It was thought that to drink alcohol was to live a life shadowed by death. The Death & Co. team has been offering a warm embrace to those who shine after dusk for over a decade now. Its foundational elements are a love of great people and great drinks. Today, we chat with Alex Day, proprietor of the world-famous Death & Co., a bar that redefined cocktail culture for an entire generation.
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In discussing new ideas for the restaurant business, Alex shares insights into how Death & Co. has continually evolved its restaurant theme ideas, keeping the experience fresh and exciting for patrons.
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LINKS
https://www.deathandcompany.com/
SHOW NOTES
- Dave Kaplan & Ravi DeRossi started Death & Co in 2006
- Alex was captivated by the youthful, innovative approach to drinks
- They opened 3 branches of Death & Co, NYC, LA & Denver
- Early mistakes
- Not knowing what to do as new entrepreneurs
- Bars ran themselves
- “Failing forward”
- 2 years of growth by luck
- Difficult neighbour for years
- Legal implications
- Biggest lessons
- It is the owners’ job to find and cultivate good people
- Provide strong guidance
- Build a strong culture
- There is no such thing as smooth sailing
- Foundation issues in the industry
- Hospitality workers are not employed or compensated well
- Astronomical rents
- High operating costs
- Poor margins
- At this time of not operating, they are rethinking every aspect of the business
- Realigning focus on what the customer wants
- Avoiding getting hung up on vanity items like perfect cocktail recipe
- Bringing focus back to the consumer
- What will they want post-lockdown?
- Reevaluating how to relate to vendors and improve vendor relationships
- Improving the bars from an environment perspective
- Reviewing relationships with landlords
- How things could be different post-Covid
- Local cultures in each city
- Social norms
- Improving as employers
- Benefits they already offer
- Health insurance to full-time staff
- Wellness credits
- Potential ideas for future
- Offering health insurance to part-time staff
- Creating clearer avenues for staff to grow in the company
- What set Death & Co apart as a brand
- Meticulous focus on ingredients
- Passion about the craft
- Human, genuine, authenticity in their delivery
- Being serious about the craft but also having fun
- Harnessing individuality throughout the business
- Allowing bartenders to be creative
- Each bar is not a copy of the other
- Individual menus
- Different appearance
- Using social media as a marketing engine
- Industry typically focusses on bragging or nice photos of food/drink
- Creating a more community based social media presence