At twenty-three years old, most people are finishing school and trying to figure out what to do with their future, but Zach Macklovitch has definitely already got it all figured out. Owner of SuWu, 3643 St. Laurent Apt.200, and SaintWoods, his success is something we all aspire to reach one day. Anyone living in Montreal with good style, great taste in music and love of anything hip is sure to frequent his restaurants and bars. His hard work and fresh perspective have brought Montreal some of the coolest places in the nightlife scene that are loved — call us biased — by everyone. Luckily, Zach was able to fit in some time to answer a few of our questions and we were more than excited to hear all about the motivation behind his ridiculously popular spots in Montreal.
Her Campus McGill: At such a young age, how did you manage to open up two extremely successful businesses in Montreal?
Zach Macklovitch (ZM): I started working in bars and clubs when I was really young which helped, but to be honest it’s a mix between a lot of hard work and some luck. I own SaintWoods which was in reality what made SuWu and Apt.200 happen and from there it was just a matter of sticking to what we knew would work.
Her Campus McGill: Would you consider your profession at all risky?
ZM: In this economy all professions are risky. If you have a good plan and a great team even the toughest industries can seem fun and exciting rather than risky and stressful.
Her Campus McGill: Do you think people underestimate your ability because of your age?
ZM: I’m sure a couple people do but that’s their mistake. The smartest businessmen and brand managers I know continuously look towards young people for advice and inspiration… I’m just lucky enough to be able to look towards myself and my crew.
Her Campus McGill: What, if any, specific clientele is apartment 200 geared towards?
ZM: We really try to cater towards people with a good vibe. That may sound like a weird criteria, but a person’s energy is really what matters… we just want cool, friendly, interesting, hip people to have a good time surrounded by their contemporaries.
Her Campus McGill: What would you say is your biggest inspiration for business and ideas?
ZM: My partner Nathan Gannage and I are constantly traveling to New York and Toronto, so those cities definitely help, but to be honest it’s just a mix of what we see around us and what we feel is interesting or relevant at the time… it’s all about filling a void when it comes to business.
Her Campus McGill: How would you describe the style and ambiance of SuWu and Apartment 200?
ZM: They’re accessible to anyone, but refined for those with good taste.
Her Campus McGill: After simply googling your name, thousands of articles and blog entries about you and your restaurants appear. How does this popularity and buzz around your business make you feel?
ZM: It obviously makes me feel pretty good, but it’s also motivating. People know who we are now so it’s our job to make sure they don’t forget and that they keep saying nice things… it’s as motivational as it is rewarding.
Her Campus McGill: What is your favorite dish to order when dining at your restaurant?
ZM: The Cobb salad is my favourite during the week because it’s healthy and delicious. I grab the eggs benedict at brunch and I make sure to get the ribs on weekends … one might say I eat at SuWu a lot.
Her Campus McGill: For students hoping to pursue a similar career, do you have any words of advice?
ZM: Get working in the industry as early as possible and never get a big head. The key to success in the hospitality or event planning business is being personable and having friends, so make sure you know how to be nice to people and never try to have the entire pie… pieces of a bunch of bigger pies definitely taste much better.
Her Campus McGill: Any advice for McGill students deciding on a career path?
ZM: Stay in school, but don’t use it as an excuse not to pursue your dream…that’s just silly.
So the next time you and your friends are looking for cool new places to go out to, check out SuWu and Apartment 200. We promise they won’t even come close to disappointing you. I would like to thank Zach again for being able to take time out of his busy schedule to provide us with a sneak-peek into his successful career.
Photos Obtained from:
https://soundcloud.com/zachmacklovitch
http://totalmtl.com/suwu-montreal/