Joanna Patterson

Smith is an independent collective of radicals and misfits who've chosen to spend their lives together because it's more fun that way. Our name is intended to keep us anonymous and up to making things: we're not here to stand out or to win awards. We're committed to being common and to let our work speak for itself. For if there's anything we've realized over our years, it's that we're no better and no smarter than anyone else. We're just willing to look ourselves in the mirror everyday and be brutally honest with what we see. The work that we do is on ourselves: whatever we end up putting into the world is simply a byproduct of that work. You see, we didn't have any grand intentions when we started down this hospitality road, we just wanted a good place to have a beer and a burger after work. It was that simple. And it's the simplest ideas that have the greatest power. But ideas aren't good enough. Neither are visions. Or commitments. Or declarations. Action is the only thing that matters here. If you're not in action at Smith, you're not doing your job. You're not living your life, either. You're just observing it. We believe you've got to get out of your head and into the world to do any good in this brief moment we have. That's why we came to Asbury Park when few others would. That's why we came to Burlington when the last restaurant closed. To a rational person, Smith's moves often seem nonsensical. We'd say that's a sign that you're headed in the right direction, when you go past sensory experiences and start realizing everything is new. Everything is changing all the time. What are you willing to cause today?