THE LOCALS
ASK A BARTENDER
How to open your
DREAM BAR Texas-based Colby Marcee worked as a bartender at a local steakhouse when he was recruited by the owner of Amendment 21 Whiskey Bar to be their head bartender. While helping to open the whiskey bar, Marcee began to dream. “I had aspirations of one day having a place to call my own,” he shares, “During my two years with Amendment, I learned the part of the business that I did not have a ton of experience in, like dealing with distributors, purchase orders, payroll, you know all the back-office management stuff. I also grew my craft and learned new ways to make ingredients that would go into the cocktails.”
Jamie and Colby Marcee, Pam and Tim Smith
It was at this time that Marcee met Tim Smith, who became his business partner. Then, when the pandemic struck, Marcee took a chance few might have considered, and started the process of opening his own bar. “It stunned everyone in the industry,” he notes, “but I thought what better time to create than when you have nothing but time. The rest is history. We started building KAO in April 2020 and had our grand opening on October 24th, 2020. Since then, we have exceeded our expectations and continue to try and innovate in this lifelong journey of creating craft cocktails and an environment that keeps you intrigued.” We caught up with Marcee to learn about the process and for his advice to other bartenders who want to pursue opening their own bar.
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CHILLED MAGAZINE
WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR KAO LOUNGE? We wanted to create an atmosphere that was comfortable, funky, yet still elegant. Our inspiration is played in part by the revitalization of downtown Abilene on both sides of the tracks. We are working in so many ways and with like-minded individuals to create an energetic synergy in the SoDA District. South Downtown Abilene is an up-andcoming entertainment district that has been born from revitalization efforts and the renovation of the vacant buildings in the area. We used all local businesses and artists to create the great vibes you get when you walk into KAO Lounge.
