Today we’d like to introduce you to Calvin Marty.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Calvin. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My brother Chris and I have been working in the bar business for a long time. I started washing dishes at age 14 at a little supper club in Cambridge, WI. That was my first job in the business. When I was 19, I worked a summer as a door guy at a dance club/music venue in Madison, WI called the King Club, where Chris was bartending. Throughout college at DePaul University studying acting, I made a living as a door guy, barback and bartender. Despite my best efforts, for some reason, I remained in the bar industry and seemed to do very well.
I cut my teeth as a bartender in the time when a “cocktail” was a Jack and Coke, a Gin and Tonic, a screwdriver and MAYBE a Harvey Wallbanger (the first cocktail I ever learned). At that time, it wasn’t about the cocktail, it was about service. Bartending was tending a bar itself: customer-service, cleanliness, time management, multi-tasking, speed, efficiency and personality. Those were the things that, when done well, made a bartender successful and made one more money. My brother and I still believe that those things are paramount, even in today’s cocktail-centric bar scene. Perhaps, even MORE so.
As the cocktail renaissance began in Chicago in ’06/’07, we both became very interested in the old techniques, ingredients and recipes that were returning. We studied on our own and found our way into the fancy cocktail bars that were popping up. We truly enjoyed the art of making cocktails and were excited to increase our knowledge and skill levels and add to our arsenal.
However, as time passed, we began to notice that along with cocktails came a strange, uptight, buttoned-up, slow-moving, “fun-less” atmosphere. “No cell phones allowed, we don’t have cranberry juice, no I won’t make that for you it’s below me,” etc. Somehow, while a role was being played that seemed to match the products offered, something essential was lost. Or, that’s how it felt to us.
We saw a need for a cocktail bar without the pretention, where one could feel relaxed and at home, where one could let loose and party while also drinking high-quality spirits and concoctions. Simple, quality, fun, warm, sexy. These were words in our head as we dreamed up Best Intentions. We wanted a place where your grandpa would feel comfortable and relaxed, where you’d wanna dance and party amongst your peers, where you’d go to be alone. The everyman bar. The neighborhood pub. You can get an incredible old-fashioned for $8 and you can drink Coors Banquet on draft for $3. We believe a bar can be all those things. And, we feel that we succeeded in making that bar come to life. We can’t please everyone, but we can give everyone the opportunity to be pleased.
Anyway, we found some kind, smart gentlemen, with the money we didn’t have, who believed in us and our vision. They helped to fund it and we got to work. For the most part, I think we’ve created what we set out to create. We have a lovely community of people who often call Best Intentions “home.” They make the bar what it is. And we get to introduce new people to cocktails and our brand of fun on a regular basis as well. The small family of folks who work here is incredible people who work hard to help create a comfortable, friendly environment for as many people who’ll give us a shot. In the end, I truly believe it all comes down to the people who work here, the attention to detail and service and the willingness to have fun that makes a place work.
Has it been a smooth road?
Oh, I don’t know if it’s possible to start a business and have everything go smoothly. And, restaurant/bar openings are notoriously rough on management and staff. Long hours, constant troubleshooting, changing and growing.
We did a lot of the work ourselves when renovating/rebuilding, as much as was legal. It took us about twice as long as we anticipated, another common problem when opening a bar. We were working 16 hrs., 6 days a week for 4 months. That was really hard. And, rewarding in a lot of ways. The place definitely feels like “our home.” We put our blood and sweat and backs and hearts into it. And still, do. Eventually, the 90-hour weeks stop and you can start relying on your trusted, hard-working staff to take some of the load, as it should be.
We’re still learning on a daily basis. And the daily troubleshooting is part of running a business; it doesn’t stop. But, having two of us have really helped spread the workout and allow us to use or respective strengths and have some time off every week.
We had a few early issues with neighborhood getting used to us and getting used to having a new place where an old once stood. But that all smoothed out rather quickly. For the most part, the neighborhood has embraced us and sees us for who we are and what we’re trying to provide. But that conversation/negotiation is one that will always be important to remain aware and a part of. Overall, I’d say we’ve been extremely lucky at the reception we’ve had both in the neighborhood and the city as a whole. I feel very grateful.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Best Intentions story. Tell us more about the business.
Best Intentions is a bar. We’re not a dive bar, we’re not a fancy cocktail bar. We’re in the sweet spot in between, I’d say.
We specialize in comfort, fun, attentive and friendly service, great music, wonderful cocktails and incredible food, all at a very reasonable price.
We’re well-known as the first bar in the world to have Angostura Bitters on draft. We make cocktails with it, of course, but we also sell $4 shots of Angostura Bitters. It’s the house shot and a lot of our customers, both regular and new, drink it often.
We’re known for our Wondermint Malted: A boozy, minty milkshake that we’ve had since we opened and we’ll have until the day we can no longer operate. It’s perhaps the best cocktail we’ve ever created and I still feel very proud of it. We’re known for excellent classic cocktails and beautiful and fun signature cocktails that are simple, super tasty, approachable and affordable. We’re known for the magic surprise that our food is. Chef Steven LoTempio has created an incredible menu of bar snacks that are familiar, beautiful and composed dishes that surprise many guests with their balance and depth.
We’re known for a fun, relaxed atmosphere and a killer staff that is friendlier and faster than most.
I believe that we manage to make made-to-order cocktails quickly and efficiently and with a smile. We make people feel at home, comfortable and relaxed. I think our customers feel welcomed and appreciated. At least, I hope so; we try to make them feel welcome and we truly appreciate that they choose to spend their time with us. We specialize in comfort and fun, cleanliness and honesty. Our weekend-night dance parties are off the cuff, throwback-y and fun. It feels like a raucous, neighborhood joint, but you’re holding one of the best old-fashioned you can get in this Chicago. And it cost you $8.
We sell as many beers and shots as we do cocktails, and we like that very much. We believe that there is a time and place and mood for everything. And we try our hardest to create an environment in which you can enjoy as many of those as possible.
We’re not perfect and never will be. But we always try to be a little better every day. We’re called Best Intentions, after all.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Our team deserves the most credit. They work very hard to create the best experience possible and try to have fun doing it. And they do so in a natural way. They also deal with the idiosyncrasies of both their bosses, which are varied and numerous.
Our regular customers make us who we really are and we would not and could not do it without them. They make this bar what it is and keep us in business. Those who have made Best Intentions a second home are the lifeblood of this establishment and part of the family. I am often overwhelmed by the love that fills this place. It’s amazing and palpable. You can feel it when you walk in.
I think our financial partners deserve a lot of credit for believing in us and our vision that sounds… pretty vanilla on paper. It’s a hard thing to describe to someone. They took a risk and I’m happy that it panned out for them as much as it did for us. Without a large sum of money, an inheritance or money from a previous career, people like us don’t get the chance to see our vision through without the help of some awesome individuals who are willing to leap off the ledge with us.
Also, a lot of credit must go to many of those who work in this industry here in Chicago. So many wonderful hospitality professionals not only frequent Best Intentions, but constantly recommend it to their guests. That is a huge part of our success and we cannot thank them enough.
Where do you see your industry going over the next 5-10 years? Any big shifts, changes, trends, etc?
Well, we’ve already seen, in Chicago anyway, a normalization of the cocktail. Young folks go out drinking and they know what an Old Fashioned, Moscow Mule, Negroni are. They know a lot of the classics because there aren’t many bars that don’t make them. I think we could see a backlash, though. Where people start opening beer and shot bars, again, that don’t make cocktails or at least don’t advertise them or have them listed on a menu.
I think we’ll see more efforts at sustainability and environmental consciousness when conceiving an establishment and when building systems. I also think we’ll see a shift in employee health, well-being, wages, etc. Working in this industry can be very hard on people. We’re all looking for ways to make it better and easier.
I also think that folks in the bar industry, including myself, are much more interested in their own health. We’re more conscious of what our body wants and needs and how we stay healthy and strong enough to bear the stresses and weight of these jobs. Many restaurants and bars are starting to encourage a healthier lifestyle and provide opportunities within the structure for the staff to get healthier and more fit. I hope this trend continues and blossoms, personally.
Pricing:
- $4 shots of Angostura Bitters
- $3 Coors Banquet Draft
- Classic Cocktails between $7 and $11, including $8 Old Fashioneds, $8 Moscow Mules and $10 Manhattans
Contact Info:
- Address: 3281 W Armitage Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
Tues – Fri: 5pm – 2am
Saturday : 11am – 3am
Sunday: 11am – 2am - Website: www.bestintentionschicago.com
- Phone: 312.818.1254
- Email: bestintentionschicago@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fancycocktailbar
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BestIntentionsBar
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/fancycktlbar
- Other: www.boozewehave.com (it’s all the booze we have)
Image Credit:
Barry Brecheisen, Sammy Faze, Chris Marty
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