Growing with Las Vegas
EDITOR’S NOTE: As a UNLV student, Tim Haughinberry started out in the hospitality business as a busboy at a TGI Fridays on Flamingo Road. He went on to become the youngest manager at Southern Wine & Spirits. Later, he founded his own unique national marketing and consulting company, Back Bar USA. The company promotes liquor-sponsored events all across America and beyond, plus our own annual Love of Cocktails series.
Tim has been on top of the extraordinary hospitality evolution of Las Vegas throughout the three decades — and here, this holiday weekend, he pens his thoughts about the industry’s remarkable growth and change.
……
This summer, I celebrate 30 years in fabulous Las Vegas, having moved here from Southern California on July 1, 1987, to attend University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I was just shy of my 21st birthday, with big plans to become the next hotel or casino mogul. Even then, I knew Las Vegas was prime for entrepreneurship.
The city had just more than 500,000 residents and 16 million visitors, annually. My first job was working at what was then (seriously!) the hot power lunch spot, TGI Fridays on East Flamingo Road. There was no Forum Shops or even The Mirage. In fact, Robin hadn’t even coined the term “celebrity chef” yet.
A few years after I moved to Las Vegas, The Mirage opened. That hotel changed the Las Vegas Strip forever — and I got a job there working as a busboy at California Pizza Kitchen. I even got to deliver salads to Mr. (Steve) Wynn in his office, which you can imagine was a very big deal.
The city grew, and I grew with it. From waiter to bartender, and then to a life-changing position as a sales representative at Southern Wine and Spirits, where I had the opportunity to open nearly every casino from 1990 to 2000.
These experiences set me on my path to entrepreneurialism, and the growing Las Vegas community made it possible. I don’t think there is a better city in the nation for an entrepreneur to launch a business. It’s a small town with a big presence. And, it is filled with brilliant, influential people who provide an incredible amount of support for new businesses.
I started with a semi-successful custom wine cellar business where I designed and built some beauties, including one for former Las Vegas mayor, Jan Jones, and a cellar befitting of someone sharing the “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” Robin Leach.
Built on relationships and opportunity to leverage the Montecristo Cigars brand, I developed Montecristo Rum. I continued to grow the brand for almost 10 years.
I bought a bar, The Gold Mine Tavern, on Water Street in downtown Henderson.
By then, my experience was varied, and I saw a way to apply it as a consultant. My current venture, Back Bar USA, was born, with services focused on booze, because that’s what I know best. The company has grown over the past seven years from two people to 33 full-time and more than 300 part-time employees. Back Bar USA is now international, servicing the world’s greatest hotels, nightclubs and celebrity chef restaurants.
Right there through it all has been the Las Vegas community — people who provided support early in my career and remain influences today. Mentors like Bryan O’ Shields, who got me the first bartending gig; Larry Ruvo, who groomed me for adulthood and business; and Robert Frey and Michael Frey, who believed in Montecristo Rum. Even Robin himself flew to New York City to launch Montecristo Rum at Le Cirque in NYC. My companies have grown and supported entrepreneurs and business leaders, too, including Josh Wand, who founded BevForce and Flor Bernal, who was recently promoted to CEO of Back Bar USA.
Much has changed over the 30 years; we now have over 2.3 million residents and 44 million tourists. I’m fortunate to have grown with Las Vegas.
Back Bar USA is an award-winning, full-service marketing, consulting and design firm with more than 25 years of experience in the beer, wine and spirits industries. Specializing in corporate and national account beverage programs with an emphasis on gaming, resorts, nightlife and fine dining, the company provides services ranging from menu development to ground-up event concept, design and execution. Back Bar maintains an impressive portfolio of clients including MGM Resorts International, Landry’s Inc., Wynn Resorts, Tao Group and several others. For more information, visit www.BackBarUSA.com.
