We Ask Bartender Christopher Hickey About Draughtwood Mobile Bar: From Corrections to Craft Cocktails

Christopher Hickey, the owner and founder of Draughtwood Mobile Bar in New York, has been a dedicated part of the restaurant and bar industry since 1998.

Over the years, he has taken on numerous roles, including barback, bartender, head bartender, manager, and general manager, before founding his own business. Despite starting out in a variety of positions, Christopher quickly realized there was a larger vision at play.

Before venturing into the world of cocktails, Hickey briefly pursued a career in law enforcement within corrections. However, he soon realized he was on the wrong path, and each day felt like a struggle. While working in the jail, he began to conceive the idea of providing private parties and events at people’s homes or venues. Unfortunately, those he shared this idea with dismissed it, and it wasn’t until he suffered a career-ending injury in corrections that he was faced with the challenge of supporting his three young children with no income. This pivotal moment pushed him to turn his dream into a reality.

This is when Draughtwood Mobile Bar was born. Hickey’s vision was simple yet impactful; to create a one-stop shop that brought everything needed for events directly to clients, allowing them to enjoy their occasions as guests rather than worrying about the logistics. Launching Draughtwood during the height of the pandemic posed its challenges, but Hickey and his team adapted. They focused on micro-weddings with 50 guests or fewer, securing several bookings. Through social media, they connected with a local mom’s group, which helped them grow their business.

As the first luxury mobile bar in their area, Draughtwood had the market to itself initially, but over the years, the mobile bar industry has seen a surge. Many businesses have adopted similar pricing, decor, and offerings. However, Hickey believes that while others may copy the model, they can’t replicate the passion and dedication that Draughtwood stands for, as “a copy of a copy lacks originality and value.” Though the constant influx of new mobile bars can be challenging, especially with newcomers offering lower prices, Draughtwood continues to stand out through its years of experience, exceptional service, fresh ingredients, high-quality equipment, and custom menu curation.

With the industry changing rapidly, Draughtwood has expanded their services into crafted mocktails and cocktail classes and have even been hired for a new restaurant bar design. Hickey remains focused on growth and continuously innovating.

“If you become complacent, you’ll be left behind!”

While there are exciting ideas on the horizon, Hickey is keeping those plans under wraps for now, but one thing is clear: him and Draughtwood Mobile Bar are only getting started.