I go by Juice.
I've always loved the challenge of making money from what I'm passionate about...
I've been DJing and producing and coordinating events since 2004.
Since 2015, I have also tried starting a german pancake-burrito delivery restaurant, and took over a hidden mead hall and turned it into a secret wine lounge and event space, amongst other exciting, fun ventures.
But in 2020, I launched a new brand specifically catering to the wedding market,
helping couples plan their wedding, and DJing and MCing.
And then, of course, events shut down in 2020 and since then, I have been learning and practicing permaculture,
laying the foundation to launch an alternative landscape design and maintenance business
based in the principles and ethics of permaculture,
so that I can use my platform as a DJ and entrepreneur,
to help spread the wisdom that seems
to be missing in this disconnected and divided world we live in.
At this point in my life, I am an elder 30-something, and have lived all over the West Coast of the United States, have worked in a handful of industries, I was raised in a mixed (race) family, with a diverse group of friends, and have been fortunate enough to experience other cultures in some amazing parts of the world. All of these things add up to a broader perspective on life, and I feel fortunate to be able to use my experiences to connect with so many different people from all walks of life, through love and music.
I've been blessed, and I've had some luck.
I've learned a lot, and I will continue to learn.
I have grown to know our daily work has compounding effects, either negative or positive.
I believe it is my job to make sure my daily input has positive compounding effects,
not just for myself and my loved ones, but for everyone and everything.
It's all connected.
I love you,
Julius 'Juice' Northington
***
The Long Version
I was about 12 years old when I moved from Oregon to Southern California. I heard what the DJ's on the radio in Los Angeles were doing with their turntables and records, and I knew that's what I wanted to do when I grew up.
I took my first paid gig as a DJ in 2004 during my freshman year of High School.
It was a Valentine's Day party for twin sisters.
The house was filled with kids from all over Orange County!
I went from playing three sports at the beginning of High School, to making good money throwing parties by the end of High School. These parties I put on with my friends got big - real big, and kids from all over Southern California were coming to our events. These "underground" parties were getting so big that I regularly had to answer to the police after getting shut down, so as soon as I turned 18, it made sense to find legit work in the nightlife industry.
After graduating High School with this experience, I went to California State University, Northridge to study Music Industries. But really, I was more excited about how close campus was to Hollywood. After my freshman year, I dropped out of college to work full-time producing events and promoting mini-tours and local showcases for record labels throughout the Southern California area, eventually sharing stages with artists like YG and DJ Mustard, Lil' Jon, Ginuwine, Ying Yang Twins, Far East Movement, The Pack, Cali Swag District, New Boyz, Rob Law, and even rap legends like Mack 10 and WC, Kurupt and the late Bad Azz.
As much as I loved the music and the lifestyle I was living at the time, I was able to see the path I was on would lead me to more trouble... I needed a change. I started picking up gigs with a friend's uncle, who owned a Wedding Company focused on Traditional Indian Weddings. I learned about Indian traditions and food, and of course, Indian music and dancing. I loved the experience of being involved with couples' big day, but as a young thrill-seeking kid, weddings just didn't fill my cup like the excitement of selling events and the energy of the dance floors in the clubs.
So instead of changing course, I decided to double down on producing club events, and working in studios with artists and producers. After making some good connections, I started making deals with record labels to sell all-inclusive packages for their shows. I coordinated with the show venues and made sure the promoters had the marketing materials they needed to market and sell the events. I set up party buses and bottle service for VIP guests who paid extra to party with the performing artists on the night of the shows, then I'd rehearse and perform with the artists and help manage the production of these events from start to finish. There was a lot to manage but this kind of work was what I loved to do.
Eventually, a friend from college asked if I could do this sort of all-inclusive event package for her birthday party.
I organized and coordinated a VIP club night experience for her and her friends. One of my DJ friends - DJ Cali - even booked a couple celebrity-guest appearances to make sure it was a sold out night at this Club on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, CA. Everything lined up perfectly and there was a lot of hype around this event.
Finally, before the night began, the party buses were pulling up, and one of my best friends from college was ran over, dragged, and smashed by one of them. I couldn't tell you anything about what happened inside the club that night, but the memories of trying to help my friend after this tragic accident outside the club are vivid still to this day.
After months of praying and waiting through my friend's medically induced coma and countless surgeries, my friend miraculously started to make a recovery. Feeling responsible for this accident, that was the last time I produced a club event.
I decided to leave Southern California entirely and started taking college classes again. I moved to Seattle and instead of pursuing a career in Nightlife, I focused on learning more about the Hospitality Industry. I started working in Hotels, Luxury Apartments, Banquet Halls and High-End Restaurants, often working 2-3 different shifts in one day before a night class.
So, the grind continued and of course I started DJing around Seattle in addition to working and taking classes. The more I DJ'd, the more I was reminded of what I didn't like about the nightlife - the same old bars and clubs, with the same old drunken crowds. So, I decided it was time to try weddings again. I started picking up gigs with a Seattle based Wedding DJ Business, but I still wasn't sold on the idea of turning into a Wedding DJ. So, I met with a local Ethiopian Hookah Lounge owner - who ended up being a great friend - and I became the resident DJ at his hookah lounge, doing sets from midnight to 4am on Friday and Saturday nights... I was able to continue working and taking classes - I just showed up every weekend and mixed good music for good people who just wanted to chill and smoke hookah in a mellow environment.
Being out late on the weekends at this hookah lounge, I couldn't help but notice how much money the hot dog carts seemed to be making outside these bars and clubs. One night I walked over and talked to the hot dog guy after my gig to ask more about the business. It turned out one guy owned all of the best hot dog carts, which were outside all the best clubs. I was inspired and motivated.
I began working on this food cart idea - I would compete in the morning market, so I didn't have to deal with the craziness of the nightlife. I knew working in the nightlife as I was, wasn't a sustainable long-term career. The idea was to build up my own pancake cart empire in high traffic areas throughout Seattle, like this hot dog guy did - but with pancakes. This idea evolved and eventually became Juice's Pancake Lounge, a unique breakfast delivery restaurant concept... I quit all my jobs, and even stopped DJing to grow this new food business.
After only a year of peddling pancakes there were a few sudden and impactful deaths in my family back in Oregon, and then a sudden break-up came, so I moved back to my hometown in Oregon, to be with my family... And of course, I brought my new restaurant business and my turntables with me.
After moving back to McMinnville full time in 2015, I was still focused on growing my own food business. A co-worker introduced me to Rick Drakeley, a local legend of McMinnville, the late owner of The 411 Eatery & Lounge. He ended up mentoring me and helped me grow my food cart business idea into a legitimate breakfast delivery restaurant. Not only did he allow me to use his kitchen for my food business, but he let me DJ at his bar on the weekends.
Eventually with the bit of DJing I did at The 411, along with the connections I made in the community through Rick and my breakfast delivery restaurant, the wedding DJ work found me once again. I was being referred to couples by people all throughout my community. Within a few years, I was DJing and MCing weddings all over Oregon and beyond, and working directly with my clients - which I absolutely love.
Weddings finally started appealing to me. I was getting to know the couples I worked for - I learned to appreciate the uniqueness of each couples' dynamics and found something lovely about working with couples on something so special to them and their loved ones.
My clients didn't want the same old boring Disk Jockey and cliche MC for their wedding, they wanted somebody who was creative, engaging, and passionate about the art of DJing and MCing, with a high standard for well-produced events. And once I really got into it, I noticed that I was falling in love with all the love, hearing all the stories, witnessing the deep connections these couples had with all their loved ones. I really started to appreciate the atmosphere of joy and solidarity that weddings offer.
After the busiest year of my life, growing a food business and a Wedding DJ business simultaneously, my schedule looked overwhelming that upcoming wedding season, so I closed my breakfast delivery restaurant in late 2019, at age 31. The next year I launched Wine Valley Weddings, a new brand, dedicated and committed to better serving my wedding clients.
Even throughout a pandemic and shutdowns, when food delivery was considered essential, and all events were cancelled or postponed, I stuck with my decision to focus my energy on being the best Wedding DJ and MC on the West Coast. Now, with the pandemic and shutdowns years behind us, I am booked to DJ and MC weddings all Summer long, and I am now expanding my offerings to include 360 Photo Booth and Uplighting services.
*
Thank you all for your continued support throughout this journey.
Thank you all for sharing the positive word of mouth, and helping me find my way.
I look forward to helping you with your wedding!
I've always loved the challenge of making money from what I'm passionate about...
I've been DJing and producing and coordinating events since 2004.
Since 2015, I have also tried starting a german pancake-burrito delivery restaurant, and took over a hidden mead hall and turned it into a secret wine lounge and event space, amongst other exciting, fun ventures.
But in 2020, I launched a new brand specifically catering to the wedding market,
helping couples plan their wedding, and DJing and MCing.
And then, of course, events shut down in 2020 and since then, I have been learning and practicing permaculture,
laying the foundation to launch an alternative landscape design and maintenance business
based in the principles and ethics of permaculture,
so that I can use my platform as a DJ and entrepreneur,
to help spread the wisdom that seems
to be missing in this disconnected and divided world we live in.
At this point in my life, I am an elder 30-something, and have lived all over the West Coast of the United States, have worked in a handful of industries, I was raised in a mixed (race) family, with a diverse group of friends, and have been fortunate enough to experience other cultures in some amazing parts of the world. All of these things add up to a broader perspective on life, and I feel fortunate to be able to use my experiences to connect with so many different people from all walks of life, through love and music.
I've been blessed, and I've had some luck.
I've learned a lot, and I will continue to learn.
I have grown to know our daily work has compounding effects, either negative or positive.
I believe it is my job to make sure my daily input has positive compounding effects,
not just for myself and my loved ones, but for everyone and everything.
It's all connected.
I love you,
Julius 'Juice' Northington
***
The Long Version
I was about 12 years old when I moved from Oregon to Southern California. I heard what the DJ's on the radio in Los Angeles were doing with their turntables and records, and I knew that's what I wanted to do when I grew up.
I took my first paid gig as a DJ in 2004 during my freshman year of High School.
It was a Valentine's Day party for twin sisters.
The house was filled with kids from all over Orange County!
I went from playing three sports at the beginning of High School, to making good money throwing parties by the end of High School. These parties I put on with my friends got big - real big, and kids from all over Southern California were coming to our events. These "underground" parties were getting so big that I regularly had to answer to the police after getting shut down, so as soon as I turned 18, it made sense to find legit work in the nightlife industry.
After graduating High School with this experience, I went to California State University, Northridge to study Music Industries. But really, I was more excited about how close campus was to Hollywood. After my freshman year, I dropped out of college to work full-time producing events and promoting mini-tours and local showcases for record labels throughout the Southern California area, eventually sharing stages with artists like YG and DJ Mustard, Lil' Jon, Ginuwine, Ying Yang Twins, Far East Movement, The Pack, Cali Swag District, New Boyz, Rob Law, and even rap legends like Mack 10 and WC, Kurupt and the late Bad Azz.
As much as I loved the music and the lifestyle I was living at the time, I was able to see the path I was on would lead me to more trouble... I needed a change. I started picking up gigs with a friend's uncle, who owned a Wedding Company focused on Traditional Indian Weddings. I learned about Indian traditions and food, and of course, Indian music and dancing. I loved the experience of being involved with couples' big day, but as a young thrill-seeking kid, weddings just didn't fill my cup like the excitement of selling events and the energy of the dance floors in the clubs.
So instead of changing course, I decided to double down on producing club events, and working in studios with artists and producers. After making some good connections, I started making deals with record labels to sell all-inclusive packages for their shows. I coordinated with the show venues and made sure the promoters had the marketing materials they needed to market and sell the events. I set up party buses and bottle service for VIP guests who paid extra to party with the performing artists on the night of the shows, then I'd rehearse and perform with the artists and help manage the production of these events from start to finish. There was a lot to manage but this kind of work was what I loved to do.
Eventually, a friend from college asked if I could do this sort of all-inclusive event package for her birthday party.
I organized and coordinated a VIP club night experience for her and her friends. One of my DJ friends - DJ Cali - even booked a couple celebrity-guest appearances to make sure it was a sold out night at this Club on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, CA. Everything lined up perfectly and there was a lot of hype around this event.
Finally, before the night began, the party buses were pulling up, and one of my best friends from college was ran over, dragged, and smashed by one of them. I couldn't tell you anything about what happened inside the club that night, but the memories of trying to help my friend after this tragic accident outside the club are vivid still to this day.
After months of praying and waiting through my friend's medically induced coma and countless surgeries, my friend miraculously started to make a recovery. Feeling responsible for this accident, that was the last time I produced a club event.
I decided to leave Southern California entirely and started taking college classes again. I moved to Seattle and instead of pursuing a career in Nightlife, I focused on learning more about the Hospitality Industry. I started working in Hotels, Luxury Apartments, Banquet Halls and High-End Restaurants, often working 2-3 different shifts in one day before a night class.
So, the grind continued and of course I started DJing around Seattle in addition to working and taking classes. The more I DJ'd, the more I was reminded of what I didn't like about the nightlife - the same old bars and clubs, with the same old drunken crowds. So, I decided it was time to try weddings again. I started picking up gigs with a Seattle based Wedding DJ Business, but I still wasn't sold on the idea of turning into a Wedding DJ. So, I met with a local Ethiopian Hookah Lounge owner - who ended up being a great friend - and I became the resident DJ at his hookah lounge, doing sets from midnight to 4am on Friday and Saturday nights... I was able to continue working and taking classes - I just showed up every weekend and mixed good music for good people who just wanted to chill and smoke hookah in a mellow environment.
Being out late on the weekends at this hookah lounge, I couldn't help but notice how much money the hot dog carts seemed to be making outside these bars and clubs. One night I walked over and talked to the hot dog guy after my gig to ask more about the business. It turned out one guy owned all of the best hot dog carts, which were outside all the best clubs. I was inspired and motivated.
I began working on this food cart idea - I would compete in the morning market, so I didn't have to deal with the craziness of the nightlife. I knew working in the nightlife as I was, wasn't a sustainable long-term career. The idea was to build up my own pancake cart empire in high traffic areas throughout Seattle, like this hot dog guy did - but with pancakes. This idea evolved and eventually became Juice's Pancake Lounge, a unique breakfast delivery restaurant concept... I quit all my jobs, and even stopped DJing to grow this new food business.
After only a year of peddling pancakes there were a few sudden and impactful deaths in my family back in Oregon, and then a sudden break-up came, so I moved back to my hometown in Oregon, to be with my family... And of course, I brought my new restaurant business and my turntables with me.
After moving back to McMinnville full time in 2015, I was still focused on growing my own food business. A co-worker introduced me to Rick Drakeley, a local legend of McMinnville, the late owner of The 411 Eatery & Lounge. He ended up mentoring me and helped me grow my food cart business idea into a legitimate breakfast delivery restaurant. Not only did he allow me to use his kitchen for my food business, but he let me DJ at his bar on the weekends.
Eventually with the bit of DJing I did at The 411, along with the connections I made in the community through Rick and my breakfast delivery restaurant, the wedding DJ work found me once again. I was being referred to couples by people all throughout my community. Within a few years, I was DJing and MCing weddings all over Oregon and beyond, and working directly with my clients - which I absolutely love.
Weddings finally started appealing to me. I was getting to know the couples I worked for - I learned to appreciate the uniqueness of each couples' dynamics and found something lovely about working with couples on something so special to them and their loved ones.
My clients didn't want the same old boring Disk Jockey and cliche MC for their wedding, they wanted somebody who was creative, engaging, and passionate about the art of DJing and MCing, with a high standard for well-produced events. And once I really got into it, I noticed that I was falling in love with all the love, hearing all the stories, witnessing the deep connections these couples had with all their loved ones. I really started to appreciate the atmosphere of joy and solidarity that weddings offer.
After the busiest year of my life, growing a food business and a Wedding DJ business simultaneously, my schedule looked overwhelming that upcoming wedding season, so I closed my breakfast delivery restaurant in late 2019, at age 31. The next year I launched Wine Valley Weddings, a new brand, dedicated and committed to better serving my wedding clients.
Even throughout a pandemic and shutdowns, when food delivery was considered essential, and all events were cancelled or postponed, I stuck with my decision to focus my energy on being the best Wedding DJ and MC on the West Coast. Now, with the pandemic and shutdowns years behind us, I am booked to DJ and MC weddings all Summer long, and I am now expanding my offerings to include 360 Photo Booth and Uplighting services.
*
Thank you all for your continued support throughout this journey.
Thank you all for sharing the positive word of mouth, and helping me find my way.
I look forward to helping you with your wedding!