I started my home bar nearly a decade ago as my wife and I began a family, transitioning from the downtown happy hour facilitator to suburban extroverted dad. It was an opportunity to capture some sense of normalcy while succumbing to the reality that things in my life were changing...a lot. That was pre-COVID and pre-home bar trendiness. Some friends thought at the time that I was a bit over-the-top with the whole bar in my home concept...some of those same people now see me as a visionary in a world where gatherings for a while stopped happening and now where smaller gatherings are better. Of course, we too found ourselves closed, albeit temporarily, during the height of the pandemic.
As I think about the pandemic and the many people who helped keep the wheels on the bus during what were tumultuous times, my garage bar provided a small sense of normalcy - and human connection - when there was little to be had. Having survived through hurricanes and blizzards, power outages and floods, I've often told my wife that we have a responsibility to remain open during times of trial. It's not just a bar, it's the landing spot for the neighborhood and beyond.
With that I'd like to offer a cheers to the home bar heroes across the country who serve such an important role in your neighborhoods and communities. The power of connectedness is more important than ever...facilitating those interactions while building memories to last a lifetime is my passion. Bourboneur.com is my outlet to help others to create their own amazing spaces. I hope you'll continue to tune in, and for a select group of you, become a home bar hero.
Start Your Home Bar & Join the Bourboneur Community
It's hard--if not impossible--to make memories via Zoom. If you share my passion to build community and authentic friendships amid our overly digitized lives, become a Bourboneur by joining us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out the Blog for additional resources, tips, and inspiration to start your own home bar.
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