You can learn a lot about the guy who sells you athletic footwear in the span it takes for him to lace and fit those new Nikes on your feet. Such sessions often involve small talk about feet, training and sport, but banter could veer to other mutual interests such as music, food and Sangria, as was the case when Dave Douglas, at Run On, fitted me for a fresh pair of running shoes. During our off-topic banter I learned, before the laces were even knotted, that the athlete and shoe specialist moonlights as the regular Tuesday-night DJ at Café Izmir. In-the-loop neighbors know there is no better place to hang on a Tuesday night than Izmir’s “customer appreciation” celebration, during which Douglas spins World Groove, “throwing out stuff from Brazil and the Middle East.” He knows the crowd is likely there for the $2 tapas and free Sangria rather than his humble musical stylings, which is fine with Douglas, who thinks blending-in is key. “I like to make the music part of the experience and ambiance, nothing overwhelming.” He has been mixing music for Izmir owners — brothers Beau and Ali Nazary, and their uncle, Mehdi Nazari — for 12 years and says, so far, it’s been a great run. “It’s the best gig I ever had. Though it’s more than a gig at this point. I feel like part of the family.” The feeling is mutual, says Beau Nazary. “He is like family to us. David is the sound behind Cafe Izmir. Our customers come for the food, but they stay for the music and the ambiance.” Douglas’s favorite mix? Running and music. “Those are my two passions. I especially like combining the two — and that goes way back. I run with an iPod now, but I can remember in the middle of a marathon, turning over the tape in my Walkman.”
