sf|noir

Meet the Mixologists

Damon White was born in NYC and raised in Harlem during the 1970s. In 1985 Damon arrived at Middlesex Preparatory School, in Concord Mass. and he graduated very shortly afterwards from Middlebury College in 1989. In 1990 Damon enrolled in the William Esper Art Studio on the Lower West side of Manhattan where he would study acting for 2 years, while working the Off-Broadway theater scene, slinging drinks and promoting parties at some of the hottest bars and night clubs in the city as well as South and East Hampton, LI.

In 1993 Damon moved to Los Angeles to pursue his acting career and continue building his social network on the West Coast. He worked enough in films, TV and commercials to stay in the game for 10 years, and he was fortunate to produce a feature film in Europe (The Americans Are Coming) in 1999, and start a fashion design company (Kate O’Connor Designs) in 2001.

In 2003 Damon moved to San Francisco looking for a fresh start and by 2005 he opened Otis Lounge on Maiden Lane. Otis has enjoyed a 7-year run and remains easily one of SF’s coolest, most well known and respected night life destinations. He is developing other hospitality and lifestyle ventures in SF, LA and NYC. He sits on the Board of Directors of SF CAMERWORK and is the head coach for the Riptide U11A Boy’s Lacrosse Club.

Phil Shell has been involved in the nightlife entertainment business since he was seventeen years old hosting house parties as a business venture with his high school friends in San Diego, California. He went on to graduate college from San Diego State, a university mostly recognized for its socially charged and interactive climate with a degree in Communications. Immediately following college he moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in the music business and that is where he was formally / corporately trained in promotions and marketing at Geffen Records. He currently spends most of his time connecting the dots @ Otis Lounge!