Being an entrepreneur at the beginning of her journey, I decided to interview Alex McDaniel, the owner and operator of Brew Bar, with the hope of learning some things about running a brick and mortar business. What follows is an article outlining some of the talking points from our interview, as well as my own review of Brew Bar as an establishment.
Photo courtesy of Brew Bar Instagram
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Alex McDaniel, the owner and operator of Brew Bar—a one of a kind spot specializing in coffee drinks, vegan pastries, freshly prepared small plates, and… beer? You heard that right! What makes Alex’s establishment such a unique one is the fact that it functions as both a cafe, serving coffee and food, AND as a small bar, serving select beers and wines.
Before interviewing Alex, I had visited Brew Bar on several occasions. My first introduction to the place actually came on a Friday night, after eagerly Googling “where to go at night that’s not a bar?”. Needless to say, this quest led me to Brew Bar where I found myself drinking a hand-crafted Italian Cream Soda, and listening to a local band called “The Reeds” play some blues-y tunes so good that I was left to wonder when they’d drop their EP. My fingers are crossed for ‘soon’!
The establishment is set up much like a traditional coffee shop-meets hip corner bar. Options for seating include tables, a few comfy couch-like chairs, window-facing bar stools, and—if you’re feeling extra ballsy, the bar itself! Feel free to grab a spot at the bar and converse with your local brewmaster (a name I just now coined to describe the barista/bartender, btw), as they make you a drink.
As a vegetarian of nearly twelve years (who also eats vegan a lot of the time), one of the things I especially appreciate about Brew Bar, is the Vegan-friendly nature of the cuisine. Not only does the main entree menu tout some quality vegan options, such as: vegan gumbo,vegan pita pizza, and vegan soups, but all—I repeat, ALL of the pastries are vegan, courtesy of Split
Bakehouse.
During my interview, I had the pleasure of trying the coffee/chocolate vegan donut, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint! Oh, and for those non-vegans who might be feeling a little uncertain—if I hadn't known, I would’ve never guessed the donut was vegan. So just go try it already.
Upon taking my seat at the bar, Alex insisted that he had one rule: If I was going to be interviewing him, I had to drink with him. Although I don’t drink alcohol, this invitation was just the kind of thing I could get behind. Alex and I shared a bottle of Ginger Beer, which he poured as needed into two small shot glasses, one for each of us. I dug it.
During our interview, Alex confided that one of the most difficult things about owning a business is the push to become “product and profit driven”—something Alex himself detests—describing himself instead as a “philosophy driven entrepreneur”. For Alex, what lies at the heart of Brew Bar is not simply a desire to accumulate capital, but rather the hope to create a space for people to sincerely connect.
According to Alex, Brew Bar’s products are
curated according to the overall flow and vibe of the business/space itself; he
asserted that maintaining the “vibe”
is of the utmost importance.
Of his customers he stated: “Me, my
customers, we’re the misfits—
that’s what Brew Bar is about”.
He went on to describe marketing as “evil”, and stressed that he strongly believes in advertising “ethically”. Alex models much of his business strategy and practice after businesses that he admires, because he wants philosophy and ethics to be at the core, the heart, of his business.
With that said, Alex is able to effectively market Brew Bar by marketing himself as the friendly neighborhood owner—the “cool guy” who just so happens to own the place. What I mean by this is, when you head down to Brew Bar, Alex can usually be found manning the bar, making drinks, and interacting with customers directly. In other words, Alex forms friendships with his customers individually, which keeps them coming back and helps Alex to establish a consistent clientele.
As of now, Brew Bar has no official website or contact phone number (which, according to Alex, is intentional); he wants people to come down to the location directly, in order to see what it's all about. He does, however, maintain an active Instagram presence for Brew Bar—his one attempt to connect with and market to customers directly, outside of the establishment. Alex regularly uses Brew Bar’s IG to advertise new menu specials and events like live music nights, as well as to post customer photos of the food, the atmosphere, etc.
In addition to the inclusive eats mentioned earlier, another thing that really sets Brew Bar apart from other cafe-like establishments is its’ Cup Program. If a customer brings their own cup, they get a discount of 25 cents on their drink; and if a customer decides to purchase a specially designed, quality cup for a flat fee of $20.00, they automatically become a part of the Brew Bar Cup Club, and every drink served into that cup is priced at 50 cents less! While 25 cents and 50 cents may not seem like a lot, these savings will add up quick—especially for someone who stops in for multiple cups of coffee or beverages weekly. And for the daily coffee enthusiast, the discount equates to a savings of several dollars per week!
It’s worth noting that Brew Bar does not carry stirrers, one-time-use sugar packets, or coffee sleeves. Straws are available upon request—however, they are actually compostable ones made from Avocado pits. Love it.
The strategic decision not to carry certain one-time-use items—coupled with financial incentives like the cup program—have been implemented with the hope of nixing throw-away, or, one-time use culture. Think about how many plastic cups, lids, straws, stirrers, coffee sleeves, etc. are used ONE time and then simply thrown away. Disposable culture is not environmentally or ethically sustainable and our planet is suffering as a result. Therefore, even small steps like those being taken by Alex, can have a BIG impact over time!
Sitting down with Alex was truly a pleasure—even more so because we share a lot of the same ideals and ethics when it comes to how we believe a business should be run. For example, we both strongly believe in the importance of things like genuine human connection and environmental sustainability—things that aren’t as frequently spoken about in much of the business world, which is largely driven by talk of profit margins and meeting quotas. Those large businesses and corporations could learn a thing or two from small business owners like Alex. Perhaps this is asking too much of a capitalist culture, but in the future I’d love to see more businesses shift their focus to a community inspired mindset, rather than a consumerist mindset. After all, it’s never too late for change.
Now, go visit Brew Bar!
Location: 277 3rd Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91910
Hours of Operation: 10am ish - 10pm ish
Photo courtesy of Brew Bar Instagram
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