9 to Side: Mastering the Art of the Side Hustle
Business:Entrepreneurship
Meet Chris Antista, one of the original founders of the iconic NYC institution, Crif Dogs..a famous late night hot dog restaurant in the heart of the East Village. For any side hustlers out there looking to get started, Chris is the ultimate inspiration...he is an ideas guy who has left his mark on NYC nightlife and restaurants and most recently the fashion industry as the creative force for Fair Harbor Clothing Company.
About Chris:
Chris Antista, vintage 1971 - a defining force for the aesthetics I love. Ridgewood, NJ born and raised, I spent my teens being chased by the cops for skateboarding on every piece of cool architecture and infrastructure we could find. Took my outsider status forward, post high school and went to NYU, where against character, graduated from Stern Business School - all the while immersing myself in all aspects of NYC - clubs, art, design, urban adventuring, drinking - just having a blast. Finished my 4 years and went to work at Andy Warhol’s Interview Magazine. Learned about publishing and advertising and promoting parties. Quit and went adventuring by motorcycle all over the East Coast. Returned broke and worked various jobs including being a food runner when the Bower Bar opened - credited with making leather pants the uniform for all runners. Did some work in the advertising world - promotion type stuff, and then concocted the idea to turn the back room of Ratners Dairy Restaurant on Delancy Street into a Jewish gangster themed nightclub called The Lansky Lounge. Got a wife outta that - still married to her today, 24 years later. Opened Crif Dogs - NYC’s most iconic hot dog spot. Bailed when it got boring and beefing with my partner was too annoying on the daily, so wifey and me went to South Asia for a spell. Returned to odd design and idea creating jobs and ultimately started Communal Brands with a good friend. Communal is a wine importing and branding business that continues to grow to this day - though I’m a silent partner now. Had two kids while living in a brownstone in Bed Stuy, eventually buying my beloved 1978 Porsche 911, which forced me to buy a house in Connecticut to store it. That was 10 years ago from now. Moved up here and continue to promote ideas, be a dad, small-time car collector, off-road enthusiast, bocce master, party thrower - from our lovely perch in The Nuthouse - our singular modern house we purchased from Maurice Sendak’s estate. Of late I’ve been a an at-large creative force for Fair Harbor Clothing Co. - most recently designing their flagship SOHO retail store. I’m a gun for hire. Whatever it is you want to do - just so long as you want to stand out and make people feel good.
5 Facts about Chris:
1). Lou Reed got me personally fired from Bowery Bar - good short story.
2). Shared a plate of fried calamari with David Bowie
3) Procured and indulged in party favors with David Lee Roth to entice him to perform Just a Gigolo at my Karaoke night at Lansky Lounge.
4). Crif Dogs is named after my nom du street - Crif (Chris with an F, motherfucker)
5). If you play bocce on my court at the nuthouse, we will get baked and take ERVL, my super rare Volvo miltary van for a ride in the wood you will never forget.
6) Spent many a late night with Johnny Depp at Lansky lounge - drinking and chatting, ultimately driving my ’68 Cadillac Convertible across town at dawn to get ‘breakfast’ at Florent. This was always with famous Tattoo artist and bon vivant Jonathan Shaw.l
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20 - Vinnie Potestivo (VPEtalent)
19 - Chad Aboud (Chad Aboud Consulting)
18 - Allyson Valentine (Pop Studio Balloons)
17 - Mickey Anderson (Hey Mickey Anderson)
16 - Angela Rossi-Luciano, Nicole Rossi-Rivera, Danielle Machado, Elizabeth Rossi (Thrift)
14 - Richelle Jessey (Richelle Jessey Coaching)
13 - Mia Moran (Plan Simple)
12 - Kristin Dillensnyder (Coaching with KD)
11 - Kevin Carroll (Tenzi)
10 - Kristen Donegan (Easy Teaching Tools)
9 - Ashley Langer (Business Socialistas)
8 - Derek Gorthy (Enshrine)
7 - Lindsay Stead (The Lindsay Stead - Coaching and Marketing)
6 - Fiona Valentine (The Profitable Artist)
5 - Ally Ottman (Ally's Herbs)
4 - Brenden Kumarasamy (MasterTalk)
3 - Leila Sbitani (TV Host/Media Coach)
2 - April Soderstrom (Jewelry designer)
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