النص 🔗
WEBVTT
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Okay.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Okay, great.
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Ready?
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Okay, great.
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I am back with the Inside the Block podcast.
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And today I'm joined by Ryan Filchek.
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Hi.
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How are you?
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Very well.
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I mean, it's incredible all the different things that you do in Lexington.
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I don't even know where to start.
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Why don't you introduce yourself?
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Tell us a little bit about you.
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Yeah, absolutely.
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So, Ryan Filchek here on Inside the Block Podcast.
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I am originally from Ver Sales.
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I live here in Lexington now.
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Went to Transi for undergrad and then UK for grad school, where I studied art history and visual studies, really playing it, playing it safe as far as my career choices.
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And then in 2015, moved to Chicago, where I worked with contemporary art galleries and then primarily in the food and beverage space, working with land and sea department, uh creative studio up there, and then moved back in 2021.
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Um so been back now for five years, and so my my full-time job, my day job is working with bolt marketing.
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I love bolt marketing.
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Tell us about bolt.
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I I love bolt too.
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So yeah, we're a small creative agency here in Lexington.
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Eight should be going on nine years old, right?
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So nine years old creative agency, we handle everything from messaging to branding to website, photography, video, and then on through with ongoing services, SEO, ad campaigns, social media management, this kind of thing.
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And so really what we do, and like oftentimes our our greatest partnerships, the greatest relationships that we have are with small businesses, and you know, case in point here, generally small businesses in the area.
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You know, like we look at our client list and it's like old Kentucky chocolates, yeah.
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Kentucky Castle.
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Yeah, yeah.
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You have some good ones though.
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Defender Kentucky three day you've seen a theme here.
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Uh, but yeah, it it's it's really nice.
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Well, I saw recently what you did, you revamped Old Kentucky Chocolates website.
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That's
Load full transcript
right.
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Yeah.
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And so I and I'm I'm a fan.
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So I had seen that website multiple times before.
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I mean, it was like an incredible, I mean, not a rebrand per se, but it like brought them into the next level of of that advertising and marketing.
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No, 100%.
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And I think that's often where like we can kind of pair very nicely.
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Like, they are a well-established company, they are doing fine.
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They are Kentucky.
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Yeah, like they've been here longer than me.
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They will be here longer than me.
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Like it's all good.
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But I think what's always so nice is that there are these moments.
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I'm thinking too of a friend's family company, Nitra, who had been in business for 30 years, uh, and had not, because they're busy, they're growing the business, they're occupied with these other things, had not taken the time to invest in marketing.
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So we were able to kind of retroactively revamp their website and and build them some assets and you know, kind of tell a story that had changed and evolved.
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Like oftentimes it's like it's not that the story like hasn't been told, but it changes, right?
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And so, like as things continue to expand, the like coming up alongside a company like that and being able to support them in some endeavors that they've never done before, hugely validating.
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Absolutely.
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And then in that you get to really see, and people get to like talk about their process, right?
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That's what's always so fascinating to me is like not only the evolution of it, but like the process of like how the sausage is made, so to speak, with these small businesses.
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100%, you know.
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Uh Jace Fairchild, founder of Bolt, you know, he says this a lot, and it's I I've really taken it to heart.
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It's a you know, like when we start to do marketing for a company, we're putting a magnifying glass on that company.
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Yeah, good and bad, right?
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Right.
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And everything that comes with that, and and oftentimes it's like going well beyond like we want a new logo.
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Okay, yeah, that's great.
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But like, why do we want a new logo?
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And it's like, well, we want a new logo because we want to increase sales.
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So now you're discussing like how it is you present yourself
to your customers, and you're touching all of the facets of the business, even though like the project is maybe uh you know a visual representation, but it it bleeds through into every aspect, and you know, kind of working with companies in that way, small businesses in that way, regional entities in that way, it feels like a privilege, right?
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Oh, for sure.
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Yeah.
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I mean, because you get to see behind the scenes, but you're also like pushing it forward and helping them kind of realize things, and I'm sure it's a really great symbiotic relationship in that way.
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100%.
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Yeah.
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I don't miss a um bulk marketing happy hour.
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I think you guys are doing like so tell like where's what's the idea behind that?
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Yeah, absolutely.
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So uh 2024, I think we had our first event.
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We've had 10 now in total.
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They kind of range from when we move into a new office, we had a grand opening, inviting customers in.
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Uh, we've hosted happy hours at again, other small businesses, some that are not clients of ours, like Burl Brew, and then we've been to West Six, Wisbird Cider, uh, the Willow, Camel Club, and then our most recent one was at Georgie's, right?
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And so that, you know, like here's the thing that was an effort early on when I was with Bull, when I was like, okay, working with a marketing agency is not like it's not something I went to school for, it's not something I was super familiar with, but having these backgrounds in events and hospitality, in like spaces with open doors, like it was like, can we apply this element to a marketing agency?
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So that was that was kind of the impetus, right?
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And so then it became kind of two different series, the happy hours, which is like we're gonna we're gonna pop up.
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Yeah, a couple hours.
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It's great for networking too, yeah.
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And there's get a bunch of people together, yeah.
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Yeah, and we try and yeah.
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There's a thing there too, right?
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Like we we try not to, or I think about not wanting to use that word uh networking.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Okay, so we're we're rebranding networking.
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I mean, what is Bolt doing?
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That I want to go to, sure, and anyone that has ever been called a networking event is not what I want to go back to.
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Because when we think about it, the connotation really
is like, it's my parents, it's a stuffy like hotel ballroom, right?
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You know, it's like one everybody's has not business cards and in suits.
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And you guys are really, I mean, you're doing you're doing really fun things with it.
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And I think one of the smartest things you're doing is you're collabing with other organizations, like your one at Georgie's was with Civic Lex.
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And so it was an opportunity to not only maybe meet Civic Lex people, but also the people that are also supportive of Civic Lex.
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So it's like a like-minded non-networking networking.
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Totally.
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And it's like, you know, that that word aside, like, of course, that's what I'm trying to do.
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And and we talk about like, you know, what is this perfect?
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What does a happy hour look like on a perfect scale?
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And like on a perfect scenario, it is 10 small business owners who cannot wait to invest in marketing and really need our services and want to talk.
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The reality is different, right?
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The reality is like, yeah, there may be a few of those folks, and we hope that there are, but it's those folks plus our peers, plus colleague peers, plus uh creatives in the industry, other um marketing individuals, and then like friends, family, and and current clients.
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And so then it becomes like a much bigger mix, and and so trying to cultivate that environment has been uh really nice to pursue and really rewarding to see uh see it succeed, right?
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Like the first one we did at Burlboro, we're talking like 15 people, and and shout out to those 15 people.
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Like I think we had yeah, I think there was a weather advisory, like we were on the cusp of canceling it.
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You were partying in the storm, 100%.
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And and it was just like uh I had also screwed up my calendar, I was supposed to be uh in Charleston that same day.
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That's neither here nor there.
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No, of course not, but we were like, we're gonna go through with this, and again, shout out to those 10 people who came through.
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And then, you know, Georgia, I think we had 70, 80 people, yeah.
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Oh, yeah, it was packed.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Your reputation starting to proceed yourself.
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Yeah, it's nice to see it's nice to see something snowball in a way where it's just like you are consistent, you are thorough with this.
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Well, it's organic, you know,
it doesn't nothing feels forced with that.
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Like this is starting to become this like club, not club per se, but like it's it's a great opportunity for anybody to come.
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It's just great people, very welcoming.
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Yeah, yeah.
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That that's the idea.
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And you know, it's like I want to do these things in a way that I would want to show up to.
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Sure.
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And and hope that people do.
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But your event planning background must really help.
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I mean, how did you get into event planning?
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Like, what are the pitfalls?
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Like, what are I mean, I that's always that's always been a field that's really interested me too.
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I mean, again, I've been a bartender or was a bartender for a long time.
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So you've seen it all, you know.
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So, like, there's a very real, like, people are coming at you from every angle, and and you're gonna show them a really nice time.
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Yeah.
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Or, or hope to.
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Sure.
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Or do everything in your yes.
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The goal is that they leave and be like, wow, that was really nice.
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Yeah, you know, and and you do that a hundred times in an evening, five days a week for 10 years.
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Like, you you kind of sharpen some skills, how to like read a room and host somebody and provide hospitality, not only when it is really easy and your friends come through and they say what's up, but like when it's hard.
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And the person across from you is not someone you want to be necessarily across from you, but you are still extending that same level of hospitality.
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Yeah.
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So that would be, I would say, where it starts.
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And then, you know, kind of working with galleries.
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That was the reason I moved back to Lexington was, you know, uh, my wife and I were both working for hospitality land and sea department in Chicago, then COVID hit.
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Then we're not, right?
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And and we had talked about moving back to Lexington, and basically I picked up a conversation where I had not wanted to work uh as the director of 193 because all these restaurants were booming, we were opening concepts in in new states, green lights all the way.
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And and then and then it all dissipated.
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So then it was like, I would I would like to do this now, please.
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You know, if you will please have it.
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So all that to say that same there was a common denominator of like I have something I want to share with you.
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Totally.
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Be it a restaurant, be it an art exhibition, our doors are open.
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I would like you to come in here and I would like to leave, or I would like you to leave with a good impression.
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Yeah.
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Oh, I mean, you beyond succeed at that for sure.
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I and I like I like too that you know, I feel the same way in terms of you're you have a very varied background, you know, you're pulling from skills from lots of different types of backgrounds, and sometimes you know, you're you're finding creative ways to make that work for you know the position that you're in and pushing that position and maybe different directions that they wouldn't have thought of otherwise.
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100%.
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And and major shout out to the team at Bolt to being like very open to that, right?
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Because there's a world where two years we're into this thing and it's like, hey man, no one's showing up.
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You know, like we should pivot.
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Despite your best intentions, despite all of the program we've put around this to kind of share what it is that we're doing and invite people into the conversation, like no one's really picking it up, you know.
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And like I think that was a very much a reality to try and like do something atypical for a marketing agency.
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You know, I don't think it's um, I don't think it's a coincidence that we're we're we moved into an office about a year ago on Main Street.
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It's such a sick location.
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Very good.
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I mean, I would eat at Easton Tap and Table every day.
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Like you're basically next door.
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We share a wall.
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We share a wall.
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But I'm basically your next door.
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You know, like I love it.
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Uh yeah, they're they're fantastic.
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And and yeah, I think, you know, it is not a coincidence that like where Chase and I have our office is in that front room and and we want to be on mainstream.
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We want people to come in the door, and we want people to, you know, collaborative from the the get-go, yeah.
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As as much as it possibly can be.
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And and so like pushing for that and making that a tenant of of what we do, like that pushes the
events and that pushes like the marketing of ourselves, which had always been kind of a challenge, right?
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The cobblers kids have no shoes, so like what we were really good at doing for other people, we were not as good at doing for ourselves.
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But you've now taken time to kind of like step back and do that, yeah.
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100%.
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Yeah, since since you moved into the offices, since we've moved into the offices and since about two years ago, really.
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Like because I, you know, going further back, uh like when I was working at 193, that's where Chase and I meet, right?
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He comes into an exhibit, he's with his wife, his friends, and and that's where we meet and kind of conversations started from there, right?
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And and at that time, getting to know him, getting to know the company before I worked with them, it was like you guys are doing great stuff, and I'm not sure too many people know.
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Right.
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Other than the people you're doing great work for.
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And so that, like, yeah, it it's been a challenge to try and like do the thing for yourself that you're good at doing for someone else.
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I completely agree.
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I'm thinking about like all these other times in my life too, where I'm like, yeah, maybe I should apply those, you know, skills.
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I mean, you know, case in point, the years I was a bartender never once made myself a cocktail.
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You know, it is cold as beer, shot of bourbon, that's it, despite being in the trenches all day long, having skills, having the knowledge.
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Maybe you just never want to.
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No.
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I I was a server all through grad school, and I they m made me bartend for a couple of weeks, and I remember I couldn't handle the eye contact, like just being stared at and like the stress.
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Because at least when you're a server, you can like walk away from the table.
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It's less like I was like, this shouldn't be that stressful.
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Everybody's in one spot.
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It was beyond stressful because they're all in one spot.
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You were on display, you were you're a performer.
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I bet you were such a good bartender, though.
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I I was I was okay.
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Yeah, I was hard, a very modest bartender.
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Yeah, efficient.
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That's the thing that I liked about it.
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It was like small, repeatable tasks.
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And in that regard, I I really took to it.
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Yeah.
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Um, would you have a lot of patrons that would like hang out and just want to talk and talk and talk?
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100%.
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Yes, those those people are there.
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It just made you great at events, right?
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Because you're having to like, you know, there's a multitask.
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Yeah, you can you can roll people off.
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That's a skill in and of itself.
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Yeah.
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Oh, have you met show and so yes, the best?
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Yeah.
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Oh, you have this in common.
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Oh, you'll never believe what happened.
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And then you just vanished.
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Yeah.
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Uh, this is a good question for Jenna.
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Like, yeah, because we worked together for many.
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That's how we met.
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We worked together.
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Uh, we met working together as bartenders.
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Uh oh, I didn't know that.
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Yeah.
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At Dose Urban Canteen in Chicago.
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Cool.
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And then we applied to go work at another place.
00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:42.799
And so we're working at two bars.
00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:45.200
Um, yeah, for for many years.
00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:46.159
I love your wife.
00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:50.639
I think she does such incredible work and with her floral arrangements are like works of art.
00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:51.360
Insane.
00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:52.080
She's great.
00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:52.799
The best.
00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:56.960
And I I love seeing her right before like a big like holiday.
00:15:57.200 --> 00:16:02.320
Well, I love and I feel sorry for her because I you can just tell she's like, it's it's been a it's Mother's Day.
00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:03.919
It's been a moment, you know.
00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:06.320
She's like, there's flowers all over our place.
00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:07.120
Right.
00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:07.440
Yes.
00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:08.960
I've been trimming stems.
00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:10.399
We we've had 15 pickups.
00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:11.919
Do you help out with the flowers?
00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:15.440
Uh only in the sense that I'm like sometimes carrying buckets.
00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:16.399
Yeah, I okay.
00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:17.759
You're manual labor.
00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:18.320
That's right.
00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:18.639
Okay.
00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:23.600
I'm moving objects from A to B, but outside of that, I'm not
really helping.
00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:24.399
Gotcha.
00:16:25.200 --> 00:16:28.720
Well, I mean, one day maybe she'll move you up a little bit.
00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:29.360
Right.
00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:31.519
I'm not holding my breath.
00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:33.279
I am not holding my breath.
00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:38.159
Okay, so speaking of the Bolt team, you guys are like onward and upward with.
00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:40.240
I mean, you've got a huge new project that's happening.
00:16:40.320 --> 00:16:41.200
Tell me all about it.
00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:42.000
That's right.
00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:44.720
So um, good reception records.
00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:45.440
Yes.
00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:48.480
Uh, this is again, you're gonna see a theme here.
00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:52.960
Chase Fairchild, founder of Bolt, uh, decided he wanted to open a record shop.
00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:54.480
Um because why not?
00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:56.960
Kind that's kind of how yeah, yeah.
00:16:57.200 --> 00:17:02.240
I yeah, it's nice to see someone's mind working that way where it's just like this, yeah.
00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:05.839
Let's see, I'll overthink everything.
00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:08.640
And he's just like, go to an nth degree, yeah.
00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:23.680
Um, but yeah, it's a group of us, uh, Sam Myers, graphic designer at Bolt, who's the graphic designer for the shop, Josh Bittner, Chris Skiles, uh Chase, myself, and then uh Cam Taylor as well.
00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:34.000
So there's a lot of overlap between us and Bolt, but the the plan is to open uh a brick and mortar space on Southland at 500 Southland Drive.
00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:35.039
Where is that exactly on?
00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:36.160
I love Southland.
00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:43.359
It is that standalone former doctor's office building across from the BP.
00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:49.680
Okay, so it's standalone if you're coming from Rosemont, you turn it on to Southland.
00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:51.759
Okay, it's that first building on your right.
00:17:51.920 --> 00:17:56.480
Okay, near Aguas Calientis, everything to me is like based on Aguas Calientes.
00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:59.440
I'm like, where's this in relation to my favorite tacos?
00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:06.960
Yes, okay, further down, cool, yeah, cool, great, and so like so it'll be inside it record shop.
00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:14.640
There'll be a you know, a brick and mortar footprint there, and then John Coffee will be the coffee shop that will take up the print, you know, majority of the space.
00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:19.519
Fabulous, yeah, and so it's a partnership, we're kind of housed within their entity.
00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:22.240
Uh, but yeah, really good stuff.
00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:22.799
Yeah.
00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:26.720
When is there a projected open date or August?
00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:27.920
This year?
00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:28.319
Yeah, yeah.
00:18:28.559 --> 00:18:28.799
Great.
00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:31.359
We're going August September in this moment.
00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:32.000
Amazing.
00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:34.880
Yeah, big very little facts to support that.
00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:37.839
But uh throwing that out there to the gods.
00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:39.359
Yeah, if you build it, they will come.
00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:40.000
100%.
00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:43.440
And and it's been yeah, it's been really nice.
00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:56.559
You know, we were talking, we've essentially made a second marketing company that happens to sell records, and and so we've sponsored a couple of events or festivals now, Tulsawn Music Festival in Southland.
00:18:57.039 --> 00:18:58.000
Oh, that's you guys.
00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:00.319
Oh, your sponsor, you're you are sponsored.
00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:00.720
Gotcha.
00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:02.000
You are and then collab with that.
00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:06.880
We were a sponsor of Sleeping in the Woods, yes, uh, and Monticello.
00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:07.680
Yeah.
00:19:07.920 --> 00:19:10.079
And as a little music fest, right?
00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:10.559
That's right.
00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:11.039
Yeah.
00:19:11.279 --> 00:19:30.400
And then we've been hosting more events, uh, pop-ups at Burl Brew, where we'll have a couple of record vendors, uh, folks spending vinyl, DJing, and then uh also Lazy Lightning, which is a local Grateful Dead cover group, uh, which is now moving to Burl Brew as well.
00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:32.319
Cool first Thursday of every month.
00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:39.279
So yeah, yeah, it's starting to snowball in a in a very nice way, and come to fruition.
00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:40.880
So all only vinyl.
00:19:41.359 --> 00:19:46.079
Uh well, vinyl, cassette, cd, not only primarily physical media.
00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:47.279
Yes, gotcha.
00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:48.000
Very cool.
00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:48.880
Yeah, yeah.
00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:52.799
And was this in any way spurned by the fact that you are also a DJ?
00:19:53.279 --> 00:19:54.160
Part of it, yes.
00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:55.519
Yeah, well, that was the thing.
00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:57.680
It's like Chase was like, we're doing this.
00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:00.000
And I was like, I don't, I don't know how you're gonna do it, you know.
00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:02.880
Like, I've never opened a record store, you've never opened a record store.
00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:06.160
Like, how and then it was just like, oh yeah, no, this looks like a lot of fun.
00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:07.839
I really very much like to be involved.
00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:09.440
And I'm you know, my bad.
00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:14.000
Whoops, yeah, no, I am in fact very interested by this.
00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:21.200
Um, but yeah, uh playing records, spin vinyl events, like this goes back to Chicago.
00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:39.279
I first started doing it there, and I think the really nice thing is like the events that I've hosted for myself to
play records at spaces like Ona and Allesbar and places like that, like all of that comes from nothing original, right?
00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:46.319
Like, all of that comes from being like homesick for Chicago and that just being like a standard practice, right?
00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:57.839
Like great, great bars like Sportsman's Club, Rainbow Club, Ludlow Liquors, like they've just got turntables there, and there's DJs maybe four or five nights a week.
00:20:58.160 --> 00:21:05.519
And that was kind of how I got my foot in the door, was just like begging those guys to like let me play records on a Sunday night when nobody else wanted to.
00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:06.000
Yeah.
00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:09.119
And and then like when I moved back here, I missed that greatly.
00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:12.480
And I was like, well, then you know because Lexington just didn't have that.
00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:16.720
Like you were you feeling sort of like you were homesick for it, but were you feeling like a need?
00:21:16.880 --> 00:21:24.079
I yeah, and and I think there's still, you know, like there's still not a place that is like set up to do that.
00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:37.680
You know, it's me kind of forcing yourself upon yeah, like yeah, forcing the issue on on on situations where it's like, no, I'll I'll go buy a PA, or you know, I'll go rent a PA, I'll I'll grab the tables, you know.
00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:39.119
You've got an entire floor.
00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:40.720
So what does that say about Lexington?
00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:42.640
The word like just not hip enough.
00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:43.920
Yeah, you're bringing that, you know.
00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:53.680
There is there's ample opportunity, and I think the really nice thing is much like with the record store, and much like you know, vinyl DJ is like these are not new ideas.
00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:57.680
These are these are rather but new ideas for this area, I guess.
00:21:58.079 --> 00:22:01.359
Or like, yeah, where's the like the Where's the demand?
00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:08.640
Yeah, I I just think there's there's massive room for a bar that is set up with sound in mind.
00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:11.039
So you have DJs on a regular basis.
00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:17.359
Um yeah, I just there's not one of those places now, but uh there's absolutely no reason there couldn't be.
00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:25.839
Do you plan to do and you might have said this, and I apologize because I know you're doing all of these amazing like pop-ups everywhere else, but you're planning to do it at the record shop too?
00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:26.400
Yes.
00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:27.039
Okay, great.
00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:28.640
Yeah, so that is set up for you.
00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:41.359
Yeah, I we don't totally know what that looks like, but I I think that you know packing the car once a week will be really nice to be like, what if we had things here?
00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:42.160
Yeah, absolutely.
00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:48.960
A stationary space, right, and an address, yeah, you know, like so definitely anticipate hosting events.
00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:50.799
Uh I can't wait to see, yeah, yeah.
00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:52.000
Yeah, congratulations.
00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:52.480
Thanks.
00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:53.039
Yeah, yeah.
00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:55.039
No, it's uh it's exciting.
00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:59.279
Um I I feel really lucky that these guys wanted me involved, right?
00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:00.400
You know, absolutely.
00:23:00.559 --> 00:23:05.279
Lexington needed it, and and there needs to be more coffee on Southland, quite frankly.
00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:08.000
It is uh is it it's a coffee wasteland.
00:23:08.079 --> 00:23:12.319
I mean, there there's a couple of great shops, but like yeah, y'all are y'all are feeling the need there too.
00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:15.200
Coffee doesn't, you know, seems like a pretty good idea.
00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:15.839
Absolutely.
00:23:16.640 --> 00:23:18.079
Coffee shop in anything, yeah.
00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:20.319
I love it.
00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:22.400
Okay, amazing.
00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:25.599
Oh okay, so tell me your thoughts.
00:23:25.680 --> 00:23:40.319
I mean, I I guess I didn't quite realize that you would only I've I knew you were born or like raised in Versales, that's right, and then you had left, but like I just assumed like all of your sort of like late, lately formative years were here in Lexington, but you were Chicago, and you've only been back since 2021.
00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:43.359
Yeah, how has Lexington changed in the time that you were gone?
00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:44.160
Do you think?
00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:50.559
Uh it has one like it has definitely changed.
00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:53.759
Uh, I think it has gotten more expensive.
00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:55.039
Without a doubt.
00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:57.519
I mean, but also my real estate.
00:23:57.759 --> 00:24:05.519
Yeah, yeah, it has gotten more expensive, but I also like my framework as being like 27 and bartending.
00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:11.680
You know, like my needs and my responsibilities at that time were significantly lower.
00:24:11.839 --> 00:24:18.319
So, like, yes, I do think things have gotten more expensive, but I don't think that that there are two things at play here, right?
00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:23.359
Like sure, both the town at large and you know, I grew up a little bit, right?
00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:27.599
Despite best intentions, despite my efforts, like that happened.
00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:33.839
I I think there are I I mean, I think there are you know, we're here in the warehouse block.
00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:38.960
That that to me is like a massive barometer, unbelievable, right?
00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:54.960
And so when I had come, and we've talked about this in other episodes slightly, but I think all of Lexington really knows like this, there's never been a bigger like shift, like a
like an entire 180 of what this area used to be and what it is now.
00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:58.240
And and you were like a part of the formative parts of that, right?
00:24:58.640 --> 00:25:03.920
Well, that was the thing, is like in 2015, ostensibly my last job in Lexington.
00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:06.480
I'm the bar manager of National Provisions.
00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:09.440
National Provisions, which is now Eppings on East Side.
00:25:09.599 --> 00:25:10.960
So that building, yes, yes.
00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:20.160
And so National Provisions was owned by the same folks who ran Table 310, where I was previously the bar manager there before we opened the browser at National, right?
00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:36.319
And so it was a multi-concept property, uh, boulinger, uh, cafe, beer garden, uh, grocery store, just a massively ambitious and impressive situation that was like very, very exciting to be a part of.
00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:39.599
And that was that was 10 years ago now.
00:25:39.839 --> 00:25:50.640
And like we we were moving in kind of with this idea that what the warehouse block has now become, like we were going to be the pioneers, yeah.
00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:59.200
We were going like it was good, we were gonna move in, everything was gonna be gangbusters, and then the next day everybody else would move in.
00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:01.359
That's not exactly how it works.
00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:04.559
You build a brassery and they woke up, right?
00:26:04.640 --> 00:26:16.000
Yeah, if you create an incredibly pretentious and inaccessible cocktail menu, they'll flood through the doors, and that's not what happened, uh, unfortunately.
00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:21.519
But the like I still stand by, like it was a very, very exciting time.
00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:39.279
It attracted everybody worth their salt of uh or or with any talent in in the food and beverage space to to be a part of those places, and really so there were people that were like leaving their situations to like come and and make national provisions a thing too?
00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:48.880
Yes, I'm sure there was a little bit of that, sure, but like you know, table 310 was such a hub, and then it became basically like, okay, now we have new opportunities.
00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:49.200
Right.
00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:54.240
So, like the guy behind the bar who was really into craft beer, like got to open a beer garden.
00:26:54.319 --> 00:26:54.720
Right.
00:26:54.880 --> 00:27:06.400
In in again, a very inaccessible and pretentious way, but very interesting and and very uh kind of groundbreaking for the area and very challenging.
00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:07.119
Yeah, right.
00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:19.599
In in a way that didn't pan out financially again, but like was very exciting to be a part of, and it was that same way for bartenders and chefs and things like that, and it it just became it was it was quite a hub.
00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:20.000
Yeah.
00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:22.079
What exactly did you do at National Provisions?
00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:24.559
So I worked as the bar manager.
00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:35.200
So the when the dining room uh lunch dinner menu, when that portion of the property opened, I was the bar manager for that bar.
00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:35.839
Cool.
00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:44.160
I just remember walking in, I think I only went maybe twice, but I do remember walking in and being like, this is wildly different than anything that I've seen.
00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:54.480
And then it was, you know, Eppings is a long building, and it was like they really took advantage of the space in so many different ways, and like the lighting was great, and it was such a cool concept for sure.
00:27:54.720 --> 00:28:01.759
Yeah, yeah, but yeah, so that was yeah, again, that was my last job in Lexington, and it was one of these things where it's like, you know what?
00:28:01.839 --> 00:28:06.640
I don't know if we're really moving seafood towers at lunch the way that we thought we would.
00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:22.240
Yeah, and it kind of we had gotten to the point where I or I had gotten to the point that I wanted to be in a larger ecosystem when it came to food and beverage and the hospitality industry, and and so yeah, and that prompted the move to Chicago.
00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:22.720
That's right.
00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:23.440
Gotcha.
00:28:23.599 --> 00:28:24.480
Yeah, gotcha.
00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:25.920
What was Chicago like?
00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:27.039
Chicago is great.
00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:29.039
I've only been once, like, and everybody talks.
00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:30.319
I know, terrible.
00:28:30.880 --> 00:28:31.839
I'm not okay with that.
00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:34.160
I would love it.
00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:36.319
Yeah, is the food scene really good in Chicago?
00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:41.359
It is the best, it is yeah, that's the easiest question we're gonna handle on this whole time.
00:28:41.839 --> 00:28:43.119
Just a fast yes, yes.
00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:46.720
Singularly, singularly the best.
00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:47.839
And and how?
00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:49.039
Why?
00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:51.680
Two things.
00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:57.839
Like, one, I I think you have such a reputation, and you have a baked-in culture, right?
00:28:57.920 --> 00:29:17.920
Like what we had at like Table 310 and National was uh was a small portion of the population who took these jobs seriously and and has careers and were passionate about them and and wanted to push things further than what they were familiar with, both personally and at large.
00:29:18.160 --> 00:29:22.640
Um, so you have a culture of that, and you have an audience for that.
00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:42.880
So, like in both ways, you have this very deep understanding that this is a place that is the the upper crust, the you know, it's a linea, it's um a vec, it's you know, all these kind of places that are just absolutely outstanding, and and
then on down, right?
00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:48.559
That goes from Takeria's to Michelin star restaurants and back and forth.
00:29:48.640 --> 00:29:53.839
You have this culture of like, this is very important to us, and and we are going to support it, right?
00:29:54.000 --> 00:30:10.480
And so, like you have the staff who want to do that too, who understand that like it's important, it is uh admirable, it is a noteworthy pursuit, like all of those kinds of things, and you just you you feel good being a part of it, yeah.
00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:23.440
And probably, I mean, I'm sure that Chicago restaurants fail too, but like it's is it harder to fail there because there is that like ingrained sense of like everybody's yeah, I I don't know.
00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:28.960
I'm sure it's still as statistically horrendous to open a restaurant there as anywhere else, yeah.
00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:46.319
But like, you know, the highs are higher too, you know, like you get to be a part of something that's really big, you know, not to like yeah, like the TV show The Bear, like you know, yeah, it's it's its own thing, you know, there's things to be said, you know.
00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:46.880
Sure.
00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:55.839
Maybe we've gone on for a little longer than we need to be, maybe we're yelling a little too much, but like that kind of like pride in in what it is you're doing is very real.
00:30:56.000 --> 00:31:07.920
And I think that like what's always in like I like that show because you're just like picking out the places that you went, like, oh, there's giant, there's kasama, you know, like it becomes like a where's waldo, more so than like I've lost the plot completely.
00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:10.720
Like I have no idea what's actually happening.
00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:17.279
I'm just like peeking at like b-roll scenes to see if I can identify street corners, you know.
00:31:17.519 --> 00:31:22.000
Um, but yeah, I I think that is a huge part of it.
00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:23.839
So, what about Lexington's food?
00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:24.880
You you're back.
00:31:25.039 --> 00:31:27.200
What are your thoughts on Lexington's food scene now?
00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:28.240
What can we do to improve?
00:31:28.319 --> 00:31:28.880
Where do you eat?
00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:30.079
I want to know where does Jenna eat?
00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:31.039
Where sure, yeah.
00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:32.000
We generally eat together.
00:31:32.240 --> 00:31:32.640
Okay, great.
00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:33.279
Which is helpful.
00:31:33.519 --> 00:31:33.839
Yeah, yeah.
00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:35.359
Very the whole married couple thing.
00:31:35.440 --> 00:31:35.759
Yeah, yeah.
00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:36.880
Very helpful.
00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:41.440
Um, no, I I mean, I think as things have developed, things have improved, right?
00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:43.599
And you have more options, which I think is great.
00:31:43.759 --> 00:31:53.839
That to me is what has changed is
that people, you know, have like they have pockets of town they go to, they have restaurants versus like, well, we had five, you know, we had five restaurants.
00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:57.039
No, it's like, oh, I like these places over here versus there.
00:31:57.279 --> 00:32:00.319
Um, you know, huge fan of pearls.
00:32:00.400 --> 00:32:02.240
I think pearls, everything they do.
00:32:02.640 --> 00:32:03.920
You seem like a pearls guy.
00:32:04.160 --> 00:32:06.799
I'll take that as a backhanded compliment.
00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:08.960
I love pearls too.
00:32:09.200 --> 00:32:09.519
Yeah, yeah.
00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:13.279
No, I I think we're great atmosphere, great Chelsea do over there.
00:32:13.519 --> 00:32:15.519
Absolutely, it's absolutely fantastic.
00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:24.640
So I I think, you know, I I think they have I like going there because I see that same kind of thing where it's like the people who are here are excited to be here.
00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:25.119
Totally.
00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:31.359
They're excited to be working here, they're excited to be sharing what it is they're doing, whether that's like drinks or the food they've got on the menu.
00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:38.559
Like, you know, they're doing mobile pop-ups now as well, which means that like, you know, obviously we're excited to bring this to more people.
00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:39.200
Absolutely.
00:32:39.359 --> 00:32:47.279
I and they're playing around lately, you know, with bagels, and they're you know, and every single one of my vegan friends is like, you want to see me, I'll be at Pearl.
00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:52.480
So like they're catering to this vegan audience that's I growing certainly in Lexington too.
00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:53.920
So it's like, go on.
00:32:54.160 --> 00:32:55.440
I mean, I think it's fantastic.
00:32:55.680 --> 00:32:57.039
Also, no TVs.
00:32:57.119 --> 00:32:58.160
I'm gonna put that out there.
00:32:58.319 --> 00:32:59.440
Yeah, for sure.
00:32:59.920 --> 00:33:06.000
I and probably the best ranch in Lexington, like it's the best ranch sauce in Lexington.
00:33:06.240 --> 00:33:08.400
No TVs and ranch, it's the key to success.
00:33:08.720 --> 00:33:10.799
It's not gonna hurt, it's not gonna not be.
00:33:10.960 --> 00:33:16.640
These are strong Chicago tent poles, ranch served, no TVs.
00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:17.519
No, that's right.
00:33:17.680 --> 00:33:20.640
Um, yeah, I I think that would be a lesson we could learn.
00:33:20.880 --> 00:33:21.599
Yeah, absolutely.
00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:27.519
I would also say, like there, there are basically like three places when friends are in town that we take them to.
00:33:28.079 --> 00:33:28.720
Yeah, I want to hear this.
00:33:28.960 --> 00:33:31.920
Pearls, Stellas for lunch, sure on Jefferson.
00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:33.440
Yeah, it's very close to our apartment.
00:33:33.519 --> 00:33:35.440
It's also just great.
00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:36.960
Uh historic house.
00:33:37.039 -->
00:33:37.440
I like that.
00:33:37.599 --> 00:33:38.400
Yes, absolutely.
00:33:38.559 --> 00:33:40.240
Yeah, it's kind of as you said.
00:33:40.319 --> 00:33:42.079
Do we we'll get the report on that place?
00:33:42.400 --> 00:33:43.680
Is it it will be saved, right?
00:33:43.759 --> 00:33:44.400
Stellas will be.
00:33:44.880 --> 00:33:45.119
Of course.
00:33:45.359 --> 00:33:48.240
Um, I'll be chain myself to the wrecking ball if they ever stay.
00:33:48.559 --> 00:33:48.960
Okay, yes.
00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:52.000
And then thirdly, panda cuisines okay on Nicholasville.
00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:54.240
On Nicholasville, yeah, next to the Trader Joe's.
00:33:54.400 --> 00:33:54.720
That's right.
00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:56.319
Yeah, yeah, kind of across the parking lot.
00:33:56.720 --> 00:33:57.440
Yeah, dim sum.
00:33:57.759 --> 00:33:59.039
And yeah, they're doing great things too.
00:33:59.279 --> 00:34:00.799
Chinese Session style.
00:34:01.200 --> 00:34:01.680
It's so good.
00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:03.519
And you know, you want to know why they're so great.
00:34:03.680 --> 00:34:18.480
I used to work with the Confucius Institute of UK, and they would have um teachers from China, like from China, come in for like big events and things, and they would all request to go to paint, like that would be the one Chinese food restaurant they would take those from China to.
00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:21.199
And I was like, well, I don't think you can get more authentic than that.
00:34:21.360 --> 00:34:22.960
No, and that's great.
00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:32.159
Because I've heard similarly from folks who work in the horse industry, where they're like, if we are hosting folks from China, I'm taking them to paint cuisine.
00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:33.280
Yeah, fair.
00:34:33.519 --> 00:34:34.880
So amazing.
00:34:35.119 --> 00:34:37.920
That that would be those areas.
00:34:38.000 --> 00:34:44.719
Yeah, I get people who come into town and want to go to um uh bourbon and Toulouse.
00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:49.039
And these are people like from like even like near Louisiana, they're like, This is and I'm like, really?
00:34:49.360 --> 00:34:56.880
Like, and I love bourbon and Toulouse for sure, but it was like it's just wild, it's wild what outsiders like in Lexington.
00:34:56.960 --> 00:34:59.039
Like, that's always an interesting perspective, you know?
00:34:59.280 --> 00:34:59.840
Definitely, yeah.
00:34:59.920 --> 00:35:01.840
The Cajun food in central Kentucky.
00:35:02.159 --> 00:35:02.719
That's the draw.
00:35:02.960 --> 00:35:03.599
That's the draw.
00:35:03.760 --> 00:35:04.719
Uh yeah.
00:35:04.880 --> 00:35:13.519
I will I will say also ancillary to the big three for food, CCI would be oh, for number one for uh a bar.
00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:23.039
It couldn't it couldn't be, but I've only recently gotten into CCI, and the times I've been, it's either like older men watching whatever, yes, and then the other day I went there.
00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:26.079
It might be every single day, and you would think that that's the norm.
00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:31.599
But the other day I went and it was a uh a 21st birthday party for a bunch of girls.
00:35:31.840 --> 00:35:32.239
That's right.
00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:36.960
And they were up on the bar, like I walked in on the bar dancing and like grinding.
00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:37.760
That's incredible.
00:35:37.920 --> 00:35:39.599
And I was like, Where's the old men?
00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:41.840
They'd love this, they were like nowhere to be found.
00:35:41.920 --> 00:35:42.960
It was like one or the other, you know.
00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:48.880
Yeah, they've removed themselves, absolutely, they can't be privy to something like that, they don't have much left.
00:35:49.280 --> 00:35:53.920
No, they're like there's a thin veil between them and the other side.
00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:57.440
Uh yeah, I I like CCI.
00:35:57.599 --> 00:36:04.320
I told my friend recently that for better or for worse, I do not feel more like a Lexingtonian than when I am at CCI.
00:36:04.559 --> 00:36:04.880
Totally.
00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:07.280
And and I like that there are parameters.
00:36:07.440 --> 00:36:07.760
Uh-huh.
00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:13.119
There are like you have to mind your manners, like in a very like traditional southern way.
00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:13.920
Absolutely.
00:36:14.079 --> 00:36:15.519
And I think that's good for a bar.
00:36:15.599 --> 00:36:20.000
I think bars should have rules as like everyone's levels of respect.
00:36:20.239 --> 00:36:20.960
Oh, absolutely.
00:36:21.119 --> 00:36:22.400
And the respect I think is key.
00:36:22.480 --> 00:36:27.440
And you don't always find that everywhere, but it's very much like you have everyone, everyone is welcome.
00:36:27.519 --> 00:36:30.320
And if you're gonna get pissy about that, you're the only one that's not welcome.
00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:31.199
It's kind of how it feels.
00:36:31.280 --> 00:36:32.320
Like it's like head on out.
00:36:32.800 --> 00:36:33.199
Yeah, yeah.
00:36:33.440 --> 00:36:36.800
So you can't get down that yeah, you don't have to stay here.
00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:37.440
You don't.
00:36:37.840 --> 00:36:39.119
So what's next for?
00:36:39.519 --> 00:36:42.320
I mean, are we even talking about next steps of anything?
00:36:42.400 --> 00:36:44.960
I mean, you're opening up the record shop, sure, yeah.
00:36:45.039 --> 00:36:47.039
And remind good reception records.
00:36:47.199 --> 00:36:48.159
Good reception records.
00:36:48.239 --> 00:36:48.639
I love that.
00:36:48.719 --> 00:36:49.119
Yeah, yeah.
00:36:49.199 --> 00:36:50.159
It's such a clever name, too.
00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:51.199
So that's a good one.
00:36:51.519 --> 00:36:52.400
You're opening this up.
00:36:52.480 --> 00:36:53.920
What's next on the horizon?
00:36:54.159 --> 00:36:56.480
Well, we're filling out that calendar for Bolt, right?
00:36:56.559 --> 00:37:02.639
We've got again, the majority of us are here in Lexington, but uh, we've got a couple folks in Nashville.
00:37:02.719 --> 00:37:10.559
And so our next happy hour will actually be at East Nashville Beer Works, uh, down there, Music City.
00:37:10.800 --> 00:37:14.719
I'm gonna have to travel to Nashville to go to see the okay, yeah, on my calendar.
00:37:14.800 --> 00:37:16.000
Who we good to know.
00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:16.480
Yeah, yeah.
00:37:16.719 --> 00:37:21.679
So that's exciting because yeah, you know, that program that we were talking about, this will be the first time that we're taking it out of state.
00:37:21.920 --> 00:37:22.480
On the road.
00:37:22.719 --> 00:37:23.280
I like it.
00:37:23.440 --> 00:37:24.159
Very cool.
00:37:24.320 --> 00:37:25.039
That's great.
00:37:25.280 --> 00:37:30.159
Okay, and then when you get back to Lexington, any other events and things this year?
00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:31.760
Still on in the midst?
00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:34.400
I was gonna say, the T TBD.
00:37:34.480 --> 00:37:35.519
Yeah, some things in the way.
00:37:36.800 --> 00:37:44.000
Yeah, TBD, we'll we'll fill it out, more happy hours, more um collaborations with organizations.
00:37:44.239 --> 00:37:46.320
Yeah, I love that international book project.
00:37:46.400 --> 00:37:47.679
We're having some conversation with them.
00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:48.159
Cool.
00:37:48.400 --> 00:37:51.199
Uh that you know, Civic Lex really put us on to them.
00:37:51.280 --> 00:37:53.920
And yeah, yeah, uh, some nice conversations there.
00:37:54.159 --> 00:37:55.760
Great, okay, perfect.
00:37:56.000 --> 00:37:58.320
Well, anything else before we wrap?
00:37:58.480 --> 00:37:59.599
Oh, this is so good, Doc Thomas.
00:37:59.760 --> 00:38:00.559
I was gonna say, yeah.
00:38:00.719 --> 00:38:02.000
Thank you, thank you for having me.
00:38:02.159 --> 00:38:02.559
Oh my gosh.
00:38:02.880 --> 00:38:06.159
Even though, like, I will candidly say that I asked to do this.
00:38:06.559 --> 00:38:07.599
I'm so glad you asked.
00:38:07.920 --> 00:38:09.280
Yeah, split into my DMs.
00:38:09.599 --> 00:38:12.639
I'm not gonna pretend like I didn't ask you to do this.
00:38:12.960 --> 00:38:17.199
I think what you guys do is really great, and it's uh a real honor.
00:38:17.280 --> 00:38:19.440
Uh well, we're only as great as our guests.
00:38:19.679 --> 00:38:35.360
And so, I mean, I it's it like truly, Ryan, it's incredible how much you've done and like how your fingers are in so many different things, and I think it's like really you're just like a natural born creative, and I think that that's inspiring and like needs more.
00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:36.639
Don't you go back to Chicago?
00:38:36.719 --> 00:38:37.360
You're staying here.
00:38:38.639 --> 00:38:39.280
For the time being.
00:38:39.519 --> 00:38:40.559
For the time being, yeah.
00:38:41.199 --> 00:38:42.000
Well, thanks again.