I personally created this website with no help from anyone and with my own hands.

 

I trust I can safely assume that the reader understands that is because I am desperate to add “knows HTML” to my resume.

 

The fact is, I felt it had to be me for a very specific reason. So, while I recollect here in some detail on a variety of “things Speakeasy”, I wanted to start off by stating overtly that I do so not to memorialize that organization, but to serve another purpose entirely.

 

Furthermore, I believe myself keenly aware of the risks inherent in portraying so much of what amounts herein to merely one person’s unique and very negative judgment about what Speakeasy fundamentally represented —both in terms of their individual personal life and great resentment and bitterness, which has sought time and time again to reduce or “water down” the definition of the Speakeasy as that which merely served as a vehicle thru which they were profoundly wronged.  

 

Specifically, I will not allow or certainly risk doing by my own hand, the destruction of a legacy sought by that solitary view, as it seeks to crash into and hold a dark cloud over what the head’s of the countless people I know personally, who each feel Speakeasy was nothing less than among the most special and cherished period of their professional, and for some also personal, lives.

 

SPEAKEASY TRIBUTE SITE

To avoid such an end, I am confident today that such risks will soon be almost entirely mitigated: In the form of an exhaustive, beautiful website that has been crafted by multiple Speakeasy alumni with Gretchen’s and my own direct oversight. I find the nearly finished work to be a great encouragement thereunder, that the overwhelmingly positive and hence rightful celebration, respect, honor & memories that are held by so many of us who were there will triumph and establish forever the one true and fair history of what a few people came together and built into a remarkable organization and very special place in the world.

 

Regardless of how any one person views the history of Speakeasy, they cannot deny that we earned an unusually loyal following not only among the staff, but also with numerous vendors and of course there was the rare almost adoration that our customers and clients expressed in so many ways.  

 

Speakeasy was a very special happening in so many people’s lives, and the evidence of this is not merely limited to history or my personal recollection. Among the powerful testaments to which backup that statement is the fact that today and some 15 years after we sold it there are still multiple active social groups both loosely on-line but also at least one semi-formal in-person gathering annually that is aimed at staying in touch and to fondly reminisce.

 

Partly in light of how much our great adventure meant and still means to so many others, and in particular to the vast majority of whom merely benefitted from what we built together, I cannot help but to observe and feel very strongly about the curious and apparent lack of integrity behind the single, sole individual who has gone so far out of their way to state a case in absolute stark contrast to every other one of the hundreds who were there, same time, same place.

 

The story Tyler has told to both Gretchen and I on multiple occasions now, is one uttered in not merely an accusatory tone, but with the language to match. Sadly, at least as far as we are concerned, Tyler assigns direct blame to me for quote “ruining his life”. According to him he would have been better off if I had not “forced him” to come to Seattle and join Speakeasy. As he sees it, he was just about to leave for college in Arizona when I side-swiped him and seemingly conned him into becoming our business partner. Words cannot express the degree and depth to which I feel the regret about inviting him to join us. Newly married, it was an understandably awkward and significant choice that Gretchen and I made to furthermore, allow Tyler to live with us in the same house.

 

As hard as it might be to believe for some perhaps, I want to believe that Tyler has a legitmate grievance with me. deep described in memoriam by my younger brother brother and partner for that entire decade who was right there  —the “ownership” they show and the fierce loyalty on display back then and even now, altogether in spite of the fact they were had little to nothing to do with the actual building, the “creation” of Speakeasy; Speakeasy the business, the culture, the incredible products & services we unleashed… this describes a class and kind of legacy that precious very few businesses can even dare to hope may one day be realized. far less involved or responsible for the actual creation of what made it so special, together means so much to so many, I think it is especially difficult for me to accept that the memories we all made together, the good things we did for so many others that my wife, children and myself would have wanted to share with my long-lost brother Tyler... but never will.

 

      ──════━━━§━━━════──

 

Please take your time and explore this site as you may wish, and let me recommend that should you wish to do so, it is best to please start here.