Today we’d like to introduce you to Craig Rockoff and Keaton Zavis.
Hi Craig and Keaton, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Hello Penny Bar was established in 2017 by our good friend Scott Mosteller, who actually built the bar from scratch for use at his own wedding. The trailer was a 1947 Mobilglide Globetrotter camper that was completely retrofitted into the bar that exists today. The construction process of the bar actually went viral on Reddit and Imgur overnight, so Scott decided to turn it into a business. Both Keaton and I were bartenders who supported a number of events with Penny Bar since the business’ inception. Over the past few years, the bar has been sitting dormant as Scott was starting his family. Keaton and I were so passionate about the business we decided to purchase the trailer and the entire business from Scott and relaunched the business at the start of this year. We are really excited to share we already have over 10 events booked and are currently taking reservations for events in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Getting the business back off the ground was certainly a challenge. The business flourishes when it is on the road, supporting events and getting as many eyeballs on the trailer as possible. Since it was dormant the past few years, we essentially had to restart all of the marketing, social media, and web presence from scratch. We had to find unique ways to market the bar and our ‘relaunch’ through social media, guerrilla marketing, word-of-mouth momentum, as well as attending various expos, including the recent Bridal Bazaar at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. At first, it was certainly a slow start, but now we have a number of secured bookings and feel like the momentum is really starting to build. We are really excited for Penny to be back on the road, and love supporting events in our local community!
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Craig Rockoff – Outside of managing Hello Penny Bar, Craig is also a Sr. Strategic Growth Manager at Compass Real Estate in San Diego.
Keaton Zavis – Outside of managing Hello Penny Bar, Keaton also provides small business consulting at Commonwealth Financial Network.
Both of us have been best friends since we attended Northeastern University in Boston from 2010-2015 and actually moved to San Diego together in the Fall of 2015. We have always talked about launching our own small business together, given that our complimentary skillsets seemed like a perfect match. When we found out Scott was interested in selling Hello Penny Bar, we jumped on the opportunity immediately.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
At Hello Penny Bar, we believe that personal relationships and exceptional customer service are integral to our success. Beyond offering a really cute mobile bar trailer, we prioritize building genuine connections with our customers. By taking the time to understand their needs, preferences, and desires, we create personalized experiences that leave a lasting impact for our clients and their guests. Keaton and I go above and beyond to provide attentive and friendly service, ensuring that every interaction is memorable. We believe that by investing in strong relationships and delivering outstanding customer service, we not only satisfy our customers but also create loyal advocates who are instrumental in driving our continued success and referral business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hellopennybar.com/
- Instagram: @hellopennybar
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hellopennybar/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hello-penny-bar-san-diego
