Alex Picken
Alex Picken was a DJ in his 20's, which introduced him to the intoxicating nightlife of Manhattan's hottest nightclubs, bars and lounges. He formed Picken Real Estate and Nightlife Brokerage in 1988 and quickly became a major player in locating, buying and leasing real estate parcels customized for nightlife. Alex has closed more nightclub deals than all other New York City based commercial real estate agencies combined. He's been involved in the sale of well over 50 of Manhattan's most notable nightclubs, restaurants and lounges including Pacha NY, Centro-Fly, Hudson Terrace, Highline Ballroom, Cipriani Sutton, Terminal 5, Smithfield NYC, Life, Copacabana, Duvet, Tunnel, Club NY, The Jane Hotel, the Retro 80's Culture Club and Providence.
Underneath Picken's warm and friendly disposition is a shrewd businessman who knows the city inside and out. He can get deals closed time and time again under the most challenging of circumstances. Alex sets a casual tone with the agents on his staff, allowing them to work their own selling styles with little micro-management. But if he feels a client's needs are falling through the cracks, he'll jump in and shepherd the deal to closing, calling upon his quarter plus century of experience.
People from all over the world dream of opening a restaurants, bars and nightclubs in New York City, and Alex Picken and his team of nightlife agents are the experts who broker the deals before the lines wrap around the block and the VIP lists are written!
Danielle Lacko
Danielle Lacko describes herself as a sexy, power agent. She acknowledges that it's tough being a female in the male-dominated world of commercial real estate "You have to find a happy medium and use your femininity so that men don't feel threatened. Batting your blue eyes won't work - you'll be shot down in an instant!" It's abiding by these few rules that has made Danielle not only very successful, but also the only senior agent at Picken. This fast talking glamour girl moved from Fairfield County, Connecticut to the Big Apple when she was 19-years-old after being offered a 7-year contract to dance and choreograph for MTV. She started an all girl band called "Fateful" and was a Maxim girl in the 90's. More than just a pretty face, Danielle attended Hunter College to study film and media studies.
Danielle was a partner at a residential real estate firm for 7 years prior to joining the commercial real estate firm NYC Views Realty Corp. This experience fused with being a mixologist at in some of the top clubs helped Danielle make a natural transition into nightlife real estate. She built contacts and a reputation in the nightlife industry before connecting with Picken Real Estate. "I was in residential and then all of the bar contacts I had, asked me to lease their bars." She had the product but didn't have the buyers which is what led her to Alex Picken. Danielle interviewed with Alex over three years ago and the rest is history.
Danielle is motivated by money as well as a strong passion for the business. Out of all of the agents at Picken she is the one that brings in the high-end club listings that her colleagues clamor to sell. Working in the nightlife and hospitality industry is a perfect fit for Danielle. "I love the restaurant industry and I'm a total foodie."
Danielle has closed a number of notable deals, including Intermezzo, Gwynett Street, Happy Endings, Russ and Daughters and Culture Club.
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Hazm (a.k.a. "Haz") Aliessa
Born in 1989, Hazm (a.k.a. "Haz") Aliessa had an entrepreneurial spririt from a young age. At just 16 years old, Haz got involved with Sahara East, one of New York City's first Hookah lounges. With the contacts he had already built, Haz began working for "Prom Time," a company that planned post-prom events for teens. Pretty soon, Haz had moved on to planning his own large-scale events.
Haz began his real estate career leasing apartments, but he craved bigger and more exciting real estate ventures. He was approached by a client looking to open a nightclub in Manhattan. His search for the perfect place led him straight to Alex Picken, and to a career in nightlife real estate: sensing Haz's potential, Alex offered Haz a job on the spot.
Haz is opinionated, shrewd and confident, and he refuses to take on deals with small commissions. Haz loves the challenges and the rewards of the industry, but admits its hard walking the thin line between business and pleasure. "What we do in nightlife is a whole different type of real estate - late nights and early mornings can wear you out."
This ambitious rookie loves working on the hospitality side of real estate because "It's fun to do things you enjoy, like going out to nice restaurants, lounges and clubs while making money at the same time." Haz is always working, "You never know who you will meet - just make sure you're ready." His goal is to build his own Haz-pitality Empire because in Haz's words, "Nothing beats the feeling of closing a deal."
Jason
Jason is a fast-talking, fast-walking, mile-a-minute agent who is always looking for the big money score and ALWAYS looking out for "number one." A California native, Jason wanted to live in New York City for some time. After seeing the banding together of the community in the wake of 9/11, he finally made the move. He began his career in residential real-estate in the big apple.
Jason transitioned into commercial real estate when a residential client asked him to find a restaurant space in Brooklyn. Jason found his client a property that was listed by Picken Real Estate. "After my first restaurant deal as a co-broker with Picken, I was aware of the caliber of spaces Alex represents and I wanted to work for him." Jason has been a member of the Picken team for roughly a year. This rebel agent loves his job and finds it exciting. "If I sell someone a bar or a restaurant, I will stop by and see how they're doing because I want them to flourish and come back to me. I talk them up and want people to visit them."
It's Jason's passionate nature that sometimes gets him into heated debates with his colleagues. "I'm direct. I'm blunt. I'm honest. Through my bluntness - I care. Although I may fight with people I work with, the passion remains."
In addition to Jason's quick wit he feels it's his intelligence that sets him far apart from other agents - he's appeared at several NYC stand up comedy clubs. "If you're a trained monkey with $500, you can be an agent. That's why so many people in this industry are frowned upon -- because they're morons."
Jason's biggest accomplishment in real estate was on the residential side, before his career at Picken. Among other big deals, He earned himself a $100,000 payday from five apartment sales in just one building. He's hoping the move to nightlife real estate pays off even more!
Michael
Michael originally hails from Rochester, New York with a somewhat conventional upbringing. After studying Political Science at St. Bonaventure University, he sardonically thought, "What could further decrease my job opportunities?" He decided that studying theatre was the answer. Moving to Manhattan, Michael enrolled in HB Studios in Greenwich Village, and began a grueling acting program. After a number of "Off Off Off Broadway" shows, he packed his bags and moved to LA. His hard work paid off, and he appeared in the major motion pictures Speed, Outbreak and Reservoir Dogs among others. Even though he found success in acting, he decided to head back to New York City and change his career path. Michael got his real estate license and tried his hand at selling properties. He eventually joined Picken Real Estate, and found immediate success. In his first year as an agent, he collected a $150,000 gross commission on a sale. Not a bad start!
Michael enjoys the hunt for the perfect space. "It's a great and very rewarding feeling," he says, "Then of course comes the commission check." Unlike most agents, the payoff is about more than just cash for Michael. "There is nothing like having dinner or drinking at one your clients successful venues, knowing that you've added something unique and exciting to an already amazing city," Michael says. Michael enjoys the restaurant-bar-lounge side of commercial real estate and says he's at "the best Real Estate house in town - Picken is the King of Nightlife."