World Cafe Live CEO says there is ‘zero probability’ of the venue closing as staff moves to unionize

The strife continues at the World Cafe Live, the West Philly venue that has been wracked with labor unrest since workers walked out during a Suzanne Vega concert earlier this month in protest of what they said was “unfair treatment” under the management team of new CEO Joseph Callahan.

Last week, in an interview with The Inquirer, Callahan, a Northeast Philly native who made headlines last year by bringing the Portal to the city, said he was working to get the nonprofit venue out of debt and on sound financial footing. He pledged to keep the venue, which was founded by Hal Real in 2004, running for another generation.

“World Cafe Live is here to stay. We’re tripling down on live music.” There is “zero probability” of the venue closing, he said.

Callahan told The Inquirer he would be booking shows at the WCL himself until the role of program coordinator is filled, adding that the venue has received thousands of applications for jobs.

The previous program coordinator, Helen Smith, resigned earlier this month. This week, she announced that she is the new talent buyer at Rising Sun Presents, the Ardmore independent concert company that books its flagship Ardmore Music Hall as well as placing shows at MilkBoy Philly, Underground Arts, and many other venues in the city and suburbs.

Before he was brought in as CEO in May, Callahan said, the finances of the World Cafe Live, which was converted to a nonprofit in 2019, “were challenged with debt on the balance sheet that had accumulated over the years.”

The venue was losing “a significant amount of cash,” at a rate of “anywhere between $45,000 to $70,000 every month.” The total debt was approaching $6 million.

Callahan’s plan to put World Cafe Live on firm financial footing involves a $10 million fundraising campaign and hinges on trying “to increase revenue and drive growth in the new realm of music globally.”

The entrepreneur, who also serves on the board of Sansar, a California virtual reality company, said artists who play World Cafe Live “will have tools available that we provide at the World Cafe Live so they can monetize their brands globally and we can bring the world to the World Cafe Live, virtually and digitally.”

In recent weeks, former WCL COO and general manager Kerri Park has also resigned, as did guest services manager Hayley Simmons. On Monday, Mike Stiltner, the venue’s front of house manager, added himself to that list of former WCL employees.

In his resignation letter, Stiltner wrote: “It has become abundantly clear that the hostile work environment fostered by senior leadership, coupled with their blatant disregard for hourly staff, will continue …. The tone-deafness rotting at the heart of this once-great place is unbearable.”

That marked an about-face from just a week earlier. In a June 17 statement sent out by WCL, Stiltner was quoted as saying, “I am standing ... with the remaining staff at World Cafe Live, and hope we can start to ease the pressure and tension they have felt in the past.” .”

According to Sophia Mattes, the venue’s former night box office manager, current production staff have submitted a request to be represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, known locally as IATSE Local 8.

A WCL representative confirmed that a meeting between management and IATSE Local 8 took place Monday, and said that “the venue’s former employees are working with IATSE and their Local 8 representatives to unionize and secure fair representation, regardless of management changes. We believe in giving our former staff a voice about their working conditions.”

“The challenge is that employees who voluntarily left their jobs are no longer eligible for rehire at World Cafe Live,” the representative added. “To prevent a potentially adversarial and lengthy NLRB process, World Cafe Live is proactively working with IATSE to provide job placement for each worker in the Philadelphia area. This cooperative approach benefits both parties and emphasizes future employment opportunities outside the venue.”

On Monday night, Mattes stressed that she and many of her other coworkers had not voluntarily left their jobs, but that their positions were eliminated. “I have heard nothing about [WCL] trying to place terminated individuals with jobs through IATSE,” she added.

Meanwhile, some shows have moved off the WCL calendar this month, including Thursday’s with Canadian jazz trumpeter and singer Bria Skonberg, which has been rescheduled for Dec. 16.

In an email sent to Bria Skonberg ticket holders, WCL blamed the postponement on “deeply disruptive actions caused by prior leadership, including malicious interference with internal information systems [that are] designed to destabilize the venue and have led to temporary disruptions across our programming.”

“We are actively working with appropriate authorities, who are conducting comprehensive forensic analysis of the misconduct,” the email read.

Asked to elaborate Monday night, a World Cafe Live representative had not responded to The Inquirer in time for publication.

On Tuesday, Grammy-nominated Philly jazz pianist Orrin Evans announced on Facebook that he is moving his monthly Imani Records Jazz Jam away from the Lounge at World Cafe Live until further notice.

“We appreciate the support and once we find out [our] new home you’ll be the first to know,” the post reads.

Other shows remain on the WCL calendar this week, with Davy Knowles’ Tuesday show and old school R&B vocal great Bettye LaVette due in that room on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, Callahan’s WCL threatened workers who had walked off the job — and were subsequently fired — with legal action.

“I have no idea what they’re talking about regarding malicious interference. As far as I am aware there was no concerted effort to stifle their management or internal systems,” said Mattes.

“Joe might be a Philadelphia native, but this man has absolutely no idea what Philadelphia wants or needs,” she said.

Mattes added that the extreme heat would likely deter demonstrators, who have become a fixture on Walnut Street on show nights, from showing up on Tuesday night when Scottish guitarist and former Back Door Slam leader Knowles was set to play the downstairs Music Hall.