Russell de Ocampo
Age: 31
Neighborhood of residence: Grew up in Baltimore County, but lives in Waverly now
Owns: The Windup Space
What kind of venue does Baltimore need?
There needs to be a place that caters more to the arts. Actually, like this bar. Because it's a large bar, but it's all about art here. This place is a venue that is all for the arts—art, music and film. But it has the draw of the bar, which allow people to come in who might not be part of the art scene and they incidentally experience music and film or wall art. And I think that's a good place to be and a good place to hang out, because there are multiple things going on.
Where do you like to hang out in Baltimore?
The Windup Space. I'm here all the time.
And before this, I worked about 85 hours a week at three jobs. I used to bartend at Dougherty's Irish pub, and I used to bartend at Joe Squared. So I've always been working. But I used to go to the Talking Head, the old Ottobar. I don't really go out that much, to be honest.
Does the venue make the scene, or does the scene make the venue?
I think the scene makes the scene, and the venue helps shape the atmosphere that the venue is going to be. But everybody brings their energy in here, and from there, the walls, the color, whatever music I have playing helps shape their atmosphere and what kind of time they're going to have.
Return to Dangerously Delicious' Rodney Henry.
Continue on to Metro Gallery's Sarah Williams.
If you're a local business owner and we didn't talk to you for this story, feel free to sound off below.
