Bar Business October 2018

October 2018

THE HOW-TO PUBLICATION

BAR BUS NESS MAGAZINE

Plus

Reinventing dessert cocktails

Out of the

DESERT Maverick & Winemaker Dave Phinney has entered fruitful territory.

barbizmag.com

POS SYSTEMS

Charting the trends

TECHNOLOGY

Back office solutions

Contents How Tos

16

Safety First

18

POS Systems Go Beyond Sales

24

Tuning Up: The Sound of Music

Four ways to protect patrons and employees from workplace violence.

October

Charting the latest POS trends.

Two sports bars prove why digital jukeboxes are a worthy investment.

Departments

4

From The Editor

6

On Tap

A letter from our Editor Ashley Bray.

Industry news and announcements.

10

Behind The Bar

14

Happenings

In-depth analysis of beer, wine, and spirits.

Important dates for the month.

36

Bar Tour

40

Inventory

44

Q+A

The Cottonmouth Club hits all the right notes.

Featured product releases.

Ricki Kline – Ricki Kline | Design + Build

Features

28

Out of the Desert

32

Back Office Strategies

Dave Phinney emerges from the “desert” with an eye to the future.

Bars are investing in technology for staffing, payroll, and scheduling.

Cover Photo: margaret pattillo photography Contents photo: Quy Tran

barbizmag.com

October 2018

Bar Business Magazine

1

THE HOW-TO PUBLICATION

BAR BUS NESS MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2018

Vol. 11

No. 10

Bar Business Magazine (ISSN 1944-7531) is published

by Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation 55 Broad St 26th Fl., New York, NY 10004 On a recent visit to Dordrecht to visit the Rutte Distillery, our Publisher Art Sutley had the opportunity to learn more about their rich history.

If you are not familiar with Rutte, you should be. They are a Dutchmade, Juniper-based spirits distiller with the one-and-only Myriam Hendrickx as their Master Distiller.

subscription department 800-895-4389

executive offices President Arthur J. McGinnis, Jr. Publisher Art Sutley 212-620-7247 asutley@sbpub.com

editorial

Editor Ashley Bray 212-620-7220 abray@sbpub.com Contributing Writers Raul Chacon, Tony Cross, Emily Eckart, Maura Keller

After seeing the quality ingredients and learning about the Rutte heritage, it was time to taste. Who doesn’t love cheese paired with genever and gin?

art

Art Director Nicole D’Antona Graphic Designer Aleza Leinwand

production

Corporate Production Director Mary Conyers mconyers@sbpub.com

circulation

Circulation Director Maureen Cooney mcooney@sbpub.com

advertising sales Art Sutley 212-620-7247 asutley@sbpub.com

After spending time at the distillery, I got to experience some of the Dutch culture. I am now a fan of raw herring.

Bar Business Magazine (Print ISSN 1944-7531, Digital ISSN 2161-5071) (USPS#000-342) is published February, April, June, August, October, and December. January, March, May, July, September, and November will only be offered in a digital format at no charge by Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, 55 Broad St. 26th Floor, New York, NY 10004. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and Additional mailing offices. Pricing, Qualified U.S. Bar Owners may request a free subscription. Non-qualified subscriptions printed or digital version: 1 year US $45.00; Canada $90.00; foreign $189.00; foreign, air mail $289.00. 2 years US $75.00; Canada $120.00; foreign $300.00; foreign, air mail $500.00. BOTH Print & Digital Versions: 1 year US $68.00; Canada $135.00; foreign $284.00; foreign, air mail $384.00. 2 years US $113.00; Canada $180.00; foreign $450.00; foreign, air mail $650.00. Single Copies are $10.00 ea. Subscriptions must be paid for in U.S. funds only. COPYRIGHT © SimmonsBoardman Publishing Corporation 2018. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without permission. For reprint information contact: Art Sutley, Phone (212) 620-7247, or asutley@sbpub.com.

For Subscriptions, & address changes, Please call (US Only) 1-800-553-8878 (CANADA/INTL) 1-319-364-6167, Fax 1-319-364-4278, e-mail barbusiness@stamats.com or write to: Bar Business Magazine, Simmons-Boardman Publ. Corp, PO Box 1407, Cedar Rapids, IA. 52406-1407. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Bar Business Magazine, PO Box 1407, Cedar Rapids, IA. 52406-1407. Instructional information in this magazine should only be performed by skilled craftspeople with the proper equipment. The publisher and authors of information provided herein advise all readers to exercise care when engaging in any of the how-to activities published in the magazine. Further, the publisher and authors assume no liability for damages or injuries resulting from projects contained herein.

2

Bar Business Magazine

October 2018 barbizmag.com

Photos: Margaret Pattillo Photography & Art Sutley.

The front of the distillery functions as a liquor store showcasing the family of Rutte products.

Digital Ad Operations Associate Kevin Fuhrmann

Getting the beer right isn’t

Rocket Science It’s Beer Science

Scan the code to learn more about the art and science of beer systems.

Perlick has a proven formula to maximize your beer system performance.

If someone tells you building a beer system is as easy as 1-2-3, maybe they just don’t get Beer Science.

Perlick engineers understand beer science and they specialize in creating beer dispensing system solutions. They’ll design your one of a kind system based on the unique environment in which it will operate so it performs flawlessly, in perfect balance, from day one. Guaranteed.

Exclusively from Perlick Contact Perlick today to learn more.

perlick.com • 800.558.5592

from the editor

From The Editor

It’s all about being true to your concept, innovating, being vigilant about execution, and of course, collaborating with your distributor.

- Bill Edwards, Senior Vice President, National Accounts, On-Premise, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits

S

outhern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits recently shared its top strategies for a successful on-premise beverage program from its Senior Vice President, National Accounts, On-Premise, Bill Edwards. The tips they shared are in line with many of the articles we’re running in our issue this month, and I thought they were worth reviewing. After all, there’s always room for improvement!

Be True to Your Concept Just because a certain drink or ingredient is popular, doesn’t mean it will resonate with a bar’s specific consumer. Southern Glazer’s says to be aware of the trends and what competitors are doing, but then look at those trends through the lens of your brand to determine if it aligns.

The old adage, “be a leader, not a follower,” applies here. It’s also a concept that is echoed in our Q&A with bar designer Ricki Kline on page 44. When asked about some common design mistakes, he had this to say: “Following. Using somebody’s else’s ideas and following trends—that’s the biggest mistake.”

Innovate Consumers expect innovation, which means bar owners must continuously be willing to take risks and keep pace with consumers. The best promotions provide a level of familiarity, with a twist, says Southern Glazer’s.

Edwards cites the example of frozen drinks. “This year, frozen drinks made a comeback,” he says. “Bartenders have been mixing up frozen versions of classic cocktails,

4

Bar Business Magazine

like a frozen Moscow Mule or frozen Negroni. This is an example of putting an innovative variation on something familiar.”

In this month’s issue, we show you how to put a twist on familiar dessert cocktails in our Behind the Bar column. Instead of the usual Irish Coffee or chocolate martini, try your hand at a Cognac Old-Fashioned.

Check out all the recipes on page 10.

Focus on Execution Southern Glazer’s says the most important part of any promotion is training. Staff must understand the promotion, be able to execute it, and be comfortable with the rate of change between promotions.

But proper training is also important beyond beverage promotions in areas like security. Check out our How To on page 16 for information on implementing steps to reduce the likelihood of workplace violence and prepare employees to de-escalate potentially violent situations.

In our feature on page 32, we also cover applications aimed at making staffing needs easier, such as automating and simplifying scheduling and human resources tasks as well as technology aimed at streamlining the hiring process.

The takeaway? Never be complacent—in your beverage program or your business.

Ashley bray, Editor

October 2018 barbizmag.com

From ON TAP The Editor

T

ON TAP Blade: Your New Secret Beer Weapon

he competition for tap handles has only gotten stronger, and bar owners are faced with making the tough decision of who gets to stay on tap and who has to go. Heineken offers a solution that allows you to eliminate the guesswork while creating a new source of draft beer: the Blade® system.

Requiring just a counter and a socket, the Blade system serves fresh beer at 2°C. “Blade is a countertop plug-n-play draft system that requires almost no maintenance and requires no CO2 to dispense the beer,” says David McPhillips, Director On-Premise, Commercial Marketing, Heineken USA. “Therefore, bars can either add another draft line to their existing lineup or get into the draft beer business without the barriers of huge capital expenditures or the requirement of a lot of space.

“Additionally, Blade offers a fantastic yield as compared to traditional draft systems because there is virtually zero waste from the keg since it doesn’t require CO2 or mixed gases to 6

Bar Business Magazine

Requiring just a counter and a socket, the Blade system serves fresh beer at 2°C.

dispense, but rather a unique compression system, which makes the kegs much more efficient than regular steel kegs.”

The ability to increase sales through draft beer is especially important since

Blade allows bars to add another draft line or enter the draft beer business.

draft is generally more profitable than bottles or cans.

Currently, the Blade system is available with Heineken lager beer or Italy’s Birra Moretti® Ricetta Originale beer, which has notes of corn and acacia

honey and a subtle bitter flavor. Other brands may be forthcoming. “As we continue to learn what consumers and bar owners are asking for, we will continue to explore launching brands from our portfolio to fit those needs in the Blade format,” says McPhillips.

In addition to its Blade draft system, HEINEKEN offers other ways for its on-premise accounts to sell more beer, including its exclusive beer sponsorships with Major League Soccer and the College Football Playoffs.

“Additionally, we offer proprietary solutions for bar owners to determine the right assortment of beer brands to maximize sales and profitability, beer menu design, recipes for beer cocktails and food pairings, as well as Ciceroneapproved educational tools for servers and bartenders,” says McPhillips. “All of this is our effort of being the leader in upscale beer through thought leadership and partnering with our on-premise customers.” global.blade.shop/us

October 2018 barbizmag.com

ON TAP Four Brands Win Big at the ECRM Grand Tasting Awards

B

odega & Co., Honey Grail, Infuse Spirits, and Mancan Wine won ECRM’s Grand Tasting Awards during ECRM’s Global Wine, Beer & Spirits EPPS held in Anaheim, California last month. The winners were selected by attendees of the session, who sampled products from more than 80 suppliers during the Grand Tasting event, and then cast their votes for their favorite for each of four categories: Wine, Beer, Spirits, and Innovation. Following are the winners from each.

Wine: Bodega & Co. Bodega & Company is a subsidiary in the US of Zamora Company, a Spanish family-owned company that produces and sells wines and spirits with a high added value and a focus on customer satisfaction. With distribution in over 80 countries, it includes brands such as Licor 43, Ramon Bilbao wines, and Villa Massa Limoncello.

Its Sangria Lolea is a Spanish brand of premium and frizzante sangrias and wine cocktails that bring tradition and heritage for a combination of wine and fruit with “a touch of fizziness,” according to the company. It offers a collection of premium sangrias, ranging from the traditional red and white wine sangria recipes to a Rosé wine sangria. It also offers limited editions such as the dry white wine concoction and a recent addition of a sangria made of a single varietal organic Garnacha.

Beer: Honey Grail’s Buccaneers’ Bounty Honey Rum Cider Grog Honey Grail creates historically inspired, honey-sweetened, gluten-free adult beverages, including a sparkling honey mead, a citrus Chardonnay honey mimosa, and a honey rum cider grog. It seeks to add effervescence and innovation to age-old, often forgotten classic drinks, and its slogan, “History Never Tasted So Sweet!” highlights the colorfully illustrated historical figures that adorn each product.

Honey Grail’s Buccaneers’ Bounty: Honey Rum Cider Grog was inspired by the female pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read, who became the first and barbizmag.com

only women captured, tried, and convicted of piracy in the Caribbean during the Age of Sail. On long sea voyages, stored drinking water, beer, and cider stagnates. In 1740, Admiral Edward Vernon ordered that rum be added to mask off-flavors and lengthen the shelf life of liquid rations. Grog, as it was known, became a staple of the British Royal Navy and popular among privateers and pirates alike. Honey Grail re-invents this maritime beverage by combining hard apple cider, rum essence, and a bit of honey.

Spirits: Infuse Spirits’ Heresy Rye Infuse Spirits, which refers to itself as an “infusery” rather than a distillery, creates single-bottle infused vodkas that are completely done by hand and are all natural, shelf stable, and have an indefinite shelf life. In addition, they have no added sugar, artificial color, flavors, or chemicals, with an average retail of just $19.99 per bottle.

Infuse also infuses whiskeys that are unique twists on brown spirit infusions, as well as a line of bitters that are all done by hand with real roots and spices.

The company’s Heresy Rye whiskey is aged in charred French oak to give a woody body to the spirit, while ex-bourbon staves—still wet from their previous tenant—and sherry cask staves all join forces to create a balanced and smooth taste and finish.

The Mash Bill is 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley. The Wood Infusion Bill is 40% Ex-Bourbon Barrels, 40% medium charred French oak, and 20% oloroso sherry cask.

Innovation: Mancan Wine Blends Mancan Wine came to market in the fall of 2015 and has since secured distribution in 17 states and placement in over 1,200 retail accounts, including Whole Foods Market and Total Wine & More.

The company offers its product in four blends; Red, White, Fizz, and Rosé, each of which is crafted from highquality California grapes.

To view a video of the awards, visit https://bit.ly/2NoZus6.

Mancan Wine

Bodega & Co.’s Sangria Lolea

Honey Grail’s Buccaneers’ Bounty

Infuse Spirits’ Heresy Rye

October 2018

Bar Business Magazine

7

From ON TAP The Editor Is Your Website ADA Compliant?

hen the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted by Congress in 1990, it was intended to alter the way commercial establishments interacted with individuals with disabilities. Title III of the ADA required places of public accommodation to make their services and facilities accessible to these individuals. This includes bars and other retail and hospitality locations.

Congress provided a two-year grace period for businesses to make the necessary changes. Not surprisingly, many businesses were simply unaware of the requirements or ignored them.

As a result, lawsuits by individuals with disabilities began flooding the courts, claiming that commercial establishments had not removed barriers that interfered with the ability of individuals with disabilities to participate in services or products offered.

Of course, in 1990, e-commerce was still years into the future, and the concept of websites was merely a theoretical business concept. Today, there are fewer and fewer businesses that do not have an online presence. As of the end of 2017, online commerce in the United States approached $500 billion and represented approximately 13% of all retail sales in the country, not taking into account those who visit a website without making a purchase.

Naturally, included in that group are 8

Bar Business Magazine

individuals with disabilities who have a legal expectation that the websites will be accessible to them.

With the advent of software designed to facilitate the use of websites by individuals with disabilities—especially those with visual impairments—and the promulgation of standards for website accessibility such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, individuals with disabilities are seeking enforcement of Title III’s requirements through lawsuits.

What does this mean for your business? The lesson learned from these lawsuits is generally that prompt compliance is needed to avoid time and expense in court. If you have a website or social media platform, take a look at your content.

• Do your videos have captions for the hearing-impaired to follow along? If not, you’re likely not in compliance.

• Does your website rely on intricate designs? This might cause a problem for visually-impaired users.

• Font, color, and text size need to sometimes be manipulated by the user, depending on their vision status.

Your webpage needs to be coded to allow this to happen.

• Is your website compatible with software that reads content for the visually impaired? This is virtually a non-negotiable issue.

• If you’ve faced legal action, have you

October 2018 barbizmag.com

Photo (top): Shutterstock/ David MG.

W

taken the necessary steps to comply in a timely fashion?

Test your website before launching it, and don’t hesitate to ask for help.

Consider asking for feedback from those who are affected by or are familiar with ADA compliance. Professional web designers should have a basic understanding of these guidelines, and ADA agencies should be fully aware.

Once your site is up to code, you’ll want to stay up-to-date with any new guidelines to help keep you on the right side of the law.

Take a lesson from Hooters. In June, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit reversed the premature dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a blind plaintiff, even though the defendant (Hooters of America) argued that it had already committed to achieving compliance as part of a settlement of an earlier lawsuit by a different plaintiff (Haynes v. Hooters of America, Inc., 893 F.3d 781 (11th Cir. 2018)). The appellate court reasoned that because Hooters had not yet achieved compliance and because the plaintiff sought an injunction requiring Hooters to ensure that its website remain in compliance into the future, the earlier settlement did not render the present litigation moot. Had Hooters promptly achieved compliance, the subsequent lawsuit and the resulting legal expenses associated with it might have been avoided.

Remember, your business online is an extension of and just as important as your physical establishment.

—Ed Guedes, a member at Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman and chair of the Appellate Practice Group.

Be the It wasn’t enough for us to provide a Gluten Free, Kosher Certified vodka with no sugar added that satisfies the sophisticated palate. We believe that including premium ingredients, grown in the United States, including the best American Corn and adding pure Oregon water, makes the unique filtering method and 10 times distillation process worth the time and sacrifice for our ultra-premium customer.

When vodka meets luxury—FLOH the Caviar of Vodka

PassionFLOH INGREDIENTS 1½ oz FLŌH Pink Grapefruit Dragonfruit ½Fresh Pressed Lemon ¼ Wedge Fresh Pressed Grapefruit 3 dashes Cranberry Bitters TECHNIQUE Shake with ice and strain into chilled martini glass.

Garnish with lemon twist.

@FLOHVODKA WWW.FLOHVODKA.COM

Behind The Bar: Dessert Cocktails

Let’s talk

Short, sweet, and simple is the way to go.

BY Tony Cross

10

Bar Business Magazine

W

e’ve all been there.

The server walks over to your table and drops off dessert menus after you and your friends have finished stuffing your faces. As your eyes peruse the yummy treats, they scroll down further to study the coffee and dessert drink menu. Sometimes these two are juxtaposed and sometimes they are interlaced. How many times have you seen a “Nutty Irishman” made with Frangelico, Bailey’s, and coffee? Or an “Irish Coffee” with Jameson’s Irish Whiskey, whipped cream, green crème de menthe, and

coffee? Even worse, how about a “Chocolatini,” with probably a vanillaflavored vodka and an ungodly amount of Godiva dark chocolate liqueur. Not a fan of the dark chocolate liqueur? Don’t worry, they’ve got you covered—a white chocolate liqueur. Yeah, that’s fair.

The problem here is these drinks are tired. Just like the myriad ‘tini menus that were everywhere at the turn of the twenty-first century, dessert drinks have badly needed a facelift.

Back before I got my turn behind the stick, I was a server, and I delivered a ton of these badly concocted sugar rushes to more guests than I can ever

October 2018 barbizmag.com

Photo: Shutterstock/ By Rebecca Fondren Photo.

DESSERT COCKTAILS

remember. Almost every delivery had the exact same result: as soon as the guest saw me coming with that oversized martini glass filled with eight ounces of corn-syrup, their faces would light up.

A cacophony of “ahhhs!” would fill the dining room and cause surrounding tables to smile and nod their heads as if they should probably order one next.

I myself even once fell victim to the sugary trap at the advice of a friend. I splurged, had two chocolate drinks, and felt terrible. I found out the next day that I almost gave myself diabetes.

Let’s fast-forward fifteen years. Here are a few cocktails that I feel have been part of the dessert cocktails revival. Try these drinks out, make substitutions, tinker with the recipes, and make them unique to your establishment.

But remember, just because these might land on the “Dessert Drinks” list of your menu, doesn’t mean that they don’t have to be balanced. Also keep in mind that you don’t need a lot of these to fill up the space on your menu; unlike your regular cocktail list that may have five to 15 selections, two to three offerings is perfectly fine when it comes to these nightcaps.

A Riff on a Riff A few years back, I was invited to a pop-up dinner here in Southern Pines.

A local, extremely talented chef had asked if I would like to do cocktail pairings with her four-course menu.

I was super excited! We were going to serve around thirty local business owners. Being in a small town, everyone invited knew each other well or were at least acquaintances.

About two weeks before the event, Chef Jen gave me her menu. Everything looked fantastic. Immediately, I had ideas for the first three courses, but I was at a loss for what to do for a pairing with her dessert. She was going to make a chocolate crème de pot with homemade vanilla ice cream. Off the top of my head, I can’t remember the cream sauce that she garnished it with, but I know it was light, and the ingredients were sourced locally.

Easy enough, right?

I spent a couple of days going over what to do. I thought about doing some complicated chocolate-infused mezcal barbizmag.com

with yogurt and strawberries. And then it hit me—keep it simple, stupid.

Immediately, I remembered watching a video clip on YouTube of one of my heroes, Jeffrey Morganthaler, explaining his Gin Alexander cocktail, which is equal parts London Dry Gin, crème de cacao, and heavy cream. I offered a drink special a few years prior when I used to run a restaurant bar, and the drink received accolades from our guests.

(Quick Side Note: This drink is a riff on the Brandy Alexander. If you’ve ever received a poorly made one, you’ll never forget it—i.e., huge martini glass with store bought vanilla ice cream, cheap brandy, and very bad crème de cacao. Gross.)

I riffed on Morganthaler’s recipe and came up with the Garam Alexander.

Staying true to the original recipe, the only major change was substituting in equal parts of Flor de Caña 7 Year rum and a delicious local gin out of Winston-Salem, Sutler’s Spirit Co. (a less juniper-forward gin with a heavier emphasis on citrus, cardamom, and other botanicals). The cocktail was served up in a small chilled coupe and garnished with a dusting of 100% organic cacao powder and garam masala, an Indian spice mix. I remember watching an episode of Chopped, and the guy who played “Christopher” on the The Sopranos series won the event because of his dessert dish—he dusted curry over his vanilla ice cream. Who knew?

Perfectly Balanced I have some friends to thank for the introduction to this next drink.

Not too long ago, I was visiting Bo and Suze, a couple very dear to me. Not because every time I’m invited over I get to try rare rums and mezcal, but it never hurts. While I was at Bo and Suze’s downstairs “Bo Zone” bar, Bo decided to cap the night off with a quick and easy recipe he found online.

He whipped up three cocktails, strained them into vintage glass coupes, and smacked a handful of mint he placed atop for a garnish.

One sip, and I was hooked! Bo informed me that the cocktail was The Noisy Cricket from Bartender Jim

Behind The Bar: Dessert Cocktails same can be said for trying to sell a dessert after their meal. When this has been the case for me in the past, or

Dessert Dissenters There are many people who are not interested in dessert cocktails. The

when one of my servers would tell me that they have one guest that’s not participating in any type of after-

Dessert drinks have badly needed a facelift.

dinner drink or meal, I would always recommend a cognac old-fashioned.

On its own, cognac is a great after dinner drink. It’s a digestif, a drink taken after a meal to aid in digestion.

With just a dash of sugar, bitters, water, and bourbon, we can turn this into more of a dessert sipper. I’ve also found that when one of these has been delivered to a group of guests, more orders of the same have followed.

Tony Cross runs cocktail catering company, Reverie Cocktails, which distributes kegs of carbonated cocktails to bars, restaurants, and other venues.

For more information on his company or TONYC, his bottled tonic, email him at reveriecocktails@outlook.com or visit reveriecocktails.com.

Garam Alexander

The Noisy Cricket

Cognac Old-Fashioned

½ oz Sutler’s Spirit Co. gin ½ oz Flor de Caña 7 Year 1 oz Tempus Fugit Spirits’ Crème de Cacao a la Vanille 1 oz organic heavy cream

1 ½ oz Fernet Branca Menta ¾ oz Tempus Fugit Spirits’ Crème de Cacao a la Vanille ¾ oz cream

1 ½ oz Remy Martin VSOP cognac ½ oz Maker’s Mark bourbon ¼ oz demerara syrup 3 drops Crude’s “Big Bear” bitters 1 drop Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a shaking vessel, add ice, and shake hard for ten seconds.

Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a pinch of masala mix (equal parts cacao and garam masala powder) evenly across the cocktail.

Tony Cross 12

Bar Business Magazine

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake like hell until proper dilution is achieved. Strain into a chilled glass, and garnish with fresh mint.

Jim Romdall, Vessel, Seattle

Combine all ingredients into a chilled mixing vessel. Fill with ice and stir for 50 revolutions or until proper dilution has occurred. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Express oils from an orange peel over the cocktail and place said peel into the glass.

Tony Cross

October 2018 barbizmag.com

Photos: Tony Cross.

Romdall, who worked at the Seattle bar Vessel. From what I’ve read, the order that Romdall received was for a Fernet Grasshopper, but he swapped out the regular Fernet for Fernet Branca Menta, a less bitter, more minty little brother. The result is superb: the balance between sweet and bitter is right on the mark.

You’ll notice that The Noisy Cricket and the Garam Alexander cocktails both use Tempus Fugit Spirits’ Crème de Cacao a la Vanille—this is the real deal when it comes to a quality cacao liqueur. It’s made with Venezuelan cacao and Mexican vanilla beans—there is nothing artificial inside this bottle.

SAV E MARCH T H E 25-27 2019 DAT E !

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

N

C

B

S

H

O

W

.

C

O

M

Happenings 23

November 2018

November 23 Eat a Cranberry Day Cranberries and cranberry juice are used in a number of cocktails. Go beyond the vodka and cranberry and mix up a seasonal sipper.

November 26 Cyber Monday Get in on the deals and offer an Internet coupon to your guests.

21

November 21 National Tie One On Day This day celebrates the apron, those who wear it, and encourages acts of kindness.

This one’s pretty self-explanatory, but we think you should extend it to cocktails too.

Reach for unexpected ingredients and make a “bold” libation.

14

Bar Business Magazine

November 8 National Shot Day You can fill a shot glass with anything from tequila to whiskey, or try premixed shots from LIQS or The Original Jel Shot Company.

October 2018 barbizmag.com

All Photos: Shutterstock.com.

November 8 Cook Something Bold Day

Happenings

Upcoming

November 28 Red Planet Day

EVENTS

Toast to Mars with red-hued cocktails.

Grenadine, Cherry Heering, or red wine would all work well here.

December craft beverage expo December 4-6, 2018 Louisville, KY

craftbeverageexpo.com

November 23 National Espresso Day Coffee lovers, unite! If you’re looking for a twist on the usual Irish Coffee, check out our column on dessert cocktails on page 10.

january san antonio cocktail conference January 14-20, 2019 Louisville, KY

sanantoniococktailconference.com

Hotel, Motel & restaurant supply show November 3 Sandwich Day

3

It’s all about what’s between the bread.

Line up some sandwich specials for the Saturday lunch crowd.

January 29-31, 2019 Myrtle Beach, SC hmrsss.com

march international restaurant & foodservice show of new york March 3-5, 2019 New York, NY

internationalrestaurantny.com

new england food show November 5 Guy Fawkes Day Remember, remember… to mix up this eponymous cocktail today.

March 3-5, 2019 Boston, MA

nefs.restaurant.org

nightclub & bar show March 25-26, 2019 Las Vegas, NV ncbshow.com

barbizmag.com

October 2018

Bar Business Magazine

15

How To

How To: INSURANCE

Four ways to protect patrons and employees from workplace violence.

safety first 16

Bar Business Magazine

By Raul Chacon October 2018 barbizmag.com

How To: INSURANCE

Photo: Shutterstock/ ESB Professional.

B

ar brawls may be a hallmark of old Western films, but any form of workplace violence can be a bar owner’s or employee’s worst nightmare.

Research shows that bartending is among the professions that are most exposed to nonfatal workplace violence, which includes assault and robbery (Bureau of Justice Statistics, Workplace Violence, 1993-2009).

Bar owners and operators owe it to their employees to foster an environment where everyone can do their jobs safely.

Following are a few steps they can take to reduce the likelihood of workplace violence and prepare employees to de-escalate potentially violent situations.

1. Create formal safety procedures and policies. The first step is for business owners to have formalized safety policies and procedures for employees to follow.

(Note: Visit OSHA’s website for guidance on creating a plan: https://bit. ly/2O3zinW.) Consider implementing staffing models that guarantee that a certain number of employees—including bartenders, bar-backs, servers, and bouncers—are present at every shift.

This is especially vital during latenight shifts when there is a greater likelihood of drunken physical or verbal altercations.

Safety expectations apply as much to customers as employees. Post signage in a public-facing area that outlines your expectations for customers to behave appropriately, making it clear that employees have the right to refuse service for any misconduct.

Be sure to also have an emergency action plan ready in case an act of violence does occur. Train employees so everyone understands what to do, who to call, and how to document incidents properly.

2. Provide regular training.

Workplace violence can be de-escalated starting with a business’ own employees. Outside of making sure all employees are aware of their behavioral expectations while on the barbizmag.com

job, local law enforcement representatives or experienced professionals are often available to train staff to help them learn how to appropriately handle robberies, assaults, and other potential acts of violence. These training sessions should be held once or twice a year.

3. Manage cash safely. Bars are more susceptible to robberies due to the amount of cash they take in. With a potentially significant amount of daily cash flow, bar owners and managers should consider establishing strict cash control processes. This may include having only one employee per shift oversee the cash register and requiring workers to use drop safes.

Bartenders and bar-backs should also be encouraged to remain diligent about loose bills or cash that’s left on the bar by a customer.

Frequent cash drops at the business’ bank are also another way to reduce the amount of on-site cash. Be sure that the drops happen at different times during the week to avoid establishing patterns that potential robbers could discover.

4. Install proper security equipment. Late-night hours are inherent to working in a bar. Therefore, it’s especially important to install adequate lighting, both inside and outside the establishment, to help employees and patrons feel safe as they enter and exit the bar. This may include the installation of lighting in parking lots or nearby alleys.

Bar owners should also consider investing in security technology like surveillance cameras and motion-

detector alarms, which can help identify potential suspects if an act of violence does occur.

Emergency call buttons under the bar or in an employee-restricted area can help law enforcement authorities more quickly assist in de-escalating violent or threatening situations.

Implementing preventative measures against workplace violence should never be considered complete. Bar owners and managers should revisit emergency action plans and policies at least once a year.

Refresh business operations as needed to ensure the proper steps are being taken to reduce the chance of violent situations. Frontline employees are often a great source for input on how to improve safety operations.

While it may be unpleasant for bar owners and operators to think about violent acts occurring at their business, it is important to be proactive and prepare for them. Preparing for the worst can make all the difference in safety outcomes.

Raul Chacon is Western Region Loss Control Manager for EMPLOYERS®, (employers.com) America’s small business insurance specialist, which offers workers’ compensation insurance and services through Employers Insurance Company of Nevada, Employers Compensation Insurance Company, Employers Preferred Insurance Company, and Employers Assurance Company. Not all insurers do business in all jurisdictions. EMPLOYER® and America’s small business insurance specialist® are registered trademarks of Employers Insurance Company of Nevada.

Pro Tip Implementing preventative measures against workplace violence should never be considered complete. Revisit plans and policies at least once a year.

October 2018

Bar Business Magazine

17

How To

How To: POS SYStems

POS Systems Go Beyond Sales Charting the latest POS trends.

H

ow well does your pointof-sale (POS) system serve your many needs?

In a fast-changing technological landscape, POS systems offer more features than ever. From creative integrations to new ways to interact with customers, here are some of the latest trends.

Payments After the EMV liability shift went into

Pro Tip Increasingly, customers are opting to pay with mobile phones, using apps like Google Pay and Apple Pay. Stay up to date by offering mobile payment options.

18

Bar Business Magazine

effect in 2015, chip transactions have become the industry best practice for security. Shan Ethridge, Senior Vice President of Financial Services at Veea, says it’s important to make sure that credit card transactions are both encrypted and tokenized. “By utilizing both encryption and tokenization, you’re taking the necessary steps to protect that sensitive cardholder data,” he says.

On a more low-tech note, it’s worthwhile to consider how you’re physically handling credit cards.

Revention’s POS system has a unique function for dealing with open tabs.

Homero Miranda, Marketing Manager at Revention, explains, “We can allow a tab to be opened in the POS system and not hold the credit card at hand.”

The customer then designates an amount to spend. The point of sale retains the customer’s credit card information and creates a virtual tab from which drink prices are deducted.

This system has multiple benefits.

Because the bartender doesn’t have to hang onto the credit card, the bar is no longer responsible for keeping the card safe. And the customer doesn’t have to worry about forgetting to collect the credit card at the end of the night.

Increasingly, customers are opting to pay with mobile phones, using apps like Google Pay and Apple Pay. Director of National Accounts at RPOWER POS Adam Urbanski recommends staying up to date by offering mobile payment options. “Payments are payments,” says Urbanski. “It’s important for us to be able to accommodate different payment methods because that’s how customers are coming in the door.”

Integrations “Integration partnerships are key,” says Urbanski. RPOWER has developed long-term relationships with various companies in order to offer more than 100 useful integrations for hospitality

October 2018 barbizmag.com

Photo: Shutterstock/ Simon Kadula.

By Emily Eckart

How To: POS SYStems

Revention POS

operators. Urbanski emphasizes the importance of partnerships, since no pre-made solution can work for all softwares and all types of bars.

When selecting what integrations you want for your POS system, you should consider what functionalities would make the most sense for your bar or restaurant’s individual needs.

There are two types of integrations: one-way and two-way. In one-way integration, the POS system provides data to another application, which can use that data to create reports. For example, a POS system can send data to Compeat, a restaurant accounting and management software, and Compeat can enhance its reporting based on that data.

In two-way integrations, both softwares communicate with each other.

One of RPOWER’s two-way integrations is with HotSchedules, an employee scheduling and communication program. Using this integration, you can add an employee to RPOWER and that employee will automatically be added to HotSchedules. And if you require an employee to clock in at 6:00 but no earlier, entering this information in HotSchedules will also send it to the RPOWER POS. In large restaurants or franchises, this feature can help with cost management.

Another approach is to use one technology management system that can do everything. Ethridge explains that with Veea, “We have a comprehensive technology platform that allows a business owner to really integrate [all] functions into a single platform that they can manage from a single source.”

From the Veea dashboard—which you can view on a desktop computer, tablet, or mobile phone—you can monitor your refrigerator’s temperatures, check on your security cameras, adjust your music, manage your POS system, and even provide guest WiFi. This avoids the need to have different vendors for different functions.

Veea has also developed apps that allow restaurants and bars to interact with their customers. Customers can download the Veea Go Places app to explore restaurant options and coordinate with their friends.

The app allows you to invite friends to dinner at a certain time. Friends can vote on different restaurant options and adjust the appointment to fit everyone’s schedule. You can also see real-time reviews of each restaurant’s vibe generated by other Veea customers on the app.

On the management side, an app called VeeaConnect allows the bar or restaurant owner to interact with Veea Go Places’ customers. Restaurants with VeeaConnect are notified when a Go Places user has included their establishment as a potential option.

The manager can send potential customers special offers, like a free appetizer or dessert, in order to win their business.

VeeaConnect also allows restaurants to create virtual waitlists. Customers on the waitlist can leave the restaurant and receive a mobile notification when they’re about to receive a table. VeeaConnect can be used as a standalone app, or it can be integrated into a Veea POS system.

POS systems offer more features than ever.

RPOWER POS

Veea POS System

20

Bar Business Magazine

Data When it comes to data, Urbanski says knowing your numbers is one thing, and knowing what to do with them is another. It’s important to consider what you’re measuring and trying to achieve by analyzing data. For example, it’s not enough to simply look at your food or pour cost. It also depends on what you’re selling. Places that sell wine and lobster versus burgers and beer will have different ideal percentages for food and pour cost. For this reason, RPOWER includes a functionality that includes cost of goods sold for every item that you add to the system. When you pull a product mix report, it will include your theoretical cost for any given period.

October 2018 barbizmag.com

inventory management

has never

been easier

How To: POS SYStems or hire Revention’s developers.

Custom queries can be used to analyze expenditures, labor costs, delivery costs, or any other data point. One customer created a query to record how many pepperonis were put on each pizza in order to maximize efficiency.

Revention can even associate each transaction with specific employees by requiring a biometric fingerprint login.

It allows for fast login and for finding data inconsistencies indicative of a threat or theft.

“That’s the beauty of working with databases. You can do these large-scale queries where you can look for patterns in data,” says Miranda.

Mobile Ordering Both Urbanski and Ethridge point to mobile and online ordering as an important emerging trend. Veea’s POS system allows for waiters and waitresses to have a mobile app through which they can submit food and drink orders right from the table.

“It also supports mobile payment,” says Ethridge. “So if they have a waiter or waitress who’s serving drinks or food, while they’re at the table they can actually accept the payment.” Taking immediate payment prevents customers from leaving without paying.

RPOWER has worked to integrate its POS system with the Jason’s Deli online ordering system. Someone can enter an order on the Jason’s Deli website, and the system pushes that order through to the kitchen, just as if the customer were present in-person. The prices posted online match the prices in RPOWER. Besides convenience for individual customers, Jason’s Deli also offers an easy solution for corporate customers.

Somebody organizing a lunch can send a link to each person who will be attending, giving everyone the option to place a unique order. Once the order is complete, it gets sent to RPOWER. Other restaurants are using terminals where customers can place their orders.

This may be a bridge to mobile ordering. Ultimately, Urbanski says, “I don’t think we’re too far away from somebody just walking up to a table, pulling out their phone, and ordering their entire meal through an app.”

Photo: Revention.

Similarly, Miranda says, the best use of data depends on the size and type of your business. Revention’s POS customers have access to the SQL database that underlies all of the system’s data collection, allowing for endless creative customizations.

This is especially useful for large-scale operations. Customers can either use their own developer to write queries

22

Bar Business Magazine

October 2018 barbizmag.com

REGISTER FOR $100 USE CODE: BAR100

vinexponewyork

vinexponewyork.com

MARCH 4 & 5, 2019

The most dynamic wine and spirits trade event in the world’s largest market.

ATTEND. CONNECT. EXPERIENCE. Exhibits | Tastings | Education | Master Classes Business Meetings | Special Events

Jointly organized with

Tuning Up

How To: jukeboxes

HOW TO

the sound of music

G

By Ashley Bray

reat service, drinks, and food are all key factors to attracting and retaining customers in the bar business, but what about great entertainment?

For two different sports bars, the solution was as simple as plugging in a digital jukebox.

24

Bar Business Magazine

Win, Lose, or Draught Win, Lose, or Draught is a sports bar and gaming parlor in Springfield, Illinois. The bar already had a digital jukebox from another manufacturer, but when its vendor J&J Ventures recommended a new AMI NGX Ultra jukebox with additional features like the ability to play music videos and

advertisements, Owner Ryan Brandy was sold. “[My vendor] thought the music videos would help generate more interest and play so I could stop paying for a weekend DJ,” explains Brandy.

“I also liked how I could create ads for my bar.”

AMI’s NGX Ultra jukebox was built

October 2018 barbizmag.com

Photos (left to right): Shutterstock/ Monkey Business; Win, Lose, or Draught.

Two sports bars prove why digital jukeboxes are a worthy investment.

How To: jukeboxes

installation for AMI’s NGX Ultra jukebox is

quick & easy for music video entertainment. It features a 32-inch wide digital display and a secondary 18.5-inch wide HD touchscreen display for music selection.

The two screens enable the wallmounted jukebox to take song requests and play music videos at the same time.

The jukebox’s 1,000-watt, 4-channel amp system also allows for immersive, room-filling sound.

Set up was truly “plug-and-play” for Brandy. “Installation was quick and easy.

All I had to do was hook it into my TVs,” he says. “I liked how I could just plug it in and go.”

opportunity to run ads, so we could promote our own services and products,” says Amos. “We have created ads promoting drink and wings specials and even a local taxi.”

Creating Content Brandy at Win, Lose, or Draught says learning how to create advertisements for his bar was a pretty straightforward process. “I worked with someone to help get started on making the advertisements.

It was pretty intuitive, and I picked it up quick,” he explains.

“It’s definitely helped with business.

“I like how the advertisements can be managed easily through the cloud and the Co-Pilot app.”

AMI’s Co-Pilot app is a mobile tool for operators on the go that allows a user to control their jukebox, check revenue, and even create and schedule ads through AMI’s Ad Manager tool.

AMI Ad Manager lets users transform both screens of the NGX Ultra, as well as any other TVs connected to the jukebox, into powerful digital signage that can be used to promote rewards programs, special discounts, upcoming events, and more. Bar owners can customize existing templates or use their own pre-made digital

Customers love the videos, and the ads promote specials.

Vinny’s Sports Bar Like Brandy, Ryan Amos, Manager of Vinny’s Sports Bar in West Seneca, New York, was persuaded to leave behind his current digital jukebox in favor of changing to the AMI NGX Ultra.

He says set-up of the new jukebox only took about an hour. Reworking his TV connections from his previous jukebox to the new AMI system took a little longer. “Installing additional TVs and rewiring the last vendor’s set up took the rest of the afternoon, but it was well worth the time,” he says.

The additional TVs at Vinny’s Sports Bar give the venue more screens to show ads and music videos. “It gives us the barbizmag.com

advertisements for ami’s ngx ultra can be managed easily through

the cloud the music video option keeps customers happy and they

stay longer October 2018

Bar Business Magazine

25

The floor-model jukebox rich in AMI tradition, but built for the new era.

Contact your local distributor or AMI Sales Rep now.

How To: jukeboxes advertisements. They can even schedule promotions in advance by selecting times and dates for ads to display on the jukebox and on connected TVs. Music to Their Ears The NGX Ultra’s ability to play music videos has also benefitted both bars.

The jukebox includes over one million song choices and thousands of music videos to choose from.

Bars can even customize the music selection by blocking the availability of music choices that aren’t quite right for their venue through advanced music filtering systems. Patrons pay a small up-charge to play accompanying music videos with their song selections on the jukebox’s widescreen display as well as the bars’ TVs throughout their establishments.

“It has a wide variety of music to keep the customers happy and staying longer,” says Amos. “The customers love the videos, and the ads help promote specials. It’s an all-around

great product!”

Brandy agrees. “Some of my customers enjoy playing music videos on the screens, and my customers are using the jukebox more. It gives an added element that most bars don’t have,” he says. “I would say that jukebox use is

definitely up and a lot of that is for the music videos.

“I was reviewing some of the numbers on the jukebox and saw there was a 50% increase in revenue in the first month mostly from music videos and customers using the app.”

Stream live TV to your phone.

Photo: Win, Lose, or Draught.

WHY ONLY LISTEN TO ONE TV WHEN YOU CAN CHOOSE? Audio Everywhere, from Listen Technologies makes it simple and affordable to give your patrons the ultimate experience on game day.

With easy set-up and no other equipment to manage, your guests can now easily stream real time TV audio channels directly to their smartphones, so they never have to miss a play.

Visit www.audioeverywhere.com/hospitality-venues/ Or call: 1.877.760.9271

barbizmag.com

Audio EVERYWHERE

October 2018

Bar Business Magazine

27

Dave Phinney

Desert Out of the

28

Bar Business Magazine

October 2018 barbizmag.com

Dave Phinney

Dave Phinney emerges from the “desert” with an eye to the future.

By Ashley Bray

All Photos: Margaret Pattillo Photography.

T

he word “desert” has two meanings. The first refers to a barren wilderness, and the second means to leave or abandon. Both definitions can apply to 8 Years in the Desert, the latest release from winemaker and all-around maverick Dave Phinney.

Phinney spent the last eight years wandering through a sort of metaphorical desert as he worked on this latest wine release and the items that accompany it—a book of short stories and a painstakingly created group of eight handmade labels. He emerged on the other side of his journey with a new Zinfandel blend— his first return to the varietal after abandoning it almost a decade ago.

Phinney calls the project “the most personal of any I have undertaken.”

“I’ve never made a wine that I actually like because there’s always something we could have done better,” he says, admitting that years of experience have helped him to hone his craft and build a network of connections to better vineyards. “It’s an accumulation of basically 20 years of experience. I would like to think we’ve gotten better at what we do.

“I always say there’s a thousand things you can get right or wrong from when you plant the grape vines to when you bottle the wine. Well, now I have more time to try and get as many of those thousand details as I can right.”

The start of Phinney’s career in wine can be traced back to a study abroad trip to Florence where he discovered the art of winemaking.

After that trip, he pivoted from a political science major, secured an internship in the Agricultural department, worked in a retail wine store, and tried to get as much exposure into the world of wine as he

barbizmag.com

could. When he graduated, he landed an internship as a temporary harvest worker at Robert Mondavi Winery and worked on his first harvest in 1997.

The work was demanding—both physically and mentally—and Phinney knew in order to continue he needed to be working for himself. He founded Orin Swift Cellars, created The Prisoner (a unique Zinfandel blend), and never looked back—until now.

8 Years in the desert 8 Years in the Desert is a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and small percentages of other red varietals. It launched on October 1 and is being distributed through Orin Swift Cellars, which E. & J. Gallo Winery purchased back in 2016.

“It was a sale on paper, but it’s very much a partnership,” says Phinney of his relationship with Gallo. “They’ve got an amazing organization, and we’re working on a lot of other ideas too. It’s hopefully going to be a lifetime partnership.”

One of those new projects is still under wraps, but Phinney said it involves a high-end Pinot Noir brand with luxe packaging to match.

Phinney brings the same painstaking attention to detail to packaging as he does to winemaking. For 8 Years in the Desert, he created eight different mixed media labels that were inspired by a book of short stories he spent the last eight years writing. “One of those labels is six different labels layered on by hand, and then they’re all wrapped in red Saran wrap, which is part of the label,” he explains. “I don’t look at it as labels. I’m trying to get as close to fine art as we can.”

Unique labels like those of 8 Years in the Desert obviously appeal to consumers searching the shelves of their local liquor store, but Phinney believes that branding and aesthetic appeal can help sell wine in on-premise venues, as well. “I don’t think it hurts if you order a bottle, it comes out, and it’s a beautiful label; it just kind of puts the cherry on top,” he says. “We’ve had some restaurants that actually have printed the label on the menu.”

A limited-edition box set of the first edition of his book of 13 short stories, along with eight bottles of 8 Years in the Desert’s 2016 debut vintage featuring labels 1-8, launched on October 1.

The set is meant as a must-have for collectors, but Phinney wants the wine to be available to everyone—including on-premise accounts. So one label each year over the next eight years will be released starting in October with label 1, the 2017 California Red Wine. A number of hospitality groups have already committed to bringing it in-house.

The 2017 vintage includes heady aromas of brambly raspberry, black fig, and peppercorn. Time in the glass exposes more flavors like dark chocolate, fennel, and High Sierra forest floor. The palate is lush and opulent with blackberries, dark plums, and currants. More flavors add to the quality of the blend—a visceral minerality and fresh Herbs de Provence. Fully integrated with puckering tannins, the wine bows out with finesse.

Locations 8 Years in the Desert isn’t Phinney’s only release in recent years. He also

8 Years in the Desert features eight handmade labels. Label 1 is pictured above.

October 2018

Bar Business Magazine

29

Dave Phinney Photographed at Pancha’s Of Yountville.

I really have a deep, deep respect for the craft of winemaking and the history.

I’m a student of the game.

put forward “a maverick wine concept” called Locations, which blends across appellations to create wines that truly reflect their country of origin.

Also distributed by E. & J. Gallo, the Locations series includes a variety of wines that represent different countries like France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain.

An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, and there is rarely blending across them. Locations allowed Phinney to break down these rules and barriers to express true winemaking freedom.

“I’m not very much of a rule follower to begin with, but I’m also not a contrarian, and I really have a deep, deep respect for what I would call the craft of winemaking and the history. I’m a student of the game,” says Phinney. “I just wanted to explore more.”

Rules may have been broken and appellations mixed, but Phinney spared no detail on getting the blends right. “I went back and forth eight times in six 30

Bar Business Magazine

months to put that first blend together [Spain] because we take everything that seriously,” he says.

The idea for this wine hit Phinney quite out of the blue a few years ago when he was commiserating with a friend about the wine crisis in France where a lot of non-appellated wine was being converted into ethanol. “I said, ‘Some of that wine must be good. Just because it’s not appellated doesn’t mean it’s not good wine.’ And just as I was saying that, a taxi pulled up with the ubiquitious ‘F’ for France sticker.

That’s when the lightbulb went off.”

Those uppercase letters can now be found on all of the Locations labels (F for France, I for Italy, etc.). “I think the wine can work [in any venue] just because of its value. It could be poured by the glass anywhere,” he says.

Savage & Cooke Phinney also recently took the dive into spirits through his distillery Savage & Cooke. “We don’t do anything with an eye towards profiteering. So I won’t get into any business just to make money,” he says.

“There has to be a reason, a story.

There has to be authenticity in it.”

He found the story he was looking for in a 300-acre piece of land in upper Sonoma that he had originally earmarked for a vineyard. He soon realized the land wasn’t ideal for planting a vineyard, but it had a spring with very pure water on it.

“Knowing from learning about spirits and understanding how important the water is, not just for the story, but to the actual finished spirit, that’s what really pushed me over the edge,” says Phinney.

Savage & Cooke was born. Phinney built a distillery on Mare Island and applied his approach to winemaking to the spirits. “We grow our own grains, and we are finishing a percentage of these spirits in once-filled wine barrels—if it makes it better,” he says.

Savage & Cooke currently produces whiskey, bourbon, and tequila with plans to delve into rums next.

Phinney’s officially abandoned the desert, hit the road, and has his eyes securely fastened on the horizon ahead—buckle up.

October 2018 barbizmag.com

STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE

Thirsty for more? Get updates between issues with our bimonthly newsletters full of how-to information on marketing and promotions, managing your bar, and the latest trends and technologies. barbizmag.com/newsletter THE HOW-TO PUBLICATION

BAR BUS NESS MAGAZINE

@BARBIZMAG

staffing/scheduling

I

By Maura Keller

n an age where consumers can purchase groceries, rent a video, make a bank deposit, and pay the telephone bill all under one roof, convenience has become the name of the game. And the bar and 32

Bar Business Magazine

Back Office

Strategies restaurant business is no exception.

More and more bar business owners and operators want a streamlined approach to handle their back office needs. The result? System development companies are creating back-office

systems that offer a comprehensive package of modules that meet staffing, payroll, and scheduling needs.

Not surprisingily, back office technology speeds up processes and improves controls. Designed for bar

October 2018 barbizmag.com

Photo: 7Shifts.

Bars are investing in technology for staffing, payroll, and scheduling.

staffing/scheduling

business owners who are seeking to automate the process of operating a current-day bar or restaurant, today’s back office solutions are detailed, easy to use, and provide immediate and flexible options to identify problems, make rapid decisions, and respond to business needs quickly.

Meeting Staffing Needs According to Jordan Boesch, CEO of 7shifts, the easiest question bar owners and operators need to ask themselves is: “Do I want to spend time building and managing ever-changing schedules, or do I want to focus that time and energy on growing revenue?”

“Savvy bar and restaurant operators barbizmag.com

understand this out of the gate and have already moved toward adopting a scheduling platform,” says Boesch. “We find that once bar operators experience what their day-to-day can look like without the hassle of scheduling, they are advocates for life.”

7shifts provides a complete labor management platform for bars—no matter the size and complexity of the operation. The core of 7shifts’ platform provides bar operators with a rich feature set that now includes integrated time clocking, team chat, and a manager logbook. 7shifts’ solutions are used by over 175,000 restaurant professionals around the world.

“If you have ever built your staff schedule using Excel—which most have—then 7shifts will feel very familiar,” says Boesch. “We’ve spent a lot of time optimizing our scheduler to make it fast and easy for any operator to use.”

In fact, 7shifts has found that bar clients reduce the time they spend creating and managing their schedules by 80 percent and experience a reduction in labor costs by between 1% to 3% of their total sales, which is thousands of dollars per year.

“Once a schedule is created and published, all your staff are instantly alerted to their shifts with our free mobile app,” says Boesch. “Shifts are continually updated to ensure staff always know when they work.”

In the four short years 7shifts has been in the industry, they have found that bars and restaurants of any size can take advantage of this platform because scheduling and team communications are universal challenges, no matter if a bar has five staff members or 500.

“Because of that, we made the decision to charge on a per-location basis instead of a per-employee basis like many other scheduling tools do,” says Boesch. “This change means that we can provide the same benefits to bars of all sizes, as we help them succeed and scale their operations.”

Based on the feedback 7shifts has received from their clients, the benefits of 7shifts fall into three broad categories: time savings, cost savings, and employee engagement and retention.

As Boesch explains, time-savings is

the most immediate benefit as they can instantly help cut down on the time it takes for bars and restaurants to create and maintain their staff schedules, manage staff requests, and better manage availability.

The next major benefit is an overall reduction in labor costs. When bar and restaurant managers get a better handle on their scheduling practices, they start identifying opportunities to optimize labor and reduce costs.

“We help accelerate these savings by free integration with the leading cloudbased bar and restaurant POS systems on the market, such as TouchBistro,” says Boesch.

Restaurateurs can integrate the POS systems they already use to forecast sales and labor, enforce their schedules, and create more labor-efficient schedules— all of which help reduce costs.

TouchBistro’s Mobile iPad POS System provides restaurants and bars with a POS solution that is convenient, easy-to-use, and leverages the most advanced technologies to keep patrons coming back again and again.

TouchBistro has a set of features tailored specifically for food service operations, so it is designed to work as the heart of the operating system for the restaurant or bar.

“With TouchBistro reporting, restaurant operators can analyze their business and see what needs to be done to increase profitability. When integrated with 7shifts, the restaurateur has a single interface where sales and labor can be seen together,” says Alex Barrotti, TouchBistro CEO & Founder. “This makes it easier to create a schedule in 7shifts that achieves labor/cost ratio goals and increases overall profitability.”

7shifts also makes a positive impact on staff engagement and retention. The young, tech-savvy workforce that bars employ appreciate convenient mobile apps they can use on their own devices to help them better communicate with their bosses and coworkers, such as submitting their availability.

“By providing these communication tools, we are helping our bar clients retain their staff and reduce the 72% annual turnover rate that exists in the hospitality industry,” says Boesch.

October 2018

Bar Business Magazine

33

staffing/scheduling

industries); administering and tracking the acknowledgement of corporate policies and procedures; or handling employee relations issues like complaints, grievances, or safety violations.

Automation solutions help in these areas by digitally capturing information from paper documents, storing those files electronically to eliminate the need for file cabinets and storage space, and syncing information directly with other

Photo: StaffedUp.

Hiring Help Many bar operators are looking for automation solutions that digitize and accelerate some of the more manual processes that are vital and necessary but can take away from valuable face-to-face time with employees and customers. This includes human resource processes like collecting, managing, and storing personnel information and files (which can become cumbersome in high-turnover

core applications like HCM (human capital management) applications.

Some bar owners are also using automation solutions to help manage and renew vendor contracts and organize all the activities and contracts supporting the management of their employees.

“The benefit is really in the ability to hire great staff with ease, in a fraction of the time,” says Billy Giordano, Co-Founder of StaffedUp. “Employers get to build their own prequalified database even when they aren’t hiring, and then when the moment strikes, they can reach out to applicants individually or in large groups to interview and evaluate with easy-to-use tools, ratings, and notes, and hire the best of the best instead of wasting valuable time and energy only calling or emailing a handful of applicants and hoping one in a small group is the right fit.”

At its core, StaffedUp is a fully customizable, web and social integrated hiring software built specifically for the hospitality industry. The software helps

34

Bar Business Magazine

October 2018 barbizmag.com

staffing/scheduling employers actively compete for great talent with ease, 24/7/365, and give them the tools to effectively qualify, evaluate, network with, and hire talent in a fraction of the time.

“Decreased time in the hiring process, increased efficiency, and talent acquisition directly impacts employers’ bottom line and helps to decrease turnover by hiring better talent,” says Giordano.

Here’s how it works: First, StaffedUp helps drive applicant traffic for employers through the company’s database, job boards, and social media. “We give them simple and easy-to-implement tools to market their hiring process and build great teams with ease,” says Giordano.

“We also provide streamlined tools allowing them to network with one or 100 applications in just a few clicks, anytime, from anywhere, on any device.”

To determine if this type of hiring software is applicable to specific bar operations, key questions need to be asked, including: • Did you struggle to hire the right employee for the job, or to hire staff in general, at any point in the year?

• Is your hiring process easy to access?

Easy to use? Available everywhere you are on the web?

• Would you benefit from a consolidated, streamlined process where all your applications and interactions are in one place?

• Could your business benefit from a more professional, accountable hiring structure?

Staying Ahead of the Curve When Boesch thinks about the future of technology in the scheduling space for bars, he thinks of two separate things.

“First, the very notion of ‘creating’ a schedule is antiquated. Bars and restaurants are swimming in a wealth of data on everything from sales to reservations,” says Boesch. “We are approaching the point where a scheduling tool should be able to automatically create a schedule with the same level of acumen as a manager or operator—based on demand drivers like sales, weather, and staff behavior.”

Second, forward-thinking bar managers already understand that an online scheduling and labor tool is important. The really savvy ones are

thinking about the competitive advantage of tools that address staff engagement and retention, as well.

“The fact is, it costs a bar $2,000+ whenever an employee quits,” says Boesch. “I believe a major game-changer in 2019 and beyond will be tech that puts an emphasis on employee happiness and engagement by creating a better feedback loop for shift management.”

Experts agree that technology is the future of operations. “If you want to compete for great talent like you compete for business, you have to keep up,” says Giordano. “Tech adds professionalism, structure, efficiency, and the opportunity to always have a great team representing your business. It’s really a no brainer and a small time and financial investment to improve your business’s bottom line.”

Take A Sip OF BAR BUSINESS MAGAZINE'S E-NEWSLETTER

On the go, and even at the beach!

Keep up with the latest bar news and trends with the Bar Business newsletter.

Coverage ranges from industry legislation, new products and services, and how-to info to better your business.

SUBSCRIBE NOW AT BARBIZMAG.COM/NEWSLETTER

THE HOW-TO PUBLICATION

BAR BUS NESS

barbizmag.com

October 2018 NewsletterAd_BarBiz_1/2Island.indd 1

@BARBIZMAG

MAGAZINE

Bar Business Magazine

35

2/8/17 11:18 AM

Bar Tour

Bar Tour

H The Cottonmouth Club Houston, Texas

A new Houston bar is hitting all the right notes.

36

Bar Business Magazine

idden in plain sight in The Cottonmouth Club’s logo is the Latin phrase, “utile dolci,” which means “the useful with the agreeable.” The phrase could be considered one of the venue’s first Easter eggs, but it’s also fitting as a working philosophy for a bar that bills itself as the “new homage to the soul of rock n’ roll.”

“We really want to make sure we’re facilitating those opportunities for people to come in and have a great time, listen to great music, sip incredible cocktails, and feel comfortable,” says Mike Raymond, Co-Founder of The Cottonmouth Club.

Raymond opened the bar with Co-Founder Michael Neff, who he’s known for eight years. “We have similar ideologies when it comes to what bars are and what we think bars should be,” he says. “We go about things a little bit differently, but we’re after the same end result.”

When they started discussing opening a bar together, those similar ideologies came into play. The duo had both separately run and managed single-

spirit venues, so they wanted to go in a different direction. They instead settled on a time period for their jumping off point—specifically the late 70s, early 80s in the East Village of New York City where a number of ideas, concepts, and music genres were converging.

“At any given night, you’d be in a space, and it could be an art happening, it could be a live band performing, any number of things could happen,” says Raymond.

Raymond and Neff looked into a number of different cities for their bar, but ultimately settled on Houston, which has a growing hospitality scene. Raymond is also very familiar with the city after running the whiskey bar Reserve 101 there for the last ten years. (Note: Raymond and Reserve 101 were featured as the Q&A in our May 2018 issue.)

The co-founders leased a large, twostory space in the historic Brewster Building of downtown Houston. The name “The Cottonmouth Club” is a dual reference to the prohibition-era Cotton Club in New York City as well as to the cottonmouth snake, which is indigenous to the area and adds a bit of

October 2018 barbizmag.com

All Photos: Quy Tran.

By Ashley Bray

Bar Tour edge to the branding.

Greg Swanson headed up the design of the eclectic, two-story bar and aside from shared industrial elements, each floor has a different feel.

“On both floors, we have exposed original brick—the building goes back to 1874,” explains Raymond. “There are also I-beam braces that run the full height of the building so that said brick wall doesn’t collapse one day. So it gives it a little bit of an industrial feel.”

Upstairs is reminiscent of a Soho artist’s loft with giant windows and white walls (except for the one wall with exposed brick). “We use that space for a variety of things—private parties, special events, brand activations, etc.,” says Raymond.

The upstairs space is also home to the occasional pop-up by guest bartenders or Neff himself when he’s in town.

There are plenty of references to music and musicians that fit in with the bar’s rock n’ roll theme, including three giant murals that grace the walls upstairs. “They represent the past, present, and future of Houston music,” says Raymond. “The past is Lightnin’ Hopkins, who is the legendary blues guitarist who is buried about five to six blocks from where the bar is. Present is Billy Gibbons, famed blues guitarist from ZZ Top. The future is Kam Franklin, lead singer of The Suffers, who have made a huge name for themselves and are doing national and international tours.”

Downstairs features a dissected Bowie mural and two giant murals—one of Paul Stanley from KISS and another hidden beneath a top coat of paint.

Raymond himself painted all of the murals in The Cottonmouth Club.

“The front of the bar has a variety of different ‘patron saints’—musicians that are inspirational or in some way or form significant to who we are and what we are,” adds Raymond.

The foyer of the downstairs bathroom pays homage to Elvis’ Graceland’s Jungle Room with zebra print, jungle-themed wall paintings, and a red velvet couch.

The three single-person bathrooms on the downstairs floor are named Patti Smith (women), Sam Shepard (men), and Patti Smith and Sam Shepard—a reference to the two’s relationship. barbizmag.com

These Easter eggs help transform the bar into a more interactive experience.

“We want to create an environment that is welcoming, immersive, and has lots of little Easter eggs to discover as people live in the space,” explains Neff.

This immersive experience extends into the experiential cocktail menu.

“Everything about this menu is meant to integrate into the bar itself and reflects

Tasting through the cocktail menu is like listening to a mix tape.

the experience that we’re trying to present overall,” says Neff. “As the cocktail scene evolves, this is the direction I hope we head—more interactivity, more inclusion, more participation on both sides of the bar.”

That participation shows up in a number of places on the cocktail menu, including in the “pinwheel” selections (multiple variations of the Old Fashioned and French 75/76). The pinwheels break down each drink into

its base elements—for the Old Fashioned, a base spirit, sweet element, and bitter element, and for the French 75/76, a base spirit and bubbles—and allow guests to choose for themselves.

Interactivity also happens in the occasional pop-up upstairs, where Neff will offer what The Cottonmouth Club calls the “reverse speakeasy cocktail experience.” Guests come in and pick a glass from a selection of eclectic and traditional glassware. They then pick from a variety of different garnishes.

From there, Neff and the bartenders will ask a few questions, and based on the responses, will craft a bespoke cocktail right there on the spot.

“There’s a bit of magic and mystery to it,” says Raymond. “When you can connect in that kind of manner with someone, it’s really something special. It’s a very unique experience, and it’s not something you’re getting anywhere else.”

Aside from these offerings, The Cottonmouth Club’s menu is assembled in sections, including Classics and House Originals. “With the classic cocktails, all drinks start with the letter J. So Jungle Bird, Jack Rose, Julep, and Japanese Cocktail,” says Raymond. “For the House Originals, all the names are derived from song lyrics. Either the drink reminded us of the song or the song worked its way into the drink.”

In this way, the influence of music stretches beyond the design and the playlist (featuring a selection of modern

Mariachi Static Cocktail

October 2018

Bar Business Magazine

37

Bar Tour

Three murals upstairs represent Houston music’s past, present, and future. Pictured is the present, Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top.

and classic tunes) to even the cocktail menu. “Tasting through the menu should feel like listening to a mix-tape, and everything about it—from the format to the names of the cocktails—is meant to evoke a feeling that certainly includes the cocktail, but is not at all limited to what is in the glass,” says Neff.

The House Originals also include a parenthetical aside that compares the original concoction to a well-known cocktail so people can get an idea of what the drink tastes like. “It makes things as approachable as possible,” says Raymond.

In addition, the menu includes shots, Texas beers, wine by the box or can, and

Michael Neff & Mike Raymond, Co-Founders of The Cottonmouth Club

I

n a career spanning twenty-two years, Michael Neff has opened over twenty bars on both coasts. Upon relocating back to his native California from New York in 2013, Michael established himself as a key figure in the West Coast cocktail scene, spearheading five distinct bars and programs at Clifton’s Cafeteria in Downtown Los Angeles. He also revived the storied Three Clubs Cocktail Lounge. He most recently served as Bar Director at Holiday Cocktail Lounge.

Mike Raymond’s career spans more than 20 years in the bar and hospitality industry. He opened the whiskey-focused bar Reserve 101 in 2008.

Today, the bar is internationally renowned for its whiskey selection, which features a curated collection of more than 340 whiskeys from 14 different countries. In addition to co-founding Reserve 101, Raymond serves as a judge for Whiskies of the World.

38

Bar Business Magazine

two perennial cocktails, The Cosmopolitan and The Cottonmouth Club Cocktail. The latter is an original riff on a classic sour, made with The Cottonmouth Club’s House-Blended Whiskey created by Neff and Raymond, Avua Amburana Cachaca, fresh lemon, a berry melange, Peychaud’s Bitters, and egg white, all shaken and served over ice.

A new batch of the house-blended whiskey is constantly being rolled out with different flavor profiles. “We take an approach of a Scottish blended scotch where you use a white whiskey as the base and then you’re using full-flavored whiskies to accent and add flavor. We put them in three-gallon used bourbon barrels from Yellow Rose Distilling here in Houston,” says Raymond. “Batch one and two had a Canadian whiskey as its base. We added bourbons, ryes, and American single malt to come up with an overall flavor, and we’d dump it into the [bourbon] barrel.”

Batch three of the house-blended whiskey used Seagram’s 7 Americanblended whiskey, and the fourth had a George Dickel unaged whiskey for its base. “They’re fun, they’re experiments,” says Raymond. “The more people buy into what we’re doing, the more fun we can have with it.”

October 2018 barbizmag.com

Inventory

Small-Batch Cachaça Expands Native Wood Aged Collection Avuá Bálsamo Aged Cachaça

Let Frescolive protect your olives!

Frescolive

Frescolive was developed to solve a problem—dry, manhandled olives. It started when we recognized a habitual problem at bars and restaurants: Bartenders were handling olives with their dirty fingers and sweaty hands, and olives were left sitting in the dry, open air outside of their brine. They were then served in one of the most expensive drinks offered—the famous martini.

It was a travesty! But we have a solution. The Frescolive tray holds 39 olives that bathe in their own brine in pods of three—ready to be placed into any drink. With our unique “no finger” pods, customers will feel better about the drinks you serve them because they’ll be totally hygienic. Frescolive fits all condiment trays, and you can place three units in one condiment tray for a total holding of 117 olives.

Avuá Cachaça introduces a new expression to its range of hand-crafted cachaças—Avuá Bálsamo Aged Cachaça.

Avuá Bálsamo Aged Cachaça is aged for up to two years in burgundy-colored bálsamo hardwood harvested from trees with a height that ranges from 65-98 feet and a trunk measuring 24-35 inches in diameter. These tall trees with a fine grain imparts herbaceous aromas and slightly astringent flavors that hint at minerality, citrus, and bitterness. The medium to fine texture grain is interlocked with lighter golden brown to a burgundy property. “Avuá Cachaça’s seven offerings and various indigenous wood aging experiments were created to challenge the perception of the cachaça category,” says Pete Nevenglosky, co-founder of Avuá Cachaça. avuacachaca.com.br

myfrescolive.com

New Belgium Brewing and Knob Creek® Bourbon Team Up Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale

New Belgium Brewing and Knob Creek® Bourbon have launched Oakspire Bourbon Barrel Ale, a 9% ABV special collaboration featuring breakthrough technology to create an entirely new style of bourbon barrel ale. To bring this new offering to life, New Belgium’s engineers created a steel, missile-shaped vessel to provide a delivery system where Knob Creek Bourbon-soaked oak spirals and char from used Knob Creek Bourbon barrels mingled with—and added robust flavors to—New Belgium’s high-rye ale. This three-part flavor extraction process first included the harvesting of barrel char—the caramelized wood sugars that contribute sweet brown sugar and caramel notes to the beer—from used Knob Creek barrels. Rounding out the bourbon character in the beer are Knob Creek Bourbon-soaked oak spirals, which were toasted and added to infuse secondary flavors of oak and spice into the liquid.

Finally, the bourbon-soaked spirals and barrel char were added to the custom steel, missile-shaped vessel itself to influence the beer as it matured. The result is a fullflavored amber bourbon ale with notes of caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak. newbelgium.com; knobcreek.com

40

Bar Business Magazine

October 2018 barbizmag.com

Inventory

Conecuh Brands Releases a Straight Rye Expression Clyde May’s Straight Rye Whiskey

Conecuh Brands has released Clyde May’s Straight Rye Whiskey, which is aged a minimum of three years and bottled at 47% ABV. “Right now, Clyde May’s Straight Rye Whiskey is at its peak in terms of flavor profile and taste. Given the excellence of the product and current market trends, this is the perfect time to release this new expression,” says Roy Danis, President and CEO, Conecuh Brands. The bottle design is similar to the other Clyde May expressions. This particular bottle has a green and white label with an image of Clyde on the bottle as well as images of the Court House in Alabama where he was tried for bootlegging, found guilty, and imprisoned for eight months. Clyde May’s Straight Rye Whiskey will be available nationally with an SRP of $44.99.

Whiskeys Fit to Drink on the Iron Throne

The Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection The Game of Thrones Single Malt Scotch Whisky Collection from Johnnie Walker features eight scotches paired with one of the Houses of Westeros, as well as The Night’s Watch.

The scotches include House Targaryen, Cardhu Gold Reserve; House Stark, Dalwhinnie Winter’s Frost; House Tully, The Singleton Glendullan Select; House Lannister, Lagavulin 9 Year Old; House Greyjoy, Talisker Select Reserve; House Baratheon, Royal Lochnagar 12 Year Old; and The Night’s Watch, Oban Little Bay Reserve. johnniewalker.com

Featured

PRODUCT

mayswhiskey.com

A Proper Whiskey

Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey Eire Born Spirits launches Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey. Mixed Martial Arts Champion Conor McGregor is the founder, chairman, and majority owner of the company.

McGregor is proud to introduce this Irish whiskey to the world, launching in Ireland and the United States, with further expansion in 2019 and onward. Numerous Irish whiskey makers sought McGregor’s endorsement over the years, but as a true born and bred Irishman, he did not want to simply endorse an Irish whiskey. Inspired by his pride for Ireland and his love of Irish whiskey, McGregor wanted to create his own whiskey that would match his high standards and make his country proud. McGregor turned to the world’s oldest whiskey distillery, located in Ireland, with a proven history of quality whiskey making. He met David Elder, esteemed master distiller, previously of Guinness, and together they took painstaking measures to bring the whiskey to fruition. Proper No. Twelve is an 80-proof blend of the finest golden grain and single malt. It is produced in an area known for its rich soil and pure spring water. Proper No. Twelve is complex and sophisticated yet smooth and approachable with hints of vanilla, honey, and toasted wood. properwhiskey.com

barbizmag.com

October 2018

Bar Business Magazine

41

THE HOW-TO PUBLICATION

BAR BUS NESS MAGAZINE

FOLLOW US on instagram

THIRSTY for more cocktail recipes, venue highlights, new products, and tradeshow/event pictures? Make sure to follow Bar Business Magazine’s Instagram to get your fill!

@BARBIZMAG 42

Bar Business Magazine

October 2018 barbizmag.com

Ad Index

Company

Contact

Inventory COMPANIES

C2 1849 wine company

1849wine.com

Avuá Cachaça avuacachaca.com.br

34 2wire technologies

2wiretech.com

Clyde May’s mayswhiskey.com

26 AMI Entertainment

amientertainment.com/sales

frescolive myfrescolive.com

34 BARRITT’S GINGER BEER

bermudasgingerbeer.com

johnnie walker johnniewalker.com

flohvodka.com

new belgium & Knob Creek newbelgium.com; knobcreek.com

19 harbortouch/shift4

harbortouch.com/taffer

Proper No. Twelve properwhiskey.com

27 listen technologies

listentech.com

13 NIGHTCLUB & BAR

ncbshow.com

21 paradise pos

paradisepos.com

3 perlick corporation

perlick.com

11 pernod-ricard

pernod-ricard-usa.com

9 floh vodka

C4 RUMCHATA

rumchata.com

22 smarttab

smarttab.com

5 sunkist foodservice

sunkistequipment.com

39 urban expo

internationalrestaurantny.com

23 vinexpo new york

vinexponewyork.com

barbizmag.com

To Advertise in Bar Business Magazine, contact Art Sutley 212-620-7247 Asutley@sbpub.com

Thirsty for more? visit @BarBizMag

October 2018 Bar Business Magazine

43

with Ricki Kline

Principal Interior Designer at Ricki Kline | Design + Build

A

merican Institute of Architects Award-Winner Ricki Kline has designed some of the country’s most acclaimed bars such as Prank in LA, Tabula Rasa in Hollywood, and Barrelhouse Flat in Chicago. As a self-made designer, Kline cut his chops as a professional carpenter, building hand-made furnishings from scratch for various clients. He moved west to San Francisco and settled in as a union carpenter, working mostly on big commercial and public jobs, including the Bay Area Rapid Transit system.

Eventually Kline headed to LA where he began making original hand-crafted furniture. Over the next decade, he built art studios as well as homes for Hollywood stars. With more than 20 years of experience, Ricki combines his skill for design with his functional know-how from his days in the construction and carpentry world to develop unique venues and furnishings.

44

Bar Business Magazine

Why did you get into bar design?

I was a heavy construction worker when I was young. We followed the big jobs around, so I was always in a town where I didn’t know anybody. And after work what do you do? You clean up and find a bar. I had never been involved in the bar culture before that at all.

Once I discovered a bar, if I had a good time and I liked it, I’d go back a second time and maybe somebody would know my name. I’d go back a third time, and I’d be a regular. And all of a sudden, I might be in a strange city, but I had a home away from home. And that feeling of having a second home, of having another living room, of community, has really been a part of my work the whole time. Much later, I had some friends who were opening up a bar; they asked me to design it for them, and I said, “sure.”

It took me a few more years to hang up my toolkit and do it full time. But I embraced it, and it’s been a wild ride. It’s been a good ride.

2

What do you like most about designing bars?

The best thing is going back into a place that I built and watching other people enjoy it. That is definitely a high. It’s something you don’t get outside of hospitality—you don’t get to enjoy your work.

3

What makes a great bar design?

Know what you’re selling, and know who you’re selling it to. Design around your guest experience.

Be authentic.

4

the neighborhood spot a little bit.

I think that themes have been thoroughly explored. Look how people live now—especially in the cities—we’re living in smaller and smaller apartments, and we’re meeting our friends outside rather than in. So I think bars need to have a little more universal appeal and not be so specific. I’ve also got a four-letter word to describe the future of bars, and that’s “food.” Serve food, and serve good food.

6

Any advice for bar owners searching for a designer?

Go into a bar you like—maybe you like the lighting, the furniture, the general vibe and ambiance—and ask questions like, ‘Did somebody design this for you?’ A lot of people with their first bar may not be able to hire a full-time designer, but reach out to a designer for minimal help to get you going. We offer full service— we take you right through the process, the whole thing. But if you’re bootstrapping a bar together, raise enough money to just hire a designer to do a couple of mood boards, maybe some renderings, some hand sketches, to point you down the right road or help you with your layout, which is the first thing I do. I always do the layout first—that decides everything. Call somebody like me up and say, “We’re just starting.

Can you help?” We have a program for reaching out to first timers and giving them a leg up.

Who knows, they may become empire builders.

What are some common design mistakes?

Following. Using somebody’s else’s ideas and following trends—that’s the biggest mistake. My true philosophy of a bar is give me a couple of sawhorses and a couple of planks, and if I have great servers and great hospitality, it will work.

5

What’s trending in bar design?

I think [design] is returning to

Las Perlas Austin

October 2018 barbizmag.com

Photos: (top) White Oak Communications; (bottom) Peter Stanislaus.

Q&A

1

RAISE A

GLASS to

10 YEARS

We’re raising a toast to our readers and advertisers. Thanks for supporting us over the last ten years. Here’s to many more!

THE HOW-TO PUBLICATION

BAR BUS NESS MAGAZINE

@BARBIZMAG BARBIZMAG.COM