We’re in the final days of summer and most people are thinking about returning to school or getting back to work. But that doesn’t mean Downtown is cooling off. Instead it will be getting even hotter as Entourage Promotions get ready to host some of the hottest parties around. Throwing these parties is a team effort. Andy Ramirez is a self-described “troublemaker” who likes to make people happy (and get them drunk). Fil Esquibel is the “troublefixer” who could sell the stink off of a pig, so it’s a good thing he watches the money. Their next party will feature DJ Frances and Jamie J at Sin on August 26.

DYSMD sat down with co-founder Andy to see why Entourage events are so successful and how they plan to stay on top.

DYSMD: Why did you start Entourage Promotions?

ANDY: This started as a joke last year when MySpace ran a contest to have win your own entourage. You know, get a staff and a budget to start a promotion company. So Fil and I entered and did pretty well. But we didn’t win the whole thing. However not winning was a real stroke of luck. By the end of the contest we had over 4000 friends on our MySpace account. Since we had such an established following and tons of positive feedback from our friends, we decided to do it ourselves.

DYSMD: Does running a business with one of your friends create any stress on your personal lives?

ANDY: Fil and I have been friends since we were 14. We’re realistic about what we have created. And if things do go sour in our personal lives, we are still going to get the job done, as professionals. Right now we’re having a great time throwing parties. This is what we wanted to do, get paid to party. Our partnership in Entourage is secondary. Friends come first.

DYSMD: Can you tell us your best memory of an Entourage party?

ANDY: (Chuckling to himself while reminiscing) That must have been last year New Years Eve (‘06-‘07). We threw a party at Heat and had no clue how off the hook it was going to be. I had on an all white suit just for the evening. It even came with a top hat. Things were looking pretty good at 8 when we opened. By the end of the night there were over 350 people inside who weren’t even on the guest list. I had two bottles of champagne and after the first one was gone I decided to stand on top of a table and shake up the other bottle and spray everyone in range.

DYSMD: Security wasn’t all over you?  

ANDY: No. In fact they crowded around the table and made sure nobody would knock me off the table. That has to be the best memory so far.

DYSMD: And your worst memory?  

ANDY: Three or four months ago we were hosting a Thursday night event. Only three people were in the entire place- the bar manager, the bouncer and me. Fil was there but he had to go to another event we were part of. That place was so wild that I couldn’t even hear him over the phone. The club I was at closed at midnight.

DYSMD: What did you learn from that night?

ANDY: This is a tough business to be in. It takes a lot of hard work, but also excessive perseverance. We had a meeting about it later that week and nothing like that has happened since.

DYSMD: So where is Entourage going to be in five years?

ANDY: Right now we are assembling a street team to help us with day-to-day operations. We’ll have an entire staff from top to bottom. Locally we’re focusing on developing the brand. But the plan is to expand into other cities both established and developing. Entourage is only the beginning of great things to come.

DYSMD: Great things?  

ANDY: Yeah. Look out for the opening of our downtown nightclub by 2012.

DYSMD: Do you believe San Diego is a nightlife destination?  

ANDY: San Diego is developing a new identity. Five years ago over half of the places downtown were not there. This is a very strong start. But cooperation between clubs, entertainers and promoters will be essential if the downtown is to emerge as an entire nightlife package. It used to be that the clubs were at each other’s throats in competition. That trend is reversing. Now businesses are beginning to support one another. If the clubs continue to rally around each other the stronger the industry will become. The goal is to make the Gaslamp district feel like one giant club.