Page 6 - BusinessWest May 2, 2022
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6 MAY 2, 2022 FEATURE BusinessWest
   And All That Jazz
Kenny Lumpkin Brings His Passions Together at Dewey’s Lounge
Kenny Lumpkin doesn’t like
to use that word ‘club’ when it comes to his establishment on Worthington Street, Dewey’s Jazz Lounge. He prefers ‘restaurant, bar, and music venue,’ which really says it all. Those are his passions — in life and now in business. A year after opening, he’s off to a solid start and now looking to make an even greater impact on Springfield’s dining and entertainment scene.
KBy George O’Brien
enny Lumpkin is the true defi- nition of serial entrepreneur.
Since as long as he can remember, he’s wanted to be in business for himself — and he’s put his name and talents
behind many different types of ventures. One was called Room by Room, an app he
developed with a friend that he described as “applying Uber to the cleaning industry — an on-demand way to get your house cleaned.” He eventually sold that venture, took the capital, and segued into real estate, flipping houses, and wholesaling. And while doing that, he also got into consulting, specifically with businesses in the hospitality sector looking for help with marketing, and later, biotech and pharmaceuti- cal consulting, working for a few different firms.
But his real passions — yes, we need the plu- ral here — are music, food, and beverage.
And he and business partner Mark Markari- an have brought them all together in an intrigu- ing new venture in the heart of Springfield’s entertainment district, or what many are now calling the Dining District.
It’s called Dewey’s Lounge, with that name chosen to honor Lumpkin’s cousin Dwight ‘Dewey’ Jarrett, who passed away in 2014.
It’s been called a club by many, but Lumpkin doesn’t necessarily like that term attached to his establishment. He prefers ‘restaurant, bar,





















































































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