October 2, 2024 • 28 mins
Dive into Delicious Depths: Anchors Aweigh's John on SoFloDining's "Who's at the Chef's Table"! ️ Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at your favorite dive bar? We sat down with John, owner of Anchors Aweigh in Deerfield Beach, for an exclusive interview on SoFloDining's "Who's at the Chef's Table with Chef Dan"! John dished on more than just running a bar (though trust us, that was part of it ). We dived deep into the world of dive bars, uncovering the secrets to their enduring charm and the passionate communities they foster. This is a can't-miss interview for foodies and dive bar enthusiasts alike! But be warned, you might just find yourself craving a perfectly poured drink and some great music. For the full interview and more exclusive content, subscribe to our SoFloDining Page today! #SoFloDining #WhosAtTheChefsTable #DiveBarLife #DeerfieldBeach #Foodie
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Dan and here we have our illustrious one and only John owner of anchors anchors
(00:10):
wait I bar that's right that's right so you want to tell everybody how you got
into the business oh god yeah yeah the hospitality business I mean you know
how he started I guess we'll go back to who you are tell us what to do yeah
long time ago my buddy got me a job I think people this college bar I think
(00:35):
like first year in New York I think it was and it's what I did for a while and
then all of a sudden one day their bartender didn't show up the manager was
like I'm going on a cruise you're gonna bartend there's an index card thing
with all the drinks in it
(00:57):
manager and she walked out the door and I was basically forced into bartender
wow yeah yeah I worked that shift there was one local that came in he worked for
this restaurant like a hotel slash restaurant I totally corporate you know
(01:17):
and this was a busy bar and he basically coached me you know he basically told me
what the grad how much when the start stop and he was my coach for like a week
or two and then that's how he started the bartending and then I took a break from
bartending and went to work at the Mercatel exchange with my best friend
(01:39):
in New York and then decided to come down here because of the weather and then
it's like what am I gonna do so I got right back into bartending got a job at
the ugly mug in Delray Beach at the time I think it was 2006 2007 ran that
place for a long time and that was basically how I planted my feet here in
(02:01):
Florida bartended way too long it's something I like to do you know it was
just something I just you know the people and the relationships and friends
and you know after a while they become family it just got to a point where I
just I'd done it for so long and have opportunity to buy a bar and that's a
(02:25):
whole nother story in itself but here we are today and anchors now it's fun
like for me you know I'm in the kitchen and we like the bartenders we don't like
the waitstaff we like the bartenders I mean it's like one whole big family you
know it's just like I don't actually like
(02:51):
let it talk to you so it's like we like when we come out of the kitchen
customers love us you know we're here yes and then when we go to the bar all
you know we envy you guys a more personal experience exactly at the bar
because well I mean depending on where you go because some places like like I
tell these guys anyone could fucking bartend anyone could do it anyone could
(03:16):
pour a drink you know it's like the way you extracted from the customer is a
gift you know the way you maintain your relationship with that person that is
what will make you successful you know you have a lot of place where you go to
and they just what can I get you but it's also like you guys like we make the
food so we make what they want you guys make what they want where the server
(03:41):
more just brings it to them so like when we go out there and like we see like
Tony the regular we come out of the kitchen hey Tony how you doing and
we'll see the bartender there hey Tony how you doing and the servers there and
it's like who's that guy and it's like you know so like we get to know the
customer on a more personal level than the servers do yeah on your typical
restaurant means you know the place that are different but your typical restaurant
(04:04):
your server is a server yeah where we are more in a personal you do have a
case you occasionally have like a good set yeah like we'll interact with you
you know I only go now where I'm at I just go to the places that support us
yes you know I will sit with those people whether they're a server or bartender
that's just how I do it yeah not that's we should be yeah so how long have you
(04:28):
been in business here yeah Christ seemed just like yesterday but I guess we're
going on two and a half years what are we July June the ass end of June yeah
almost exactly two and a half years I open January 3rd 22 right is it 21
(04:52):
yeah 21 that it's one big blur at this point yeah have you been in any other
location it's just a way here yet for now now in January we're expected to
launch on the second location on the west coast of Florida the liquor license
(05:18):
has been purchased for Lee County we're just waiting on the right property being
very very picky on the location for the west coast because we need they did get
fucked up from that hurricane over there but there's a lot of potential you
know it's like this place why when we met you this place you were saying about
(05:38):
all the stuff you had to change here I mean this place is awesome everything
we had to change the whole dynamic of this place this was not an easy place this
was very tough the first eight months I didn't realize like day one like when it
I signed the papers and now this was mine I was like oh wow fucking far owner and
(05:59):
then from the staff was like yeah we have no toilet paper we have no straws we
don't have this we don't have that and I was like oh shit I gotta go out and get
this stuff yeah it says I mean you figure it out as you go along you know
but you had upset your cars and yeah I mean I'm still to this day I tell my
(06:22):
like I don't know what the fuck I'm doing but I do because we're still here
with driving and turn it and we love this place we bring people here all my
mother here yeah yeah yeah I know every day is a learning lesson and you take
that to harm yeah yeah I mean I take this place personal you know they say
that you shouldn't but I mean this is my second home you know this is I want
(06:44):
people that want to be here you know I the people that come here love it here
you know they love my staff I picked the best staff you know they love the staff
they love me they love what I'm doing some of the staff fight me on some of
the events that I have here but you know that's what I was gonna say the events
here I mean this place you hear a stupid term all inclusive yeah this place age
(07:09):
wise is all inclusive like I said we brought my mother here and it's for
everybody it's not like we have like a target demographic you know we don't
discriminate right you know I mean just like that's an old person this is a
young person here this is for everybody everybody it doesn't matter who you are
or what you come from or how much money you have everyone you walk into those
(07:30):
doors you are the same person you don't tolerate no bullshit here yeah that's it
right that's the whole thing it created something really beautiful here thank you
I appreciate that it was yeah it was tough because everybody was fighting me
on it you know when I mean everybody like my support team you know they were
telling me you should do this don't change this you know and I did I listened
(07:55):
to them for like the first year I was in business and then I got to the point
where I was like well yeah it's going in a direction that I don't want it to go
in but this is the way it's going to go right that's the way we went on that's
you know that's the same thing when I was taking over kitchens the same thing
I'll do what they've done you know and if I see it doesn't work then we go in a
(08:18):
different direction but I was gonna backtrack about this place tell us the
layout a little bit I mean because what they're seeing here they see the pool
and tell you what they see the back this place is huge it's small it's huge
because you have outside you have the other game yeah well when I first walked
in here only because it needed so much work it was like my I walked in I was
(08:41):
like no way no no way only because I mean yeah it was a smoking bar I mean
nothing I mean I was a smoker at the time I just didn't I don't smoke my house
you know I spoke anymore but it just it was just very oddly shaped and I walked
in and I looked at so many restaurants at that point in my life that I just
(09:03):
didn't want to waste anybody's time I don't want to waste a broker's time I
don't want to waste the owner's time and they showed me around and like how much
you asked for this place I was like no way you know and I was just like threw an
offer out then they started like a broker stepped in he like really started
showing me around and I looked at it I was like can I make this work not to say
(09:26):
that I got desperate I just I wanted to buy something so bad I was like could I
make it work and once he showed me the outback area and the garage at the time
was used for storage once I saw that I had that much more room I'm like okay
that could fit 15 people in here and at least 30 to 40 people could hang out
out back that was like my overflow and I was like okay so I went back and I
(09:52):
threw an offer out and we deliberated I think for like less than a day I came in
on a Monday I believe through an offer and by Tuesday the next day or like
around four or five we'd come through an agreement and by Wednesday money was in
escrow and we were in contract I think at the front door when you can look at
(10:20):
her the first of you boy remember that there was a that was the day I came over
yes somebody snagged a photo of me looking at the property that was remember
the broker and the the old owner I believe yeah music it's versus what I
(10:45):
like versus what everybody else is like or what everybody else likes I'm a big I
grew up very you know in a punk rock hardcore scene I still listen to it to
this day 47 years old I should have grown out of it but I haven't I won't I
(11:06):
still it's something I enjoy it's like my coffee what everybody else in this
area does it's like they do like very generic stuff it's like you go out like
well I'm not gonna have the same names but it's like the same band playing the
same cover music and that some that was something that we did here for like the
(11:26):
first year and I just did it work it worked but it wasn't in the direction
that I wanted to go because when I was growing up anytime I wanted to go see a
show or a band I was driving hours I was either driving to the Webster in
Connecticut or you know as Berry Park New Jersey or CBGB's in Long Island I was
(11:50):
driving well over an hour to to a venue like this to see a band that I liked so
as time went on I started pushing the main local acts around here you know
that just mainly do covers and started like gearing towards the kids that other
(12:10):
places would never give a shot to me you know and that you know it's a it's a
target market you know but it's something that I enjoy and I'm glad to see
that the scene is still alive down here you know for you know the punk rock and
hardcore kids you know I said you walk through those doors everybody's the same
you know and I think it was only fair to give
(12:32):
Deerfield Beach a shot at like you know the punk rock hardcore local scene and I
know like we used to do city gardens about hunger-bunga ballroom yeah so I
know what you're talking about and that's you know that's what makes those
places unique and stand out as opposed to the ones that play the same bands you
follow this band here there and everywhere it's you know it's a
(12:56):
different energy yeah I mean it's just the music the kids love it I mean I see
more energy and more work put in by these kids that come in here and mind you
that I mean a lot of people haven't heard of them but they play their fucking
heart and souls out versus a band you know that comes in here that just oh
(13:22):
homes it you know I had one band like walked in the singer was sitting down I
was like what why why are you sitting yeah do your do your knees I just died
well I just that's not you know like the music I listened to it's very very
energetic it's very like in your face it's very hard it's very fast and that's
(13:46):
what I enjoy that's what I like nothing against you know the artists out there
you know doing covers of what not they're all very very talented you know as a
musician I respect talent but it's just you've seen you on stage yes I don't
remember being on stage but somebody caught a glimpse of me on stage I can't
(14:09):
believe I got up on stage because that's something that I mean I was definitely
overly refreshed back to somewhat of the layout so basically we're sitting here
this pool table moves and this is what a band night yeah I come in we have pulled
Jack I come in takes me about 10 15 minutes to move that pool table into the
(14:33):
corner that one in that corner and set this place up you know to where yeah
there's no stage like the shows that I grew up I was just like yeah and
Connecticut this one place I think we were called cousin Larry's or something
like that the guy used to let when I was young I used to put on shows for bands I
(14:57):
hosted a day to remember once they played it this and it was a small like venue no
stage very like in your face and that's what I wanted because that's like I get
that they're musicians but once you put a stage in front of them that's when they
think like they're gods you know everyone's the same here I have a stage
out back I refuse to put it out only because it's fucking heavy but you do
(15:18):
it's a tripping hazard to my like a chart I put you up at Facebook or
Instagram but one of your accounts you put videos from the band and you could
see how packed it is with a great time everybody's having and you could see the
yeah every like Monday I look forward to scrolling through it and seeing what you
put it up yeah it's just yeah I put it out that way only because I want people
(15:42):
to see like because this might not be the place you know like the people I think
that are going down the street to the places by the beach this might not be
their place you know a lot of energy I mean everyone's having fun you're the
mayor and commissioner come in here this past week this past Saturday on a band
night that was it was mind-blowing to me I told my bartender I was like maybe
(16:06):
because I saw who was it I forget what club it was once I saw her I was like
oh shit mayors I told my bartender I was like maybe ask him to go that's might
not be the place for them tonight she was like well but they ended up staying you
know they I don't think they enjoy the music at all but they were out back and
(16:27):
they actually stayed longer than the bands play so everyone had a great time
I have a lot of people fight me on the music I mean I I don't want to turn away
business but I mean there's other things to do here like I said that's why I
built that next room you know is overflow so now when people you know
(16:47):
that are mainly like in the biz or locals and they don't want to hear what
I've got going on even though I'm like sitting right there like like this you
know they can still you know go to the bar get a cocktail and hang out outside
and you know just I mean there is like you said there is you said some things
to do there's everything you got our board you got rain charge yeah we got
(17:07):
how many dark boards for dark boards shuffle shuffle board air hockey three
pool tables yeah Jenga Jenga Jenga Jenga connect for connect for I mean there's
everything to do here so it's just a hook game the hook the ring I will
challenge anybody on that hook game we'll talk about that I will challenge
(17:29):
any chef dance with practicing I don't know a little one over there we got baby
I had like six in a row oh yeah yeah how I did it at six in a row right at
the bar stop it seriously I don't know how I'm doing this and it just like
click he just kept doing it he's getting his own yeah his own the big ones a
different story though no I can't I did that once I made it once that was it I
(17:51):
think I did it twice I don't know how though hitting me doesn't count no not
that would have been three but my customers are right these chairs suck
my god all my leg is my right leg is totally numb right now I'm not even
kidding I had it up I'm like oh like not so I'm like I can't feel my feet every
(18:13):
time I say stuff like that then it's Jeff Dan says oh you have the bony ass and
yeah I guess maybe that's what it is I'm looking at getting some cushions I
don't know do you have any like events coming up or anything you I don't even
know what's going on that's the one thing it doing the event here is like a
(18:34):
whole different job in itself in that in the social media is like a whole other
job but the event what do I have coming up I don't even know I I tried you were
like mr. no social media when I came I remember that I hated I hate social media
I hate it with a passion but it's the way to get the word out I can't stamp
(18:56):
Facebook I mainly work through like Instagram the events yeah I booked like
two months in advance I just recently just started doing three and four only
because I'm being very picky of what I want here but I'm still leaving like my
options open for like other people or other you know bands like said we do
(19:19):
everything here so I go I people send me hey I want to play there I go I do a
little bit of research would I like this here and then I talk it over my
staff and then once I get the go around then I book it we do a lot of shows on
Saturday but since January I've been doing stuff like throughout the week like
(19:43):
we know it's not just like not just like sometimes the one day no yeah it's all
different types of genres and I mean it's just a mixture of everything we
had a ska band a couple weeks ago and I didn't know how that was gonna play out
here but it was great you know like everybody really enjoyed it and the
(20:04):
band was like super energetic somebody was like that's a restaurant and the guy
he's singing without a shirt on I'm like sorry no we saw you know do you have any
specials like happy hour or something on Monday or whatever um we have happy
hour every day from we open it noon to seven then after happy hour it's like a
(20:27):
buck off of everything that we have should be like a draft is like three
fiftieth something is like 250 or whatever the well is or 50 and I think
that goes down to 350 after happy hour ends at seven that's when in the biz
kicks in that's if you work in the biz or you know you're an artist or
(20:50):
work in the industry we got a lot of in the biz kids come in you know after work
that's 25% off your check
Mondays what do we do free pool yeah I feel on Mondays I think that's about it
that in the events that we do occasionally book a show like on a
(21:12):
Tuesday that's why I keep it open I think one of the bartenders just signed up a
softball league nice they come in yeah there's always something different
on here yeah it's great I love it I mean what this reminding them is the old
school pubs like your neighborhood yeah that's exactly like you're not you know
(21:34):
this is not nothing a cookie cutter we are anti not I want to say anti-corporate
I mean this structure here but yeah we definitely do things different very
very different it's very local based you know make sure well it's a diet I can't
take credit for all of it I have to mainly give it to my staff you know it's
(21:55):
everybody here makes this place work I just had an opportunity to make it
happen I was making it happen you know now with the employees and you know the
customers we have a strong like core I call it for it you know and we're
growing every day growing and growing we've been here I think we were here at
(22:16):
one point like four or five times right and like the gentlemen regular
recognized oh yeah I remember you guys last week you were sitting I'm like wow
that's cool though you had a core group yeah that's that's that's why I don't
advertise like by I nothing against you know people I come here on vacation you
know but a lot of places in Florida are very seasonal and they capitalize you
(22:36):
know during season but this place is busy all year round and that's what I want
it from my staff you know hurts them though see that's the thing is and we
reached out is you know we got a lot of beach places and they want to focus on
tourism and then when tourism stops they're like what do we do and I mean
nothing like you have all these people that live around you you know this yeah
(22:58):
no the people that live here come first right you know whatever if you get
tourism exactly I mean my staff knows how to handle I just you know I didn't
want to really market you know towards I just don't need a group of spring breakers
coming in here and just disrupting what I have you know I just nothing against
spring breakers I just you know we we don't have problems here you know this
(23:20):
is a local spot you know every everybody knows everybody here you've
anchored a really good energy here yeah and you've created it from the get-go
you know you cleaned it up you took out the old you brought in the new I mean
keep bringing it in the thing is you keep it in our neighborhood and that's
what we're about we're about helping people in the neighborhood and it's so
(23:44):
creative here I mean the base is just amazing well you said it's all inclusive
being in the industry for so long I did have a background you know like I've
managed it places before and when it came to do in this place it was like okay
now it's mine and I had a platform on like how it's supposed to be run you
(24:06):
know and anything that I didn't really know how to do I pretty much figured out
or I had somebody figure it out for me but you go and you work for these places
and the way like the owners or you know the management treated their staff it
it's tough doing what they do you know I did it for a very long time you just have
(24:27):
to treat you know you just treat them with respect those are like your soldiers
you know without them I did you know we'd be no anchors you know yeah you know
it's become actually part of them well I've done what they've done for so long I
just know how to talk to people how to treat people that's number one you know
(24:48):
um it's tough it's a tough industry because you are geared towards like what
do they what's the express the customer is always right no that's fucking
bullshit go open up a business in Boca with that mentality and you're gonna be
out of business within a fucking year the customer isn't always right we very
(25:12):
rarely have like customer employee discrepancies you know but tell people
like this is South Florida if you don't like it here then go somewhere else you
know there's plenty of places to go so this is not an enabling no I mean I'm
very I'm very very fair but if you come in you like this is a right the problem
(25:36):
might be you right you know I mean like exactly there's a lot of this race in
a matter want to get political or social anything like that but you know there's
too much of this oh you don't like it this way well then let's change it for
everybody because no you don't like it that's the one thing I realized pretty
quick in this business is that I can't let the customers or my staff dictate the
(26:01):
way I run this bar I can listen to their input my one bartender drives me
fucking crazy like about like the aesthetics of this place she's got me
figured out to where she's just you know asked me so much that I'm just be like
you want to know what okay I'm gonna do it leave me alone but you know I
(26:23):
sit and I dissect it and then I come to a conclusion and I'm sure you take
everything into consideration and you make the best choice for everybody I
mean this is you've got such a great clientele this is a serious operation
but it's not that serious you know it's not like I'm like not one of those
(26:44):
owners that you mean it's seriously fun yeah that's awesome
why don't you tell everybody where you can be found yeah yeah tell tell me your
address um we are in Deerfield Beach addresses 179 northeast 2nd Avenue right
across the street from city hall over here in Deerfield right there's on
(27:08):
Street parking that's free they do and work to the street over here but we have
a whole lot in the back that's free parking you know it goes quick on the
weekends but there's always parking available yeah you might have to walk
from like Pioneer Park but if you want to get here you'll get here I tell
(27:30):
people at Uber you know but there's a lot of locals here you know either walk
in or yeah right down the road oh yeah oh yeah well thanks again for your time
we really appreciate it we love it's a great do great I love you guys thank you
that's a great take care God bless and keep up the good work oh thank you as
(27:50):
always we'll see you there bye bye
Dan and here we have our illustrious one and only John owner of anchors anchors
(00:10):
wait I bar that's right that's right so you want to tell everybody how you got
into the business oh god yeah yeah the hospitality business I mean you know
how he started I guess we'll go back to who you are tell us what to do yeah
long time ago my buddy got me a job I think people this college bar I think
(00:35):
like first year in New York I think it was and it's what I did for a while and
then all of a sudden one day their bartender didn't show up the manager was
like I'm going on a cruise you're gonna bartend there's an index card thing
with all the drinks in it
(00:57):
manager and she walked out the door and I was basically forced into bartender
wow yeah yeah I worked that shift there was one local that came in he worked for
this restaurant like a hotel slash restaurant I totally corporate you know
(01:17):
and this was a busy bar and he basically coached me you know he basically told me
what the grad how much when the start stop and he was my coach for like a week
or two and then that's how he started the bartending and then I took a break from
bartending and went to work at the Mercatel exchange with my best friend
(01:39):
in New York and then decided to come down here because of the weather and then
it's like what am I gonna do so I got right back into bartending got a job at
the ugly mug in Delray Beach at the time I think it was 2006 2007 ran that
place for a long time and that was basically how I planted my feet here in
(02:01):
Florida bartended way too long it's something I like to do you know it was
just something I just you know the people and the relationships and friends
and you know after a while they become family it just got to a point where I
just I'd done it for so long and have opportunity to buy a bar and that's a
(02:25):
whole nother story in itself but here we are today and anchors now it's fun
like for me you know I'm in the kitchen and we like the bartenders we don't like
the waitstaff we like the bartenders I mean it's like one whole big family you
know it's just like I don't actually like
(02:51):
let it talk to you so it's like we like when we come out of the kitchen
customers love us you know we're here yes and then when we go to the bar all
you know we envy you guys a more personal experience exactly at the bar
because well I mean depending on where you go because some places like like I
tell these guys anyone could fucking bartend anyone could do it anyone could
(03:16):
pour a drink you know it's like the way you extracted from the customer is a
gift you know the way you maintain your relationship with that person that is
what will make you successful you know you have a lot of place where you go to
and they just what can I get you but it's also like you guys like we make the
food so we make what they want you guys make what they want where the server
(03:41):
more just brings it to them so like when we go out there and like we see like
Tony the regular we come out of the kitchen hey Tony how you doing and
we'll see the bartender there hey Tony how you doing and the servers there and
it's like who's that guy and it's like you know so like we get to know the
customer on a more personal level than the servers do yeah on your typical
restaurant means you know the place that are different but your typical restaurant
(04:04):
your server is a server yeah where we are more in a personal you do have a
case you occasionally have like a good set yeah like we'll interact with you
you know I only go now where I'm at I just go to the places that support us
yes you know I will sit with those people whether they're a server or bartender
that's just how I do it yeah not that's we should be yeah so how long have you
(04:28):
been in business here yeah Christ seemed just like yesterday but I guess we're
going on two and a half years what are we July June the ass end of June yeah
almost exactly two and a half years I open January 3rd 22 right is it 21
(04:52):
yeah 21 that it's one big blur at this point yeah have you been in any other
location it's just a way here yet for now now in January we're expected to
launch on the second location on the west coast of Florida the liquor license
(05:18):
has been purchased for Lee County we're just waiting on the right property being
very very picky on the location for the west coast because we need they did get
fucked up from that hurricane over there but there's a lot of potential you
know it's like this place why when we met you this place you were saying about
(05:38):
all the stuff you had to change here I mean this place is awesome everything
we had to change the whole dynamic of this place this was not an easy place this
was very tough the first eight months I didn't realize like day one like when it
I signed the papers and now this was mine I was like oh wow fucking far owner and
(05:59):
then from the staff was like yeah we have no toilet paper we have no straws we
don't have this we don't have that and I was like oh shit I gotta go out and get
this stuff yeah it says I mean you figure it out as you go along you know
but you had upset your cars and yeah I mean I'm still to this day I tell my
(06:22):
like I don't know what the fuck I'm doing but I do because we're still here
with driving and turn it and we love this place we bring people here all my
mother here yeah yeah yeah I know every day is a learning lesson and you take
that to harm yeah yeah I mean I take this place personal you know they say
that you shouldn't but I mean this is my second home you know this is I want
(06:44):
people that want to be here you know I the people that come here love it here
you know they love my staff I picked the best staff you know they love the staff
they love me they love what I'm doing some of the staff fight me on some of
the events that I have here but you know that's what I was gonna say the events
here I mean this place you hear a stupid term all inclusive yeah this place age
(07:09):
wise is all inclusive like I said we brought my mother here and it's for
everybody it's not like we have like a target demographic you know we don't
discriminate right you know I mean just like that's an old person this is a
young person here this is for everybody everybody it doesn't matter who you are
or what you come from or how much money you have everyone you walk into those
(07:30):
doors you are the same person you don't tolerate no bullshit here yeah that's it
right that's the whole thing it created something really beautiful here thank you
I appreciate that it was yeah it was tough because everybody was fighting me
on it you know when I mean everybody like my support team you know they were
telling me you should do this don't change this you know and I did I listened
(07:55):
to them for like the first year I was in business and then I got to the point
where I was like well yeah it's going in a direction that I don't want it to go
in but this is the way it's going to go right that's the way we went on that's
you know that's the same thing when I was taking over kitchens the same thing
I'll do what they've done you know and if I see it doesn't work then we go in a
(08:18):
different direction but I was gonna backtrack about this place tell us the
layout a little bit I mean because what they're seeing here they see the pool
and tell you what they see the back this place is huge it's small it's huge
because you have outside you have the other game yeah well when I first walked
in here only because it needed so much work it was like my I walked in I was
(08:41):
like no way no no way only because I mean yeah it was a smoking bar I mean
nothing I mean I was a smoker at the time I just didn't I don't smoke my house
you know I spoke anymore but it just it was just very oddly shaped and I walked
in and I looked at so many restaurants at that point in my life that I just
(09:03):
didn't want to waste anybody's time I don't want to waste a broker's time I
don't want to waste the owner's time and they showed me around and like how much
you asked for this place I was like no way you know and I was just like threw an
offer out then they started like a broker stepped in he like really started
showing me around and I looked at it I was like can I make this work not to say
(09:26):
that I got desperate I just I wanted to buy something so bad I was like could I
make it work and once he showed me the outback area and the garage at the time
was used for storage once I saw that I had that much more room I'm like okay
that could fit 15 people in here and at least 30 to 40 people could hang out
out back that was like my overflow and I was like okay so I went back and I
(09:52):
threw an offer out and we deliberated I think for like less than a day I came in
on a Monday I believe through an offer and by Tuesday the next day or like
around four or five we'd come through an agreement and by Wednesday money was in
escrow and we were in contract I think at the front door when you can look at
(10:20):
her the first of you boy remember that there was a that was the day I came over
yes somebody snagged a photo of me looking at the property that was remember
the broker and the the old owner I believe yeah music it's versus what I
(10:45):
like versus what everybody else is like or what everybody else likes I'm a big I
grew up very you know in a punk rock hardcore scene I still listen to it to
this day 47 years old I should have grown out of it but I haven't I won't I
(11:06):
still it's something I enjoy it's like my coffee what everybody else in this
area does it's like they do like very generic stuff it's like you go out like
well I'm not gonna have the same names but it's like the same band playing the
same cover music and that some that was something that we did here for like the
(11:26):
first year and I just did it work it worked but it wasn't in the direction
that I wanted to go because when I was growing up anytime I wanted to go see a
show or a band I was driving hours I was either driving to the Webster in
Connecticut or you know as Berry Park New Jersey or CBGB's in Long Island I was
(11:50):
driving well over an hour to to a venue like this to see a band that I liked so
as time went on I started pushing the main local acts around here you know
that just mainly do covers and started like gearing towards the kids that other
(12:10):
places would never give a shot to me you know and that you know it's a it's a
target market you know but it's something that I enjoy and I'm glad to see
that the scene is still alive down here you know for you know the punk rock and
hardcore kids you know I said you walk through those doors everybody's the same
you know and I think it was only fair to give
(12:32):
Deerfield Beach a shot at like you know the punk rock hardcore local scene and I
know like we used to do city gardens about hunger-bunga ballroom yeah so I
know what you're talking about and that's you know that's what makes those
places unique and stand out as opposed to the ones that play the same bands you
follow this band here there and everywhere it's you know it's a
(12:56):
different energy yeah I mean it's just the music the kids love it I mean I see
more energy and more work put in by these kids that come in here and mind you
that I mean a lot of people haven't heard of them but they play their fucking
heart and souls out versus a band you know that comes in here that just oh
(13:22):
homes it you know I had one band like walked in the singer was sitting down I
was like what why why are you sitting yeah do your do your knees I just died
well I just that's not you know like the music I listened to it's very very
energetic it's very like in your face it's very hard it's very fast and that's
(13:46):
what I enjoy that's what I like nothing against you know the artists out there
you know doing covers of what not they're all very very talented you know as a
musician I respect talent but it's just you've seen you on stage yes I don't
remember being on stage but somebody caught a glimpse of me on stage I can't
(14:09):
believe I got up on stage because that's something that I mean I was definitely
overly refreshed back to somewhat of the layout so basically we're sitting here
this pool table moves and this is what a band night yeah I come in we have pulled
Jack I come in takes me about 10 15 minutes to move that pool table into the
(14:33):
corner that one in that corner and set this place up you know to where yeah
there's no stage like the shows that I grew up I was just like yeah and
Connecticut this one place I think we were called cousin Larry's or something
like that the guy used to let when I was young I used to put on shows for bands I
(14:57):
hosted a day to remember once they played it this and it was a small like venue no
stage very like in your face and that's what I wanted because that's like I get
that they're musicians but once you put a stage in front of them that's when they
think like they're gods you know everyone's the same here I have a stage
out back I refuse to put it out only because it's fucking heavy but you do
(15:18):
it's a tripping hazard to my like a chart I put you up at Facebook or
Instagram but one of your accounts you put videos from the band and you could
see how packed it is with a great time everybody's having and you could see the
yeah every like Monday I look forward to scrolling through it and seeing what you
put it up yeah it's just yeah I put it out that way only because I want people
(15:42):
to see like because this might not be the place you know like the people I think
that are going down the street to the places by the beach this might not be
their place you know a lot of energy I mean everyone's having fun you're the
mayor and commissioner come in here this past week this past Saturday on a band
night that was it was mind-blowing to me I told my bartender I was like maybe
(16:06):
because I saw who was it I forget what club it was once I saw her I was like
oh shit mayors I told my bartender I was like maybe ask him to go that's might
not be the place for them tonight she was like well but they ended up staying you
know they I don't think they enjoy the music at all but they were out back and
(16:27):
they actually stayed longer than the bands play so everyone had a great time
I have a lot of people fight me on the music I mean I I don't want to turn away
business but I mean there's other things to do here like I said that's why I
built that next room you know is overflow so now when people you know
(16:47):
that are mainly like in the biz or locals and they don't want to hear what
I've got going on even though I'm like sitting right there like like this you
know they can still you know go to the bar get a cocktail and hang out outside
and you know just I mean there is like you said there is you said some things
to do there's everything you got our board you got rain charge yeah we got
(17:07):
how many dark boards for dark boards shuffle shuffle board air hockey three
pool tables yeah Jenga Jenga Jenga Jenga connect for connect for I mean there's
everything to do here so it's just a hook game the hook the ring I will
challenge anybody on that hook game we'll talk about that I will challenge
(17:29):
any chef dance with practicing I don't know a little one over there we got baby
I had like six in a row oh yeah yeah how I did it at six in a row right at
the bar stop it seriously I don't know how I'm doing this and it just like
click he just kept doing it he's getting his own yeah his own the big ones a
different story though no I can't I did that once I made it once that was it I
(17:51):
think I did it twice I don't know how though hitting me doesn't count no not
that would have been three but my customers are right these chairs suck
my god all my leg is my right leg is totally numb right now I'm not even
kidding I had it up I'm like oh like not so I'm like I can't feel my feet every
(18:13):
time I say stuff like that then it's Jeff Dan says oh you have the bony ass and
yeah I guess maybe that's what it is I'm looking at getting some cushions I
don't know do you have any like events coming up or anything you I don't even
know what's going on that's the one thing it doing the event here is like a
(18:34):
whole different job in itself in that in the social media is like a whole other
job but the event what do I have coming up I don't even know I I tried you were
like mr. no social media when I came I remember that I hated I hate social media
I hate it with a passion but it's the way to get the word out I can't stamp
(18:56):
Facebook I mainly work through like Instagram the events yeah I booked like
two months in advance I just recently just started doing three and four only
because I'm being very picky of what I want here but I'm still leaving like my
options open for like other people or other you know bands like said we do
(19:19):
everything here so I go I people send me hey I want to play there I go I do a
little bit of research would I like this here and then I talk it over my
staff and then once I get the go around then I book it we do a lot of shows on
Saturday but since January I've been doing stuff like throughout the week like
(19:43):
we know it's not just like not just like sometimes the one day no yeah it's all
different types of genres and I mean it's just a mixture of everything we
had a ska band a couple weeks ago and I didn't know how that was gonna play out
here but it was great you know like everybody really enjoyed it and the
(20:04):
band was like super energetic somebody was like that's a restaurant and the guy
he's singing without a shirt on I'm like sorry no we saw you know do you have any
specials like happy hour or something on Monday or whatever um we have happy
hour every day from we open it noon to seven then after happy hour it's like a
(20:27):
buck off of everything that we have should be like a draft is like three
fiftieth something is like 250 or whatever the well is or 50 and I think
that goes down to 350 after happy hour ends at seven that's when in the biz
kicks in that's if you work in the biz or you know you're an artist or
(20:50):
work in the industry we got a lot of in the biz kids come in you know after work
that's 25% off your check
Mondays what do we do free pool yeah I feel on Mondays I think that's about it
that in the events that we do occasionally book a show like on a
(21:12):
Tuesday that's why I keep it open I think one of the bartenders just signed up a
softball league nice they come in yeah there's always something different
on here yeah it's great I love it I mean what this reminding them is the old
school pubs like your neighborhood yeah that's exactly like you're not you know
(21:34):
this is not nothing a cookie cutter we are anti not I want to say anti-corporate
I mean this structure here but yeah we definitely do things different very
very different it's very local based you know make sure well it's a diet I can't
take credit for all of it I have to mainly give it to my staff you know it's
(21:55):
everybody here makes this place work I just had an opportunity to make it
happen I was making it happen you know now with the employees and you know the
customers we have a strong like core I call it for it you know and we're
growing every day growing and growing we've been here I think we were here at
(22:16):
one point like four or five times right and like the gentlemen regular
recognized oh yeah I remember you guys last week you were sitting I'm like wow
that's cool though you had a core group yeah that's that's that's why I don't
advertise like by I nothing against you know people I come here on vacation you
know but a lot of places in Florida are very seasonal and they capitalize you
(22:36):
know during season but this place is busy all year round and that's what I want
it from my staff you know hurts them though see that's the thing is and we
reached out is you know we got a lot of beach places and they want to focus on
tourism and then when tourism stops they're like what do we do and I mean
nothing like you have all these people that live around you you know this yeah
(22:58):
no the people that live here come first right you know whatever if you get
tourism exactly I mean my staff knows how to handle I just you know I didn't
want to really market you know towards I just don't need a group of spring breakers
coming in here and just disrupting what I have you know I just nothing against
spring breakers I just you know we we don't have problems here you know this
(23:20):
is a local spot you know every everybody knows everybody here you've
anchored a really good energy here yeah and you've created it from the get-go
you know you cleaned it up you took out the old you brought in the new I mean
keep bringing it in the thing is you keep it in our neighborhood and that's
what we're about we're about helping people in the neighborhood and it's so
(23:44):
creative here I mean the base is just amazing well you said it's all inclusive
being in the industry for so long I did have a background you know like I've
managed it places before and when it came to do in this place it was like okay
now it's mine and I had a platform on like how it's supposed to be run you
(24:06):
know and anything that I didn't really know how to do I pretty much figured out
or I had somebody figure it out for me but you go and you work for these places
and the way like the owners or you know the management treated their staff it
it's tough doing what they do you know I did it for a very long time you just have
(24:27):
to treat you know you just treat them with respect those are like your soldiers
you know without them I did you know we'd be no anchors you know yeah you know
it's become actually part of them well I've done what they've done for so long I
just know how to talk to people how to treat people that's number one you know
(24:48):
um it's tough it's a tough industry because you are geared towards like what
do they what's the express the customer is always right no that's fucking
bullshit go open up a business in Boca with that mentality and you're gonna be
out of business within a fucking year the customer isn't always right we very
(25:12):
rarely have like customer employee discrepancies you know but tell people
like this is South Florida if you don't like it here then go somewhere else you
know there's plenty of places to go so this is not an enabling no I mean I'm
very I'm very very fair but if you come in you like this is a right the problem
(25:36):
might be you right you know I mean like exactly there's a lot of this race in
a matter want to get political or social anything like that but you know there's
too much of this oh you don't like it this way well then let's change it for
everybody because no you don't like it that's the one thing I realized pretty
quick in this business is that I can't let the customers or my staff dictate the
(26:01):
way I run this bar I can listen to their input my one bartender drives me
fucking crazy like about like the aesthetics of this place she's got me
figured out to where she's just you know asked me so much that I'm just be like
you want to know what okay I'm gonna do it leave me alone but you know I
(26:23):
sit and I dissect it and then I come to a conclusion and I'm sure you take
everything into consideration and you make the best choice for everybody I
mean this is you've got such a great clientele this is a serious operation
but it's not that serious you know it's not like I'm like not one of those
(26:44):
owners that you mean it's seriously fun yeah that's awesome
why don't you tell everybody where you can be found yeah yeah tell tell me your
address um we are in Deerfield Beach addresses 179 northeast 2nd Avenue right
across the street from city hall over here in Deerfield right there's on
(27:08):
Street parking that's free they do and work to the street over here but we have
a whole lot in the back that's free parking you know it goes quick on the
weekends but there's always parking available yeah you might have to walk
from like Pioneer Park but if you want to get here you'll get here I tell
(27:30):
people at Uber you know but there's a lot of locals here you know either walk
in or yeah right down the road oh yeah oh yeah well thanks again for your time
we really appreciate it we love it's a great do great I love you guys thank you
that's a great take care God bless and keep up the good work oh thank you as
(27:50):
always we'll see you there bye bye
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.