Podcast
The Buildout
Hosted by VinePair · EN
Every great bar has a story. We’re going behind the scenes with the people who built them: the founders, dreamers, and industry legends shaping the world’s most inspiring drinking destinations. From Maison Premiere to The Dead Rabbit, Long Island Bar, Schmuck, and beyond — this is how the world’s best bars get built. Hosted by VinePair Co-Founder Adam Teeter
A podcast from The VinePair podcast network.
vinepair.com
Follow us @buildoutpodcast
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11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Keefer Bar
1w ago00:49:22Tap to summarizeOpened in 2009, The Keefer Bar quickly became one of Vancouver’s essential cocktail destinations. But what happens when a beloved local institution suddenly finds itself on the national—and international—stage? In 2026, Keefer was named Best Bar in Canada, and a new wave of attention followed. On this episode of The Buildout, we tell the story of The Keefer Bar: how it helped shape Vancouver’s cocktail culture, influenced Canada’s bar scene at large, and is now navigating what comes next after reaching the top.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastThe Keefer Bar: https://www.instagram.com/thekeeferbarKeenan Hood: https://www.instagram.com/keenanhoodAmber Bruce: https://www.instagram.com/amberbruceVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Bitter & Twisted
2w ago00:49:46Tap to summarizeWhen Ross Simon left London for the States, he set out to make his mark on the American cocktail scene. What he didn’t know was that mark would be made in Phoenix, Arizona — a city that, at the time, was hardly known for its drinks culture.But maybe that was part of the magic. Ross landed in Phoenix and, a few years later, opened Bitter & Twisted, a cocktail bar that not only helped make his name, but also put the city on the map as a serious cocktail destination.On this episode of The Buildout, Ross joins Adam to tell the story of Bitter & Twisted and how its success helped transform Phoenix into one of America’s most exciting cocktail cities.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastBitter & Twisted: https://www.instagram.com/bitterandtwisted_azVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Joseph Leonard
3w ago01:14:27Tap to summarizeFrom the moment Joseph Leonard opened, it was nearly impossible to get a table. The restaurant had an energy from day one that made diners want to spend their evenings there — even if it meant waiting hours for a seat.Owner Gabe Stulman credits that energy, at Joseph Leonard and across all great restaurants, to the bar. On this episode of The Buildout, Gabe joins Adam to discuss Joseph Leonard, the heartfelt ode to his grandfathers that helped launch his hospitality company, and cement his place as one of New York City’s most influential restaurateurs.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastJoseph Leonard: https://www.instagram.com/josephleonardnyGabe Stulman: https://www.instagram.com/gabestulmanVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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True Laurel
4w ago00:58:53Tap to summarizeAsk anyone in the cocktail world where the energy is on the West Coast right now, and one name keeps coming up: True Laurel.On this episode of The Buildout, Adam sits down with Nicolas Torres to talk about how the San Francisco bar went from beloved neighborhood spot to one of the most talked-about cocktail destinations in the country. While the techniques Nicolas and his team are using may feel perfectly suited to this current moment in drinks, many have been part of True Laurel’s DNA since it opened in 2017.Nicolas reflects on building the bar before Covid, watching it gain national and international attention after the pandemic, and what it means to receive acclaim without having to become something else.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastTrue Laurel: https://www.instagram.com/truelaurelsfNicolas Torres: https://www.instagram.com/key2_thecityVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Leyenda
May 2700:57:02Tap to summarizeWhat does it mean to mourn a bar? When a place becomes more than a business — a home for its staff, a gathering place for its regulars, and a defining chapter in a city’s cocktail culture — how do you come to terms with closing the door for good?On this episode of The Buildout, Adam sits down with Ivy Mix, co-founder of the beloved Brooklyn bar Leyenda, to talk about the full arc of the venue: how it began, what made it matter, and the difficult decision to ultimately close it. Ivy reflects on the grief that comes with ending something so personal, the complicated emotions of letting go, and what it takes for a founder to find the desire — and the courage — to build again.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastIvy Mix: https://www.instagram.com/ivymixWhoopsie Daisy: https://www.instagram.com/whoopsiedaisybarFiasco: https://www.instagram.com/fiascobrooklynVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Banshee
May 2000:59:27Tap to summarizeAt a time when many new cocktail bars are chasing acclaim with high-tech techniques and elaborate presentations, Jen Murphy went in the opposite direction: perfectly poured Guinness, ice-cold martinis, and the kind of easy hospitality that makes a bar feel instantly essential. The result is Banshee, a true East Village neighborhood bar built on simplicity, precision, and a very clear point of view. On this episode of The Buildout, Jen joins Adam to talk about why New York needed a bar like Banshee, how she found her business partner, and why the perfect pint is anything but simple.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastBanshee: https://www.instagram.com/banshee_nycJen Murphy: https://www.instagram.com/jenmnycVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Amor y Amargo
May 1300:57:31Tap to summarizeAmor y Amargo was only supposed to be a six-month pop-up. Instead, it became one of the most influential bars of the modern era—a place with a distinct philosophy, a fiercely loyal audience, and a legacy that still matters.On this episode of The Buildout, Sother Teague joins Adam to tell the story of Amor y Amargo, explain why the drinks are always stirred and never shaken, and reflect on legacy, longevity, and why it still feels important for the bar to exist today.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastAmor y Amargo: https://www.instagram.com/amoryamargoSother Teague: https://www.instagram.com/creativedrunkVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Kees
May 601:21:59Tap to summarizeJeff Bell may be best known for PDT, but as much as the bar reflects his influence, it wasn’t something he built from the ground up. That bar is Kees. A deeply personal project, Kees gave Jeff the chance to create something entirely his own—and to do it under the weight of expectations that come with being so closely associated with one of the most famous bars in the world.On this episode of The Buildout, Jeff joins Adam to talk about his second act, the pressure of opening a new bar when your name is already tied to an iconic one, and the intentionality behind building Kees from scratch.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastKees: https://www.instagram.com/seekkeesnycJeff Bell: https://www.instagram.com/jeffreymbellVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Trick Dog
Apr 2901:25:01Tap to summarizePeople come up with bar names and cocktail ideas in all kinds of ways, but for Josh Harris, inspiration often comes from memory, art, and whatever happens to spark something bigger. That creative instinct helped turn Trick Dog into one of the most influential bars of its generation. But Josh wasn’t always sure the bar—or even his place in the industry—would work out that way.On this episode of The Buildout, Josh joins Adam to talk about what it really takes to build a great bar, how to create a team culture that encourages creativity and buy-in, and how his own sobriety has shaped the way he thinks about hospitality and the bar world today.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastTrick Dog: https://www.instagram.com/trickdogbarJosh Harris: https://www.instagram.com/josh_the_bon_vivantsVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Bar Goto
Apr 2200:58:27Tap to summarizeWhen Kenta Goto left Pegu Club to open his own place on the Lower East Side, he was stepping into unfamiliar territory. He knew how to run a great bar program — but building a business from the ground up was something else entirely. So he did what came naturally: he studied. Kenta read everything he could about owning and operating a business, and that preparation paid off. From day one, Bar Goto clicked, eventually growing into one of the city’s most beloved bars and expanding with a second location in Brooklyn.On this episode of The Buildout, Kenta sits down with Adam to talk about taking the leap from star bartender to owner, what he learned while preparing to open, and how Bar Goto became a lasting New York success.Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/buildoutpodcastBar Goto: https://www.instagram.com/bargoto_nycKenta Goto: https://www.instagram.com/kenta_sanVinePair: https://www.instagram.com/vinepairHosted by VinePair Co-Founder: https://www.instagram.com/adamteeterProduced and edited by: https://www.instagram.com/dolldoctor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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