Meet Josh Jancewicz | Owner | Donna’s Pickle Beer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Josh Jancewicz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Josh, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Since I was a teenager, I’ve always had this drive to start a business—I just didn’t know it at the time. It all began with music, and over the years, that passion morphed into an interest in bars. In the early years, I was in a variety of bands, ranging from small local acts to larger groups. I even had the chance to tour the U.S. and Europe up until my mid-20s. None of those bands made money, but the experience was invaluable. I got to see the world and meet incredible people from all kinds of backgrounds. To make ends meet and keep the beer flowing, I worked in the service industry since I was 16.

While I was touring, I visited countless bars and venues, each one teaching me something new about the atmosphere, design, and vibe I wanted to create. I kept a mental “vision board” of what I wanted my own bar to be like—eclectic, welcoming, and the kind of place where anyone would feel at home. But it hit me one day that playing music and crashing on people’s floors wasn’t going to get me to the point of opening my own place. So, I left the band and moved to San Francisco. That’s where the best cocktail bars were at the time. Growing up in Philly, I’d never seen bartenders shake and stir drinks with such passion. The rhythm of the ice shaking in sync with the music of the room blew my mind. Watching someone carve an ice cube from a block with a chisel was like nothing I’d ever seen. It was clear—I had to be there.

Unfortunately, the bar dream never materialized, and then COVID hit. That knocked my plans off course, but it gave me a lot of time to dive deep into research—specifically into old beer companies and dive bars across the country. I became obsessed with studying bars in middle America from the 1940s to the 1960s, spending hours online looking at vintage beer signs. My storage unit quickly started to fill up with relics from that era.

Eventually, I took a job as a mailman in West Hollywood. It was the hardest job I’ve ever had, and I didn’t even have to deliver mail in the snow. During the first Trump election, I found myself working 80-90 hour weeks, and it made me rethink everything. I’d listen to podcast after podcast—whether it was about music, business, or random facts—and it reignited that craving for creativity. I knew I had to get out of the blue uniform and stop getting attacked by chihuahuas on Melrose Avenue. So, I started brainstorming business ideas again. Bars, restaurants, brands—you name it.

One day, while hanging out with my best friends in the desert, I remembered a pickle beer I’d tried before. It was terrible—both the look and the taste. That’s when the idea hit me: I could do this better. I immediately knew what it needed to look like, what it needed to taste like, and even the name. So, I went home, grabbed some markers, and sketched out the can design as best I could. And that’s how Donna’s Pickle Beer was born.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve had the luxury of life falling into place like a puzzle. I started with the borders, and now I’ve got these different piles of colors stacked up. The next step is to start putting the pieces together. To me, this is the fun stage. The hard work, organization, and the tedious parts have all been put to use, and now it’s time to see the results of all that effort.

The last 38 years have been about figuring out how to get paid to enjoy my life—whether that meant traveling, seeing friends across the globe, or learning as much as I could about the bar industry. I’ve always wanted to build something that most people haven’t seen before, and I’m determined to do it in a way that no one else is doing.

None of this has been easy, though. I’m a pretty anxious person, and I’ve been waiting to launch this business for 20 years now—it honestly feels like I’ve been waiting twice that long. Everything has been a challenge, but what lies ahead is what will really show if I’ve built the right foundation to make Donna’s a brand that everyone knows.

If I could give one piece of advice, it would be to follow what moves you. You never know where that path will take you. For me, I didn’t have enough money to open a bar, so I became obsessed with collecting vintage signs for the future space. That way, when I finally had the money, I’d have all the eclectic pieces ready to go. It wasn’t how I thought things would unfold, but here we are, and I couldn’t be more excited.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Living in Hollywood means I’m surrounded by some of the oldest, most iconic bars and restaurants in the city—places that give you that old movie vibe. When Donna came to visit me last, I knew I wanted to show her the kind of LA experience that blends history with my personal favorites. Here’s the itinerary I put together:

We kicked things off at Chateau Marmont, which is always a classic. It has that old Hollywood charm that never gets old. From there, we headed over to Musso & Franks, one of the oldest restaurants in Hollywood, where the atmosphere feels like you’ve stepped back in time especially over a martini. Next stop: the Beverly Hills Hotel, also known as the “Pink Palace.” It’s a must-see, with its iconic history and the perfect mix of glamour and old-school elegance. But no matter where we went, we had to end each night at my favorite spot: Jones Hollywood. There’s nothing like their late-night martini and pizza combo—it’s the perfect way to cap off an evening.

For a change of scenery, we hopped on the Surfliner train down to San Diego. We spent the journey sipping drinks and playing Gin Rummy—just like old times. We stayed at the beautifully refinished Lafayette Hotel, which had a perfect retro vibe, and we were in town to catch Green Day perform the first album Donna ever bought me, Dookie. That was a full-circle moment.

If we had more time, I would have taken her out to the high desert to see the stars and explore some country bars for the night, but I’ll save that for the next time she’s out this way. It’s the kind of place that really shows you a different side of California, and I know she’d love it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Here’s a refined version of your story with your personal touch:

I owe it all to my mother, Donna. If it weren’t for her giving me the freedom to be myself, to explore whatever weird idea I had, we wouldn’t be here today. She always let me dress how I wanted, dropped me off at punk shows when I was 13, and even bought me a unicycle because I was always looking for something different to do. Those are just a few of the things that come to mind when I think of how she shaped me.

When I started building this brand, I knew it had to be named after the one person who always had my back, who encouraged me to think outside the box and embrace my individuality. That person was Donna.

I’ll never forget the time I was 12 and got pulled over by the cops on my motorized scooter. The thing was louder than a Prius with a missing catalytic converter, and of course, I was riding it on the sidewalk. I don’t remember exactly what the officers said, but I do remember telling Donna I’d gotten in trouble. Without missing a beat, she drove straight to the station as fast as she could. Her eyes were as red as her hair that day, and she gave those officers a piece of her mind. After that, I was right back on that scooter.

Website: https://www.donnaspicklebeer.com

Instagram: @donnaspicklebeer