Today we’d like to introduce you to Karly Beck.
Karly, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
So I actually bought the bar from a friend of mine in November of 2022. We met while working at a local sports bar while we were both in college! She left the restaurant industry, finished her degree did her thing and I stayed at the restaurant while I finished my degree. We kept in touch through the years and always stayed friendly. I saw on social media that she was opening the bar and of course, I was like “Oh my god, this is so exciting, that is awesome” yada yada. Then sweet Ashley (the previous owner) messaged me and was like, “Hey, can you train me to make drinks, here I am opening a bar and I’ve never made a mixed drink in my life!” -LOL At this point, I was the GM of the restaurant where we met and I was more than happy to help her with anything that I could!
She and her husband bought a two-pony horse trailer and completely renovated it to what is it now! I literally got SO LUCKY because I have not had to do anything cosmetically to it since I got it.
Anyway, Ashley gets the bar off the ground, she’s killing, and she asks me to help her bartend a wedding. I get there and she announces she’s expecting and is not sure how much longer she’ll be able to do the bar. I tell her that whatever she decides to let me know, again, I was more than happy to help in any way that I could! Fast forward a month later, I get a text from Ashley and she’s offering to sell the bar to me, since then I have never looked back!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My biggest struggle is social media! I am not an Instagram girly. I know how to use it, I enjoy it, I watch reels, but I do not post regularly, I don’t post on stories to keep engagement up, and I’m not super clever to be able to crank out caption, after caption. I am at the age where social media was developing right on the heels of my preteen/teenage years, so it wasn’t a huge thing to me and still isn’t. I don’t think I created my personal social media until 8th grade, and now it seems like everyone who fits in that age category has had several social media accounts for several years.
I’m definitely not a content creator, and in this industry, being seen is your livelihood! It has been very hard to tell myself that I’m not being annoying by post every day or every two days. I also go through phases where I am super active on social media and post like I should and then there are times where I go dark for a few weeks. Especially if I’ve been super busy and have several options to post but again, I’m not the best at curating the post and the captions, so I sit there and stew over the post and the captions until I think it’s good enough to post.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Thoroughbrewed is a mobile bar that specializes in a luxury bartending experience! We do it all from birthdays, to weddings, to private events and even store openings!
One thing that sets me apart from most mobile bars and one thing that I am most proud of, is you get me from start to finish. Not only do I own the bar and the business but I also operate the bar and the business. When I say you get me from start to finish, I mean I answer every email, I answer any and all of your questions, and I am there to serve your guests at your event!
Sure, I could own it and then outsource a communication and planning manager and then outsource my bartenders but where is the fun in that? Why not take pride in seeing a project all the way through from the very first Instagram DM to seeing a bride at her send-off and her expressing how great the night was and how thankful she is that we were there. It’s seeing the client’s eyes light up when they see the bar all setup and you’ve gone above and beyond all of their expectations that make it all worth it.
I am always down for a good time. I am always here to fulfill my clients’ wants/needs to the best of my ability. If they want a mermaid, unicorn-princess-themed drink, by god I will execute it to the best of my abilities.
I am not just a wedding bartender, and I don’t only bartend exclusively out of my converted trailer. I am available to bartend at any and all events. If you need a bartender but don’t have the room for the trailer? That’s fine! I’ll still provide the same level of service regardless of event or beverage needs!
I don’t exclusively do alcoholic beverages. I know I sound like a broken record, but I do anything and everything! Hot beverages, cold beverages, alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, ice cream, all of it!!!
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
I am so very grateful that I get to do what I do. I love getting to celebrate newlyweds, I love getting to meet new people, and I love getting to be part of so many cool events!
I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to own such a cool, unique, aesthetically pleasing bar and business!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thoroughbrewed.net
- Instagram: @thoroughbrewed
- Facebook: Thoroughbrewed Mobile Bar & Co.
Image Credits
Kayla Woosley Photography
