URBAN ENTHUSIAST

8/10/14
URBAN ENTHUSIAST: PJ PEREZ
Pj Perez is a man about downtown. Cocktails at a Fremont East watering hole, mixing with the crowds at Preview Thursday art events, whizzing through the historic Huntridge neighborhood on his bike: he’s all over the place. The artist, writer and publisher triple threat is a staple in the booming downtown scene and Vegas valley at large.
What do you do?
Freelance writer, comic publisher at Pop! Goes the Icon, co-owner of Creation Forge Studios, a design-and-print studio.
Vegas native or transplant?
I was born in the Los Angeles area and split my time between there and Philadelphia until, like many children of a certain age, I was brought to Las Vegas by my parents, so I wasn’t “drawn” so much as “dragged.” That said, I fell in love with the city early on (I built a paper model of the Strip for fun when I was 12 or 13), and despite my threats to leave over the years, I still can’t deny the neon running through my veins.
Why DTLV?
There really wasn’t even a question of where to set up shop in Las Vegas. The energy and community in DTLV can’t really be found anywhere else in the valley in such high concentrations. I like to work where I play. I basically owe my career to downtown Las Vegas. It’s where I met some of the most influential people in my life 20-plus years ago, and seeing it enjoy such a resurgence is pretty awesome.
What’s your favorite thing about DTLV?
Really, just the relative proximity of everything. I bike almost everywhere when I can, and it takes less time than driving. I see people I know on the street or at any business I visit. But my specific favorites include Velveteen Rabbit, Luv-It Frozen Custard, The Goodwich, Rock N’oodles, and of course, the Arts District in general. DTLV is the feeling of being a part of something. Actually knowing your neighbors. Having a house that doesn’t look like every other house. And for me, never really having to leave the area!
New in the ‘hood: what are you looking forward to?
I really, really hope Eclipse Theatres opens. We need a good, first-run cinema in DTLV. And I’m psyched about the improvements on the way for Main Street/Commerce Street. I hope it encourages more economic development as well as foot/bike traffic.
What sets DTLV apart from other parts of Vegas?
I think there’s much more mindfulness downtown. Just that awareness from both the residents and the businesses—as well as city government—means that people care a little more and have to put in a bit more effort than just sort-of “existing” in more suburban areas.
Photo: by Lucky Wenzel of Pj Perez