Interview: Pavan Pardasani, EMM Group's Director Of Marketing, Talks About Hamptons Outpost SL East

Since Memorial Day weekend, Hamptons hotspot SL East has been in full swing. Pavan Pardasani, EMM Group's Director of Marketing, is behind the summer outpost of this Manhattan club, and between the revamped sound system with a video wall, the a new outdoor bar, and bringing in members of EMM Group's New York team to manage guest experiences and more, he had a lot to say.

[Photo: Pavan Pardasani]

Can you tell me a little bit about what we can expect this year that is going to be different from last year at SL east?

I've been operating in this space for an entire season, and we understand what we can and can’t do in the space, and we found what works really well. What we’re going to operate on this summer is some really great themes—we’re trying to create an experience within the venue, so guests walk in not knowing what to expect in terms of décor, in terms performances, and in terms of special giveaways and things of that nature. Last year we sprinkled in celebrities and we sprinkled in performances and we’re definitely going to have to enhance the quality of the DJs we’re working with this season because as we continue to grow as a company—we’re opening SL Miami in October—expanding the SL brand to South Beach, it’s really important for us to sort of enhance the experience that people have at SL East to make sure that just the brand overall people are getting what they expect from us.

Ok, so what kind of DJs—or who in particular—are you looking to bring in?

As we continue to expand the brand its really important for us to continue to grow our relationship with DJs. We are moving towards working with some bigger DJs and there are some further announcements on that front that will come. But yeah, we’re definitely creating more of an experience for our guests and the DJs will play a part in that but overall it’s just the experience within the venue doing a lot of different things to sort of engage our guests. It’s going to be a more heightened experience.

What are you looking forward to in particular this season?

I just feel like the Hamptons is a different opportunity. Again, really the engagement part is why we’re present in the Hamptons because people have their homes there and they’re really in a vacation mentality, and that is the big thing about the Hamptons that I think people don't necessarily understand—it’s what makes nightlife out there so great. New Yorkers who see each other on a weekly basis at our venues, there is something about that that becomes routine. I just really look forward to the energy, the excitement, that sort of camaraderie that people have out. You’re on vacation every week, that’s what I look forward to.

What are some of your favorite spots in the Hamptons?

I’ve been working out in the Hamptons for 10 or 12 years so I’ve definitely found a few places that are great. I love getting up to Sunset Beach at least once or twice a season…I know everyone says that. A typical Sunday tradition for me out east would be having a quiet dinner with my girlfriend or one or two friends who are still out there and then going for a movie. It’s nostalgic, brings me back to my childhood. On the other side of the Hamptons, I really do enjoy Red Bar in Southampton for dinner and then we rent these beautiful houses out there and given that I’m not out there all week, for me, whether I’m cooking for friends or whether we’re all cooking together hanging out by the pool, that’s what its all about for me; the down time. We are working 5 nights or 6 nights a week so a little bit of downtime is nice.

[Photos via Kirill Was Here]