction of “bottle service” to Chicago.
1997 Frank’s Lounge – “Frank Sinatra meets the movie Swingers”
Miami
2000 Crobar Miami
Crobar Miami Awards
Best Resident VJ – Club World Awards 2006
Best Dance Club – Club Systems International 2003
Best Nightclub – Miami New Times 2002
Best Nightclub – Best of Miami Reader’s Poll 2005
Best Dance Club – Miami New Times 2003
Best Nightclub – Best of Miami Reader’s Poll 2004
Best Dance Club – The Street 2004
Best Dance Club – Miami New Times 2004
Best Nightclub – Best of Miami Reader’s Poll 2003
Best Super Club 2004 – Club World Awards
Best Nightclub – City Search 2001-2004
2007 Cameo – Vice – rehab of Cameo Theater
New York
2004 Crobar New York 2004 – Transformed industrial West Chelsea into the hottest nightlife area in the City of New York.
Crobar New York Awards
Club Systems – Best US Club 2005
Best Super-Club – New York 2005. And 2006
Best Resident Lighting – 2006
Best Lighting System 2005
Best Video system 2005
New York Magazine – Best Mega Club 2006
International
2006 Crobar Buenos Aires, Argentina
2008 Crobar “Pop Up” Nightclub Beijing, China – Olympics
Miami, FL
2014 WithSmithCo – Hospitality Consulting Firm
Commercial Real Estate Summary
July 2010 – May 2013 Metro 1 Commercial Real Estate, Miami, FL – Hospitality consulting, leasing and sales/business brokerage.
May 2013 – July 2014 H3Hospitality, Miami Beach, FL – Partner in new comprehensive hospitality real estate firm providing architecture/design, hospitality consulting, and real estate services.
July 2014 – October 2014 – Sterling Equity Realty, Miami Beach, FL
Contact
Phone – 917.232.2277
Email – Ken@WithSmithCo.com
Email – Ksmith@crobar.com
Ken Barilich has been involved in the hospitality business for 30 years and has hospitality experience nationally in the major urban markets of Chicago, Miami and New York along with international experience in Buenos Aires and China. Ken is an owner, operator and consultant of restaurants, lounges and nightclubs nationally and internationally. Ken co-founded Big Time Productions in 1989 (now Zoom Productions, Inc.), a national life style company based in Chicago, Miami and New York that was created to consult, brand, design, build, manage and market hospitality destinations. The most successful of these entertainment creations was Crobar. Which was launched in 1992 in Chicago and is still going strong in Buenos Aires today. To say Crobar is just a nightclub is to say the Delano is simply a hotel and Disney World is only a theme park. Just as the Delano and Disney have created new entertainment standards within their respective mediums, Crobar has stretched the boundaries and definition of the after-dark dance club to raise the bar higher than any nightclub before it.