Joy Zarembka of Busboys and Poets on Inviting Customers to Take a Deliberate Pause

Busboys and Poets, a socially conscious restaurant, bookstore, and community hub, was inspired by one of the most famous busboy poets of all time: Langston Hughes.

By providing a space for all people — while inviting customers to take a “deliberate pause” at their establishments — the multi-unit restaurant company has inspired much more than appetites. It has also inspired positive change.

Listen to this interview with Busboys and Poets COO Joy Zarembka recorded from inside the Toast HQ in Boston to learn about operating an inviting restaurant, being a stage for the community to connect, and the importance of storytelling on social media. #busboysandpoets #toastpos #restaurantcompany

@Busboysandpoets @calibbqmedia @toasttab

WHAT DID YOU LEARN on this episode of the Restaurant Influencers podcast, presented by the @Toast point of sale and restaurant management technology company? Let us know by leaving a YouTube comment below.

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Chapters:

[1:58] - Joy Zarembka’s 2-Minute Drill

[3:23] - Letting Customers take a Deliberate Pause

[4:41] - Writing a Book at Busboys and Poets

[12:27] - Content Beyond the Dish

[17:54] - Creating a Community Space

Joy Zarembka is a Restaurant Influencer -

At Busboys and Poets, customers are invited to take a “deliberate pause”. And during that pause, they can eat, drink, enjoy art, buy books, and more. Founded in Washington, DC by artist and activist Andy Shallal in 2005, the restaurant is a “cultural hub where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted.”

Busboys and Poets is:

• a community where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted.

• a place to take a deliberate pause and feed your mind, body and soul.

• a space for art, culture and politics to intentionally collide.

Before she ever worked as Chief Operation Officer for Busboys and Poets, Joy Zarembka worked on her writing at the restaurant.

“Lots of restaurants are trying to turn tables and kick people out,” said Joy Zarembka during an interview at Toast HQ with Shawn Walchef of “We want people to sit and relax, grab a book, grab a drink, take in a show, learn some poetry, look at the artwork, hang out with your friends.

“We are one of those places where we actually don't kick people out when they've been there too long.”

After her book launch event for “The Pigment of Your Imagination” in 2007 at Busboys and Poets, Joy Zarembka transitioned into her place in the Tribe. From VP of Planning and Innovation, she became the company’s COO in 2022.

A big part of Busboys and Poets has been storytelling. Now with the prevalence of online media platforms and the thirst from audiences for unique and engaging digital content, it’s imperative that all businesses learn to tell their own story online.

The plan for the expanding social media presence of Busboys and Poets, like it should be for all restaurants, is to create content “beyond the dish.”

“We want to make a media space that we could really just broadcast all over the place… We got into social media early on and that allowed us to really build a great following in various places.”

Episode Links:

Busboys and Poets YouTube

Busboys and Poets Website

Restaurant Culture and Hiring Article

Indeed + Busboys and Poets Video

ABOUT BUSBOYS AND POETS:

Busboys and Poets is a restaurant, bar, bookstore and community gathering place. First established in 2005, Busboys and Poets was founded by owner Andy Shallal (@andyshallal), an artist, activist, and restaurateur. After opening the flagship location at 14th and V Streets, NW DC, the neighboring residents, and the progressive community embraced Busboys and Poets, particularly activists opposed to the Iraq War. Busboys and Poets is located in distinctive neighborhoods in the Washington D.C Metropolitan and Baltimore areas.

ABOUT RESTAURANT INFLUENCERS:

Restaurant Influencers is a weekly video podcast series presented by Entrepreneur Media and Cali BBQ Media. Every week host and restaurant owner Shawn Walchef (@shawnpwalchef) talks with business leaders like Rob Dyrdek, Robert Irvine, Chris Comparato, Meredith Sandland, and more, about their secrets to Smartphone Storytelling, marketing, branding, and how to show up where customers are engaging online.

Published by Entrepreneur Media

Produced by Cali BBQ Media

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