The Buildout

Ask anyone in the cocktail world where the energy is on the West Coast right now, and one name keeps coming up: True Laurel.On this episode of The Buildout, Adam sits down with Nicolas Torres to talk about how the San Francisco bar went from beloved neighborhood spot to one of the most talked-about cocktail destinations in the country. While the techniques Nicolas and his team are using may feel perfectly suited to this current moment in drinks, many have been part of True Laurel’s DNA since it opened in 2017.Nicolas reflects on building the bar before Covid, watching it gain national and international attention after the pandemic, and what it means to receive acclaim without having to become something else.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastTrue Laurel: https://www.instagram.com/truelaurelsfNicolas Torres: https://www.instagram.com/key2_thecityVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor

What does it mean to mourn a bar? When a place becomes more than a business — a home for its staff, a gathering place for its regulars, and a defining chapter in a city’s cocktail culture — how do you come to terms with closing the door for good?On this episode of The Buildout, Adam sits down with Ivy Mix, co-founder of the beloved Brooklyn bar Leyenda, to talk about the full arc of the venue: how it began, what made it matter, and the difficult decision to ultimately close it. Ivy reflects on the grief that comes with ending something so personal, the complicated emotions of letting go, and what it takes for a founder to find the desire — and the courage — to build again.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastIvy Mix: https://www.instagram.com/ivymixWhoopsie Daisy: https://www.instagram.com/whoopsiedaisybarFiasco: https://www.instagram.com/fiascobrooklynVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor

At a time when many new cocktail bars are chasing acclaim with high-tech techniques and elaborate presentations, Jen Murphy went in the opposite direction: perfectly poured Guinness, ice-cold martinis, and the kind of easy hospitality that makes a bar feel instantly essential. The result is Banshee, a true East Village neighborhood bar built on simplicity, precision, and a very clear point of view. On this episode of The Buildout, Jen joins Adam to talk about why New York needed a bar like Banshee, how she found her business partner, and why the perfect pint is anything but simple.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastBanshee: https://www.instagram.com/banshee_nycJen Murphy: https://www.instagram.com/jenmnycVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor

Amor y Amargo was only supposed to be a six-month pop-up. Instead, it became one of the most influential bars of the modern era—a place with a distinct philosophy, a fiercely loyal audience, and a legacy that still matters.On this episode of The Buildout, Sother Teague joins Adam to tell the story of Amor y Amargo, explain why the drinks are always stirred and never shaken, and reflect on legacy, longevity, and why it still feels important for the bar to exist today.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastAmor y Amargo: https://www.instagram.com/amoryamargoSother Teague: https://www.instagram.com/creativedrunkVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor

People come up with bar names and cocktail ideas in all kinds of ways, but for Josh Harris, inspiration often comes from memory, art, and whatever happens to spark something bigger. That creative instinct helped turn Trick Dog into one of the most influential bars of its generation. But Josh wasn’t always sure the bar—or even his place in the industry—would work out that way.On this episode of The Buildout, Josh joins Adam to talk about what it really takes to build a great bar, how to create a team culture that encourages creativity and buy-in, and how his own sobriety has shaped the way he thinks about hospitality and the bar world today.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastTrick Dog: https://www.instagram.com/trickdogbarJosh Harris: https://www.instagram.com/josh_the_bon_vivantsVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor

When Kenta Goto left Pegu Club to open his own place on the Lower East Side, he was stepping into unfamiliar territory. He knew how to run a great bar program — but building a business from the ground up was something else entirely. So he did what came naturally: he studied. Kenta read everything he could about owning and operating a business, and that preparation paid off. From day one, Bar Goto clicked, eventually growing into one of the city’s most beloved bars and expanding with a second location in Brooklyn.On this episode of The Buildout, Kenta sits down with Adam to talk about taking the leap from star bartender to owner, what he learned while preparing to open, and how Bar Goto became a lasting New York success.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastBar Goto: https://www.instagram.com/bargoto_nycKenta Goto: https://www.instagram.com/kenta_sanVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor

When Cure opened, Neal Bodenheimer had a simple goal: create a great neighborhood bar. He did that—and then some. Over the years, Cure has grown into one of the country’s most celebrated drinking destinations, a New Orleans modern classic, and a must-visit for anyone in search of an exceptional Sazerac.On this episode of The Buildout, Neal joins Adam to share the story behind Cure, why he returned to New Orleans to open it, and how the bar became an institution far beyond its neighborhood.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastCure: https://www.instagram.com/curenolaNeal Bodenheimer: https://www.instagram.com/nealbodieVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor

What makes Yacht Club one of the most fun bars in America? A lot of it comes down to the energy behind it: owners Mary and McLain are clearly having a blast. On this episode of The Buildout, Adam sits down with the duo to talk about how two Southerners ended up in Denver, why they traded the music business for the bar business, and how they built one of the country’s most joyful places to drink.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastYacht Club: https://www.instagram.com/yachtclubbarMary Allison Wright: https://www.instagram.com/eatdrinkbemaryandmclainMcLain Hedges: https://www.instagram.com/yesterdayswineVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor