Jason Alexander, the Devils Reef and Gilman House owner, sits down with the GCP guys to catch up since the last time he visited the podcast. Devil’s Reef is a bar located in Tacoma, Washington with a playfully spooky atmosphere. It has become a favorite spot for a night out in the city that many have come to adore. The bar is also known for their award-winning cocktails that others have traveled the seas to get a taste of. Gilman House is the sequel to the tiki oasis that focuses on vegan and vegetarian foods with proteins à la carte and is also known for it's amazing cocktails.
00:00 – The episode kicks off talking about the almost apocalypse, Jason talks about a recent visit to Cannon Beach and the crazy weather there, and Justin shares what bars Jason owns. Jason explains how he lets guests choose how they would describe Devils Reef, how 99% of the alcohol there is rum, and that the Gilman House is primarily a gin bar. He talks about the newest bar that has moved into the area, Justin talks about what they love about the Union Club, and Jason describes how the building the bar is in was originally the News Print building.
13:04 – Justin talks about what led Brogan to open the bottle shop, shares his appreciation for having a tiki bar in the area, and Jason talks about where the idea of having the bar came from. He talks about coming up with the design of the infinity skull, going to tiki cons in San Diego, Arizona, and the local one in Portland. He talks about his love of dark horror, how he fitted that into the tiki design, and the different types of people that visit the locations.
23:10 – Scott expresses his appreciation for Jason letting DC253 meet at Devils Reef, Jason talks about the different types of special events and guests he has, and doing the bartender exchange program. He shares that there are 60 original drinks on their menu, the different types of food he offers at the Gilman House, Justin talks about the first time he visited the Gilman House, and doing the Gin 101 there.
35:55 – Jason speaks about how each of the bars came together, being fortunate to find their spots, and Justin talks about the different businesses around the bars. Jason talks about his appreciation for Disney’s version of escapism, Jeff talks about the great times he had regularly exploring Disney World, and Jason drops some advice to people interested in starting a bar. He shares how much it cost to kick off Devils Reef, expresses the importance for people to be in love with running a business before running one, and what guests can expect when visiting each place.
Thanks, Jason, for returning to GCP and catching up! Special Guest: Jason Alexander.