We understand that we are not perfect – we are human, just like everybody who walks through our doors. It’s not fake, it’s grounded, so people feel that genuine warmth when we say they are part of our family. Las Vegas as a whole was not ready for cocktails, in my opinion, but in a city like this, I guess who was?
What were the hurdles?
One huge hurdle was that the people who would say they would love a great cocktail bar in Las Vegas were the same people who would come here and order vodka-Redbulls and go to the clubs because “that’s what you do in Vegas”. We never really focused on the geeky mixology stuff – we focused on being an amazing host to all who walked in.
I used to tell people “I got behind bars to stay from behind bars.” I grew up in the north-side of Vegas – a dodgy area – and my family went through countless challenges. But still, the example was always set of what it meant for us to fight the odds and persevere. That lesson early in life showed me the way for this dream. I had to make this work. I had no other choice but to succeed.
