Something we love about the mobile bar community that we report on here at Roll To is the candid insight that owners are prepared to provide into the challenges of the industry.
Yes, scroll through Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok and you’ll mainly see the upsides of running a mobile business (of which there are many!).
Not surprising given that social media is a key marketing tool. Plus, serving at events, dressing up your bar and taking part in styled shoots should be celebrated, because they rock!
But, rather uniquely, this community happily post their struggles too.
The long journey of converting a mobile bar from scratch, the craziness of preparing for events and the disappointment of cancelled dates are all put on display.
Whilst new to the industry, when I spoke with Darrell & Julie, husband and wife team and owners of Bougie Hooch, I quickly realized that they are no exception.
As you’ll see from our conversation below, Bougie Hooch has been a true DIY project, and whilst the couple are extremely excited about their new venture and immensely proud of their build, they were also candid about the challenges they’ve faced along the way.
Thanks to this honesty, they've provided so many great takeaways and nuggets of inside knowledge for those thinking of taking the plunge into mobile bar ownership.
Check out our Q&A below for a huge amount of inspiration, information and motivation. Enjoy!
First of all, thanks so much for speaking with us today. Super excited to hear from owners who have just launched their mobile bar business this month!
What's your background and who or what inspired you to initially get into the mobile bar industry?
Darrell was in the equipment rental industry for 25 plus years. He understands rental.
We’ve owned a residential/commercial painting business for the last 15 years and we started a specialty wedding and marquee letters rental business a few years ago. Then the Covid pandemic took its toll on our wedding rental business, and it seems the industry is evolving.
One day, on my IG feed, I saw a vintage camper trailer mobile bar and said to Darrell ‘We’re going to do that!!’
He said ‘Oh, oh ok?!?’
He thinks I’m pretty crazy, but when I decide we’re going to do something, he just says, Ok babe. What do we need to do!’
Haha I can definitely relate to the Instagram scrolling followed by a lightbulb moment!
What was the process like building/buying your mobile bar?
Well, it took a good six months to find just the right, vintage, canned ham, camper trailer and it was a MESS!
All of her interior was disassembled, but still in the trailer.
The outside was painted with a roller and some kind of primer meant for walls, not trailers. It took forever and some YouTube videos to finally figure out how to strip primer, green, orange, and teal paint down to the aluminum.
So, we planned the layout we wanted, made a drawing and we went to town on the build. We painted during the day and worked on the trailer in the evenings and weekends.
Wow, sounds like a huge job…Did you enjoy the project of building your mobile bar?
Darrell and I really had a great time tearing out some walls, replacing supports, doing the electrical and light installation, putting up new walls, a new ceiling and painting them, and laying the vinyl flooring.
The defining moment for us was cutting the service doors which came next and it was then that reality set in and ‘Boo’ was born.
It took us a minute to figure out the cabinets, doors, and counter tops, but we did it!
Super inspiring that you achieved all of this yourselves!
Every mobile bar owner that I speak to has put their own spin on things and added a little of their own personality into their build. Can you share what you’ve done in that respect?
My weakness is collecting vintage buffets, so Darrell suggested we use one of the smaller buffets in the trailer.
We measured it, detailed it with black and it’s a perfect fit!
I love the Jacobean stain on the birch wood countertops, with four layers of clear coat.
We think it’s pretty amazing! (Just a little pat on the back! No choking involved.)
Amazing job! Very cool you were able to add something from your collections. Were there any unexpected mishaps during the build?
Well, after installing the vintage buffet we took a deep breath and bought our stainless, glass front mini fridge and a two tap kegerator.
We stored the fridge and kegerator in a safe spot in the corner of the garage, still in their unopened boxes. After installing the fridge, we then opened the kegerator box a month after we got it. It was damaged.
I was really upset that Amazon wouldn’t do anything about it because we didn’t open it in the first 30 days. So, after a couple of weeks of back and forth with Amazon, we called Edgestar, the manufacturer.
They said they would replace it under warranty and in a few days we had a new kegerator!
So shout out to Edgestar. Amazing customer service!
Great example of one of those small bumps in the road that can come up when starting a business. What were the final steps of the mobile bar build, and how did it feel to finish?
Next up, we installed the sink, faucet and water delivery system.
The exterior paint was something new for us because it’s automotive paint. We used a high build, binding primer and a two stage, automotive paint. We thought that this would be a quick process, but it was a long day of sanding primer and then painting.
Our oldest son, Chapman, who is a real McGyver in his own right sprayed the primer and we hand sanded after it dried.
We were all just going in circles around the trailer. Chap followed us with the paint as we finished up sanding a side.
We finished in the dark around 9pm!
He did an outstanding job as although he’s sprayed countless home exteriors that was his first time spraying a vehicle.
Then we towed Her home and finished painting the service doors, exterior trim and gave her new tail and marker lights.
We put stained and sealed wood over the tongue for the finishing touch!
Amazing! You must have been relieved, exhausted and proud all at once!
What have you enjoyed most about getitng the business off the ground?
Apart from actually completing the build, we have just started to market Bougie Hooch and we are really excited for her to be on the Roll To Me platform.
We’re looking forward to many celebrations with amazing customers!
We really enjoy celebrating people’s milestones and strive to give each and every one our best service! It fills our souls!
What has been your biggest challenge in launching your mobile bar?
Marketing!
We have learned from our painting business that word of mouth is everything and the quality of our work speaks for us. We put every bit of knowledge, hard work, compassion and care into everything we do.
We’re looking forward to getting started on events and getting our name out there!
What are your upcoming plans for the business and what are you most looking forward to this year?
We are so looking forward to booking our first event and the many more to come after that. We are also on the hunt for another trailer!
We would like a fleet of three or four different types of mobile bars so that we can offer our customers the best fit for their celebrations.
What is your 2022/23 availability?
We are open and ready to book any and every date. Reach out to discuss your event, we'd love to hear about it!
Awesome insight! Thank you so much for speaking with me and good luck with Bougie Hooch!
Bougie Hooch are available for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, showers, holidays, corporate events, store openings, charity functions and more.
Repainted, resealed and revitalized, this converted camper has been kept as original as possible, retaining all of her vintage charm.
The exterior's clean, chic aesthetic is coupled with modern appliances, including a dual tap kegerator, as well as antique furnishings inside.
Substantial serving windows make catering to both intimate and large events a breeze.
Bougie Hooch is a fully-functioning mobile bar with a nostalgic feel that will delight your guests.
Perfect for drinks service, showcasing desserts or as the centerpiece for your next photoshoot.
Serving cocktails, mocktails, beer, wine, soft drinks, coffee, sweet treats and more!
You can see more photos of Bougie Hooch and get in contact with the team via their Roll To profile.
And follow them over on Instagram for updates!