Send us a text

Ryan and Chad are back from vacation and ready to overshare. This episode bounces from Key West bar crawls to Colorado mountain hangovers, with plenty of detours into the glamorous world of bar ownership—and by glamorous, we mean cleaning toilets and counting liquor bottles at 2am.

The guys get into why running a bar is basically 90% janitorial work with better stories, how winter storms turn your customer base into hibernating bears, and the eternal question: why do people feel the need to belong to a bar? (Spoiler: it's the same reason dogs mark their territory, just with less... actually, nevermind.)

Speaking of dogs—Chad tells the story of picking up his dog's poop and getting it all over his hand, which honestly is a perfect metaphor for bar ownership some weeks.

Plus: Key West bar culture, why Gen Z is drinking less (and why that's probably fine), and whether bar merch is genius marketing or just t-shirts nobody asked for.

Send us a text

The podcast journey begins reflecting on the successes of 2025, the impact of alcohol industry losses, the rise of non-alcoholic beverages, the influence of bars on community and culture, the debate on live music in bars, favorite bars in Key West and Colorado, exploring ski resort bars. The hosts express excitement for the future and the return to the bar after vacation.

Takeaways

• Insights into Bar Culture and Customer Interaction
• Impact of Live Music in Bars
• The Influence of AI in the Bar Industry

Chapters

• 00:00 Starting the Podcast Journey
• 08:11 The Rise of Non-Alcoholic Beverages
• 13:16 Customer Interaction and Community Impact
• 21:18 Influence of Bars on Community and Culture
• 30:26 Closing Remarks and Excitement for the Future

Send us a text

The podcast hosts introduce the second episode and discuss the location and format of the podcast. They share personal experiences, including water heater troubles and construction work. The origin of Paddle Bar is revealed, and the hosts discuss the challenges and successes of opening the bar. They also share a humorous bar story of the week and discuss industry trends and challenges in the bar business. The conversation delves into the challenges faced by the bar industry, including the impact of the economy and the overall slowdown in various aspects. It also explores the shift in beer choices and trends, highlighting the transition towards lighter beers and the cyclical nature of trends in the industry.

Takeaways

• Bar business challenges
• Origin of Paddle Bar Trends in the bar industry are cyclical
• Craft beer industry is experiencing a shift towards lighter beers

Send us a text

In the first episode of Bar Pod, brothers Ryan and Chad pull up a stool and set the tone for the series. They talk candidly about their different roles in bar ownership, how they each ended up here, and what it’s really like to run bars behind the scenes. This episode isn’t about giving advice—it’s about laying the groundwork: why this show exists, what they’ve learned so far, and what listeners can expect as they dig into the realities of ownership, risk, and building something that lasts.