August 4, 2010
Almaz Demissie, Owner
Almaz Restaurant and Lounge
1212 U Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
To Whom It May Concern:
This letter is to complain about service I recently received from Almaz Restaurant and Lounge at 1212 U street NW, WDC. The customer service representative/Owner’s name is Almaz Demissie aka NuNu.
Toney Smith and I met with Almaz Demissie at Almaz Restaurant and Lounge on June 24, 2010 to discuss holding my (Enoch) video release party, along with a charity event called “The Pro-Seeds Project” where awareness and money would be raised to benefit prostate cancer. This event was scheduled for August 25, 2010. Please keep in mind that I have done many other events here before, and one night I even checked ID’s because nobody else was there to do it. So the history between the two parties has been business and personal. After we agreed on the upstairs space and bar guarantee ($300) for the August 25, 2010 event then, NuNu gave us a week before the event to turn in the monies owed, a practice she has always done with us.
Promotion means to bring attention to such an epic event as outlined below.
June 26, 2010: Rally artists and sponsors via emails, text messages, and telephone calls.
June 29, 2010: Confirm seven artists, one host, and seven sponsors.
July 1, 2010: Press release goes out to over/nearly 1200 people via email including local newspapers, magazines and businesses within and outside of the Washington DC area.
July 17, 2010: An official flyer is created that is posted on MySpace, Twitter, newsletters, emails, Eventbrite and Facebook, and on which Almaz Demeissie was tagged.
On August 3, 2010, after a month of promotion, I get a text message from Toney Smith stating, and I quote, “NuNu pulled your event for a higher bid.” I was quite frustrated and began to read other text messages that Toney Smith was sending that read, “I asked Nunu if that person had the downstairs or upstairs.” Her reply was, “I don’t want to have two parties here, and I didn’t even know you guys was doing a charity event here.”
In conclusion, my entire network and I and a growing list of others, have vowed never to spend money at Almaz Restaurant and Lounge ever again. The Community has spoken about how they wish to proceed with the process to boycott this venue, among other things. I have received tons of hits on Facebook about how people aren’t even going to spend money there any longer due to the fact of US being treated like this.
Sincerely,
Enoch 7th Prophet
CC:
Mental Salvation Radio
Vintage Vibes Music Group
Ill Street Grooves
The Boogie Spot
W.O.W Radio
Can We Talk Radio
Da BeatMinerz Radio
Earth Army
The Black American Nationalist
There is no way in the world they would be able to get away with that type of service especially by it being a charity event. Who conducts business this way? Word of mouth is the most effective and the most damaging form of advertising on Earth and NO amount of damage control on the part of Almaz Restaurant and Lounge will make up for this travesty. I am not even a resident of the area, but I support the vision of Enoch7thprophet and I wish him and his entire crew the best!
ReplyDeleteIt is unimaginable that a business owner would operate her establishment in this way. It the time that I have known Enoch the 7th Prophet, I have found him to be true to his art and his word. To have taken such meausures to ensure a positive and enormous turn out for this charity event,and then to be told he would not be able to have the event, cannot be comprehended by me. I know that I will not patronize this establishment and will spread the word to my associates and friends. WE must hold people accountable to higher standards and BE accountable in orer to grow as a culture.
ReplyDeleteWhat in da hell...the only reason i was gonna even show my face in da place was because of this Charity Event...! Won't be going now...goodness!
ReplyDeleteThis is sad because I never even KNEW this place EXISTED before a show Enoch had there... I dont think this was a smart move on the owners part and they should feel very stupid for the decision they have made.
ReplyDeleteLife lesson. Use a contract! Don't do business without one. People only act this way when they know there are no consequences.
ReplyDelete@Anonyamous Life Lesson.Contract was made.truth be told.. Almaz is getting their share of consequences...Trust That.
ReplyDelete