Full Transcript for Bolt Marketing with Ryan Filchak!

right. 00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:10.719 Yeah. 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:12.560 And so I and I'm I'm a fan. 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:14.800 So I had seen that website multiple times before. 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:22.879 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. 00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:23.680 No, 100%. 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:28.159 And I think that's often where like we can kind of pair very nicely. 00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:32.159 Like, they are a well-established company, they are doing fine. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:33.520 They are Kentucky. 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:36.240 Yeah, like they've been here longer than me. 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:38.639 They will be here longer than me. 00:02:38.800 --> 00:02:39.919 Like it's all good. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:43.439 But I think what's always so nice is that there are these moments. 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:56.800 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. 00:02:56.960 --> 00:03:07.520 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. 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:13.199 Like oftentimes it's like it's not that the story like hasn't been told, but it changes, right? 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:26.240 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. 00:03:26.479 --> 00:03:26.800 Absolutely. 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:31.199 And then in that you get to really see, and people get to like talk about their process, right? 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:38.560 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. 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:40.080 100%, you know. 00:03:40.240 --> 00:03:46.879 Uh Jace Fairchild, founder of Bolt, you know, he says this a lot, and it's I I've really taken it to heart. 00:03:46.960 --> 00:03:52.000 It's a you know, like when we start to do marketing for a company, we're putting a magnifying glass on that company. 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:54.000 Yeah, good and bad, right? 00:03:54.240 --> 00:03:54.479 Right. 00:03:54.639 --> 00:04:03.680 And everything that comes with that, and and oftentimes it's like going well beyond like we want a new logo. 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:05.520 Okay, yeah, that's great. 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:07.599 But like, why do we want a new logo? 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:12.080 And it's like, well, we want a new logo because we want to increase sales. 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:38.319 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? 00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:39.360 Oh, for sure. 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:39.759 Yeah. 00:04:39.839 --> 00:04:48.800 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. 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:49.600 100%. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:50.399 Yeah. 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:54.639 I don't miss a um bulk marketing happy hour. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:04:58.720 I think you guys are doing like so tell like where's what's the idea behind that? 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:00.079 Yeah, absolutely. 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:03.600 So uh 2024, I think we had our first event. 00:05:03.759 --> 00:05:06.319 We've had 10 now in total. 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:11.920 They kind of range from when we move into a new office, we had a grand opening, inviting customers in. 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:27.600 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? 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:56.959 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? 00:05:57.279 --> 00:05:59.600 So that was that was kind of the impetus, right? 00:05:59.839 --> 00:06:06.480 And so then it became kind of two different series, the happy hours, which is like we're gonna we're gonna pop up. 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:08.000 Yeah, a couple hours. 00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:09.759 It's great for networking too, yeah. 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:11.439 And there's get a bunch of people together, yeah. 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:13.439 Yeah, and we try and yeah. 00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:15.600 There's a thing there too, right? 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:21.439 Like we we try not to, or I think about not wanting to use that word uh networking. 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:22.000 Yeah, yeah. 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:23.839 Okay, so we're we're rebranding networking. 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:25.680 I mean, what is Bolt doing? 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:31.600 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. 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:37.519 Because when we think about it, the connotation really

is like, it's my parents, it's a stuffy like hotel ballroom, right? 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:40.959 You know, it's like one everybody's has not business cards and in suits. 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:44.800 And you guys are really, I mean, you're doing you're doing really fun things with it. 00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:51.680 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. 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:58.560 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. 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:01.360 So it's like a like-minded non-networking networking. 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:02.160 Totally. 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:06.800 And it's like, you know, that that word aside, like, of course, that's what I'm trying to do. 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:10.000 And and we talk about like, you know, what is this perfect? 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:12.399 What does a happy hour look like on a perfect scale? 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:21.360 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. 00:07:21.600 --> 00:07:23.120 The reality is different, right? 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:42.399 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. 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:56.639 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? 00:07:56.720 --> 00:08:02.000 Like the first one we did at Burlboro, we're talking like 15 people, and and shout out to those 15 people. 00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:06.800 Like I think we had yeah, I think there was a weather advisory, like we were on the cusp of canceling it. 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:09.120 You were partying in the storm, 100%. 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:15.439 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. 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:16.800 That's neither here nor there. 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:23.759 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. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:26.879 And then, you know, Georgia, I think we had 70, 80 people, yeah. 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:27.839 Oh, yeah, it was packed. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:28.720 Yeah, yeah. 00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:31.040 Your reputation starting to proceed yourself. 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:38.720 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. 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:42.000 Well, it's organic, you know,

it doesn't nothing feels forced with that. 00:08:42.080 --> 00:08:48.799 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. 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:50.720 It's just great people, very welcoming. 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:51.440 Yeah, yeah. 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:52.879 That that's the idea. 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:56.720 And you know, it's like I want to do these things in a way that I would want to show up to. 00:08:57.039 --> 00:08:57.519 Sure. 00:08:57.840 --> 00:08:59.519 And and hope that people do. 00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:02.559 But your event planning background must really help. 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:04.720 I mean, how did you get into event planning? 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:05.840 Like, what are the pitfalls? 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:09.600 Like, what are I mean, I that's always that's always been a field that's really interested me too. 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:14.159 I mean, again, I've been a bartender or was a bartender for a long time. 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:15.840 So you've seen it all, you know. 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:25.440 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. 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:25.840 Yeah. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:26.960 Or, or hope to. 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:27.279 Sure. 00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:29.519 Or do everything in your yes. 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:32.080 The goal is that they leave and be like, wow, that was really nice. 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:38.399 Yeah, you know, and and you do that a hundred times in an evening, five days a week for 10 years. 00:09:38.559 --> 00:09:50.879 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. 00:09:51.519 --> 00:10:00.639 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. 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:01.440 Yeah. 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:04.399 So that would be, I would say, where it starts. 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:06.639 And then, you know, kind of working with galleries. 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:16.879 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. 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:18.399 Then we're not, right? 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:36.879 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. 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:40.159 And and then and then it all dissipated. 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:44.240 So then it was like, I would I would like to do this now, please. 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:47.759 You know, if you will please have it. 00:10:47.919 --> 00:10:55.519 So all that to say that same there was a common denominator of like I have something I want to share with you. 00:10:55.759 --> 00:10:56.000 Totally. 00:10:56.240 --> 00:10:59.919 Be it a restaurant, be it an art exhibition, our doors are open. 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:05.360 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. 00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:06.000 Yeah. 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:08.720 Oh, I mean, you beyond succeed at that for sure. 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:30.240 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. 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:30.960 100%. 00:11:31.279 --> 00:11:36.480 And and major shout out to the team at Bolt to being like very open to that, right? 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:42.000 Because there's a world where two years we're into this thing and it's like, hey man, no one's showing up. 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:44.399 You know, like we should pivot. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:55.600 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. 00:11:55.679 --> 00:12:03.120 And like I think that was a very much a reality to try and like do something atypical for a marketing agency. 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:10.320 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. 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:12.000 It's such a sick location. 00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:12.639 Very good. 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:15.039 I mean, I would eat at Easton Tap and Table every day. 00:12:15.120 --> 00:12:16.240 Like you're basically next door. 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:17.200 We share a wall. 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:17.919 We share a wall. 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:19.279 But I'm basically your next door. 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:22.159 You know, like I love it. 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:24.399 Uh yeah, they're they're fantastic. 00:12:24.559 --> 00:12:34.320 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. 00:12:34.399 --> 00:12:39.600 We want people to come in the door, and we want people to, you know, collaborative from the the get-go, yeah. 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:41.759 As as much as it possibly can be. 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:55.519 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? 00:12:55.600 --> 00:13:05.279 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. 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:08.720 But you've now taken time to kind of like step back and do that, yeah. 00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:09.360 100%. 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:14.960 Yeah, since since you moved into the offices, since we've moved into the offices and since about two years ago, really. 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:24.559 Like because I, you know, going further back, uh like when I was working at 193, that's where Chase and I meet, right? 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:30.879 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? 00:13:30.960 --> 00:13:41.279 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. 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:41.759 Right. 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:44.080 Other than the people you're doing great work for. 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:52.080 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. 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:55.919 I completely agree. 00:13:56.000 --> 00:14:02.639 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. 00:14:02.960 --> 00:14:07.360 I mean, you know, case in point, the years I was a bartender never once made myself a cocktail. 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:14.960 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. 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:16.879 Maybe you just never want to. 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:17.440 No. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:26.879 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. 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:29.200 Because at least when you're a server, you can like walk away from the table. 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:31.759 It's less like I was like, this shouldn't be that stressful. 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:32.799 Everybody's in one spot. 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:34.879 It was beyond stressful because they're all in one spot. 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:36.960 You were on display, you were you're a performer. 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:38.799 I bet you were such a good bartender, though. 00:14:38.960 --> 00:14:40.080 I I was I was okay. 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:43.039 Yeah, I was hard, a very modest bartender. 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:45.200 Yeah, efficient. 00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:46.960 That's the thing that I liked about it. 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:49.120 It was like small, repeatable tasks. 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:53.519 And in that regard, I I really took to it. 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:54.000 Yeah. 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:59.679 Um, would you have a lot of patrons that would like hang out and just want to talk and talk and talk? 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:00.720 100%. 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:03.679 Yes, those those people are there. 00:15:03.919 --> 00:15:05.279 It just made you great at events, right? 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:08.080 Because you're having to like, you know, there's a multitask. 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:10.720 Yeah, you can you can roll people off. 00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:12.720 That's a skill in and of itself. 00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:12.960 Yeah. 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:15.679 Oh, have you met show and so yes, the best? 00:15:16.240 --> 00:15:16.399 Yeah. 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:17.600 Oh, you have this in common. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:20.080 Oh, you'll never believe what happened. 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:21.200 And then you just vanished. 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:21.840 Yeah. 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:25.440 Uh, this is a good question for Jenna. 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:28.399 Like, yeah, because we worked together for many. 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:29.039 That's how we met. 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:30.000 We worked together. 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:32.240 Uh, we met working together as bartenders. 00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:33.600 Uh oh, I didn't know that. 00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:33.840 Yeah. 00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:35.919 At Dose Urban Canteen in Chicago. 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:36.480 Cool. 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:40.639 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.