What’s in a name? For Love Hour, a burger joint in Los Angeles’s Koreatown, it’s both a business ethos and an origin story. “Love Hour was really a passion project from the beginning,” says Jimmy Han, who co-owns the business with partners Michael Pak and Duy Nguyen. “The burger thing was almost just a vehicle, an avenue. Our real, true passion was the people and the community.”
In 2019, Michael and Duy hosted Koreatown Run Club out of Jimmy’s former bar, Beer Belly. The trio tried out a burger pop-up in the parking lot on a whim. “The first night that we did it, we had a line around the block and sold out of burgers in 40 minutes,” said Han. “So we knew we had something special on our hands.”
Next came catering gigs, sidewalk pop-ups all over LA, and a stand at Coachella. But when Love Hour evolved from a pop-up to a permanent restaurant, it just made sense to keep it in Koreatown. “This is our home,” said Han. “This is our hub, our community. Good food brings good people together, so we wanted to feed our community and have a fun time while doing that.”
According to Han, there’s no roadmap or 10-year business plan, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a serious venture. He knows full well the importance of money management — he grew up learning the ropes from his parents, who immigrated from Korea in 1975 and ran multiple businesses. And if there’s one thing they emphasized, it was to save.
“The name of the game is saving,” said Han. “It doesn’t matter how much you make. Being smart with your money is what matters in the long run and how you manage your money is the make-it-or-break-it for a small business owner. My parents were very open about the money side of business. I learned a lot from being receptive to their teachings.”
It doesn’t matter how much you make. Being smart with your money is what matters in the long run and how you manage your money is the make-it-or-break-it for a small business owner.”
Jimmy Han → co-owner of Love Hour
Saving and access to credit have been key for Love Hour’s success, everyday operations, and those unexpected hiccups. “When the air conditioner went out on the hottest day of the year, I needed access to money quickly,” said Han. “And there are everyday expenses. Also, we support the livelihood of our employees and our family and our company. Having access to money when we needed it was really important.”
Beyond the unexpected expenses, however, having a solid financial foundation has allowed Han and the team to nurture Love Hour and keep the business going strong.
“Without the right financial tools, I would be a worse-off business owner,” says Jimmy. “I would spend day to day thinking about what I need to spend money on, where that money would come from, and the mental impact would really be debilitating. I’m all about low maintenance. I’ve gone through the gauntlet of having a full-service restaurant and also a low-maintenance dive bar. Making my life easier as an owner simplifies my daily operations, which enables me to focus on the important things: the business, the customers, and the employees.”
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