Today we’d like to introduce you to Miguel Jimenez.
Hi Miguel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story starts with my birth, obviously. The place of my birth is El Paso Texas. My parents were of mixed heritage. They met in Mexico and moved to Texas. I went to all of school in El Paso. Except for one year. My mother worked at a local Levi Strauss factory, and her job was difficult. SHe hurt her back one day, which sent our 2 income family into a financial tailspin. To remedy this and save our mortgaged home, our father moved us into a rental house in Juarez Mexico, lowering overall costs. So I went to one year of junior high there. My high school years were full of activities and clubs and sports. We would cross the border to go party at bars in Mexico, and one night, I asked the owner, how much he would give me if I filled up his bar on a Friday, he at first didnt believe me, but once I explained my plan, he said half of the door and 2 friends and myself could drink for free all day, and a beautiful partnership ensued where I would get the Juniors and Seniors to ditch every other Friday and go day party. Eventually, too many of them got in trouble and my business was shut down. After high school, I went to a few semesters of school with a desire to be a journalist, I got involved with a skateboarding crew and we decided to move to Huntsville Alabama. It was a very interesting place. Huge difference from El Paso. We didn’t last long there and we all went our separate ways. two of the closer friends went to Austin, I wanted to see Graceland so I booked a bus to Memphis, with the money I made working as a busser, at the Olive Garden. I quickly found myself running out said cash. I took care of this by finding a large oak tree that was relatively easy for me to climb, providing me shelter and distance from the homeless people, and stray dogs. After Graceland, I found a job as a busser at a restaurant on Beal Street. All was good until a snooping regular followed me “home”. It was all good though, he let me stay in his condo that his dad paid for after he graduated from college at UT Austin. I spent 6 months there and decided to follow my 2 friends to Austin. In Austin, I worked at many bars and restaurants before deciding on Stubbs BBQ and Basils Restaurant, 2 places where I would make lifelong friends and colleagues, and met my then wife. She was Czech and we went to Europe pretty regularly. That experience along with Basils gave me a love for the industry in which I currently work. I graduated college with a Theatre degree and an Anthropology degree. Basically, I took so many theatre classes, for the love of it that I inadvertently got a degree in that too. After graduating, some friends from the bars gave me a shot at AMD, where I was completely unqualified to work. But as they told me, it was sink or swim, and I swam, for 5 years, I swam. Then, I met my future partner of my endeavor to come. He was the father of a workshop friend. I was a post college acting workshop. We became friends and I told him my desire to open a bar of my own one day. So, 23 years and some 7 bars later, here I am. I am the current owner of Nomad Bar, The Lost Well, and The Skeleton Key. I have lovely partners in these bars, so not taking all the credit.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Well, I look at all obstacles as character builders, after the fact, of course. The biggest hurdles have been physical, for the most part, Starting my first bar, Nomad, it was located in a location that was in a location, at the time, that people insisted was a dead end. I believed in the neighborhood though and did it anyways. ll the other locations, encountered the same obstacle, but they all succeeded. Other struggles is going through a marriage falling apart because of long hours and a disconnect from home to someone that wasn’t in the same industry. And of course the TABC and the Tx State constant harassment, in the form of audits. Overall, I wouldnt trade it. Its not a get rich endeavor, but its a living.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Multiple Bars?
I own different bars. Nomad Bar, The Skeleton Key, and The Lost Well. Each place is different and eclectic in its own way. Nomad Bar is a neighborhood bar with drinks from all over the world. The Lost Well is a live metal and punk rock bar, while the Skeleton Key is a cheap neighborhood hangout. I have opened 7 bars total in my 20 year long career. Oh, and one poker room on 6th street.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I wish I knew the amount of work and red tape it takes to open any business, let alone one that sells alcohol and tobacco. The regulations and inspections. are grueling. My advice is learn as much as you can about your city laws and rules and state regulations .before you start on your business plan.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://knomadbar.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nomadbar/
