It is a small world. Charlie Shrem (CEO of BitInstant) said that the bar founders are some of his childhood friends: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=170710.msg1775228#ms...

BitPay is the #1 Bitcoin payment processor. Either Charlie or the bar founders decided that BitPay was a logical partner.

So no unusual story here. Just like in the non-Bitcoin world, initial investors are often your family/friends.