As Charlotte’s bars and restaurants prepare for the new year, the folks at the Menagerie Hospitality Group said they have learned a lot last year and are looking forward to what 2022 brings.

The Menagerie Hospitality Group manages two locations in the Charlotte area, The Wine Loft Small Plates and Spirits, and The Vintage Whiskey and Cigar Bar.

What You Need To Know

Menagerie Hospitality Group says pandemic led them to re-evalaute supply chains

Pandemic also led to changes in how the group designs bar and restaurant seating

Menagerie director of operations says he's optimistic about 2022, hopes to grow business

Ben Torres, Menagerie’s director of operations, said they learned a lot last year and, at times, got lucky.

“We were very, very fortunate to be interviewing when we did. Because the resume strength that I was seeing, as I went through one-by-one, was astounding,” Torres said about the hiring process last winter and early 2021.

He said the pandemic restrictions on bars and restaurants at the end of 2020 and beginning of 2021 meant plenty of talented bartenders and mixologists were available.

“Several of them had said, ‘We’re doing to-go only, we’re still not open up to full capacity,’ so from a bar standpoint, it was a great way to take advantage of it,” Torres said behind the bar. “These were people that were veterans at so many other core concepts in Charlotte, that I was shocked that they were even available.”

Their luck continued, Torres said, when they decided to open The Vintage in February. It coincided with the governor’s decision to reopen businesses at 30% capacity.

However, the pandemic did impact design plans for the space, and the supply chain on certain items like cognac, tequila and cigars.

“In this new normal that we’re all getting accustomed to, you know, now for the build out — the furniture, we’re a lot more intentional. Well, maybe we’re going to space that out, design it for these people to be facing this way, just to make sure everybody’s a little more comfortable,” Torres said, about shifting seats and tables. 

Torres added The Vintage faced similar supply chain issues as the rest of the state when it came to finding certain name brand cognacs and tequila. Also, some cigars were harder to import, leading to delays of months at a time.

“Some of the guys, you could wait two or three months after you place an order, or more, before you get it in,” Torres explained. “As things scale back up to where they should be, we should be able to place an order for cigars on Monday, and have them Thursday or Friday.”

In front of the bar, expectations have changed for the customers, too.

“A lot of it has come down to educating the consumer. Not even from a standpoint of, this is what we have, but that — this is what as a business to operate in this context, this is what our expectation is of you,” he said.

But, the same supply chain issues, which have made importing more difficult, have turned The Menagerie Hospitality Group to local suppliers, building a stronger relationship among small businesses in the area.

“We buy from a local company down the street to source our ice cubes when someone orders something on the rocks. They’re getting something that’s been handcrafted up the street. Our coffee is being roasted down the street by one of our neighbors, one of our locker members. You know, it’s really cool to be able to incorporate those partnerships, and we think for hospitality concepts for the long run, this is going to become an integral part of that,” he said. “It’s no longer, ‘You’re a vendor, I order from you.’ It’s no, no, you win, I win, everybody wins in this format.”

Despite the challenges, Torres said they had a successful 2021. The Vintage’s cigar retail business provided a steady source of revenue as after-work happy hours for office employees still have not returned to any sense of normal, according to Torres. 

And, as the calendar turns to 2022, he is looking forward to another year of making connections.

“A lot of times, it comes down to a new experience with a guest,” Torres said about his passion for the business. “Somebody just had a baby, especially here, a father-in-law’s trying to find the right cigar for the perfect occasion. You know, our eyes light up cause it’s a crazy cool opportunity to make an impact.”

Torres said they hope to double in size by the end of 2022 and build on the growing connections they have made with local vendors as they explore future opportunities.