We talk with Chris Tunstall, co-founder of A Bar Above. Chris shares his journey from being a craps dealer in Vegas to breaking into the craft cocktail movement. He discusses the challenges he faced in learning and innovating within the bartending space, including dealing with gatekeepers in the mixology community and the lack of accessible, high-quality bar tools. This frustration led him to create A Bar Above, aiming to make craft cocktail skills and bar tools accessible to enthusiasts and professionals everywhere. Chris also touches on the importance of customer service, both in bartending and in his business model, and how A Bar Above has evolved to include a comprehensive line of bar tools and educational resources for cocktail enthusiasts.
Some key takeaways and lessons learned from the interview include:
- Facing criticism and pushback when first sharing new ideas can be overcome by focusing on positive discussion and continual learning.
- Providing educational frameworks and structures allows for creativity within guidelines.
- Breaking processes down scientifically makes complex skills more approachable.
- Developing high-quality, durable products solves real industry problems.
- Gathering community and user feedback is invaluable for new product development.
- Building a supportive community takes time and responds positively to criticism.
- Prioritizing quality, service and flexible work-life balance attracts top talent.
- Mentorship, patience and learning from others is important for any entrepreneurial venture.
- Hospitality extends beyond drinks to include educational resources and customer service.