About Us

At The Down Easy, We Don’t Just Create Bars—We Create Culture.

Nearly three decades of relentless dedication, risk-taking, and reinvention have shaped our journey. Founded by Challo Schott, a visionary who has worked every angle of the industry—designing, bartending, booking, marketing, managing, and building—The Down Easy is the next evolution in a long line of concepts that have reshaped neighborhoods, defined nightlife, and set new standards in hospitality.

Craig Shattuck joins as a co-creator, bringing his expertise and operational insight to the foundation of The Down Easy. While Schott leads the creative vision and design, Craig ensures the gears turn seamlessly, making every concept a fully realized and lasting success.

Our Journey

Schott’s career has spanned from the early days in Fort Lauderdale to the high-energy scenes of Miami Beach, Brickell, and Wynwood, followed by transformative projects in Delray Beach and Vancouver, BC. Each city brought a new challenge, a new lesson, and a new concept that pushed the limits of what a bar, restaurant, or music venue could be.

These projects weren’t built by committees or corporate investors. Every venue—every inch of every space—was conceptualized, designed, and executed by Schott himself, a true hands-on creative who doesn’t just direct but works.

A Legacy of Reinvention

From revitalizing forgotten spaces to redefining how people engage with nightlife, every project carried a unique vision:

• Exit 66 (Fort Lauderdale): A 40,000-square-foot entertainment complex that captured the essence of Americana roadhouse culture. Featuring vintage décor and multiple party spaces, Exit 66 became a vibrant hub on Fort Lauderdale Beach, offering patrons a multifaceted nightlife experience.
  

• Better Days (Miami, Brickell) – A hidden 1970s thrift store that doubled as a secret cocktail bar, this venue wasn’t just a nightlife hotspot—it was a catalyst that reinvented Brickell’s perception of cool. What was once a neighborhood of sterile high-rises became a destination for an entirely new demographic, proving that authenticity could thrive in a sea of corporate brands.
  

• Wynwood Diner (Miami) – A reinvention of the American diner and eclectic wonderland blending classic comfort with the raw creativity of Miami’s art district.
  

• The O.G. (Delray Beach) – A true original, this concept fused dive-bar grit with curated cool, setting a new precedent for how Delray’s nightlife could look and feel.
  

• Mount Pleasant Vintage & Provisions (Vancouver, BC) – A historic home reimagined, merging live-fire cooking with a curated retail space. This project showcased Schott’s ability to blend hospitality, history, and design into a seamless, immersive experience.
  

• Tough Times (Pompano Beach) – A survival story as much as a bar. Built in a market where nothing like it had existed before, Tough Times became a live music powerhouse, booking more original music than any other venue in South Florida—400+ acts a year.

Beyond these flagship locations, Schott’s fingerprints are all over some of South Florida’s most iconic venues. His influence is undeniable—even in places where he hasn’t been publicly credited.

Down Easy – The Next Evolution

Down Easy is the culmination of all these experiences—the grit, the wins, the losses, and the lessons learned in every city along the way. It’s about storytelling through space, creating experiences that feel effortless yet are meticulously designed, and building a brand that isn’t just a bar, but a movement.

This is more than a place to drink. This is what’s next.