Trio of entrepreneurs launch Jamaican bar
THREE bar entrepreneurs and veterans of the Leeds hospitality scene have launched a new business, Hedonist Drinks, to keep up with the drinking tastes of the season.
Their first concept, Rum Shack, has been sponsored by Jamaican rum firms J Wray & Nephew, which launched in Kingston, Jamaica in 1825, and for which Hedonist founder Daniel Crowther is a brand ambassador, and Appleton Estate.
Fresh from the muddy fields and Kanye’s ego-based slip-ups at Glastonbury, Daniel, one of the founders of Hedonist Drinks, met TheBusinessDesk.com to talk about their new venture, as well as their unconventional attitudes to business.
To provide some evidence of their credentials as bar-owners, Daniel spent four years at the Leelex Group, working at Leeds staples Jakes Bar, Smokestack and Sandinista, whilst his co-conspirator Tom Finnon was previously general manager of Smokestack, and third associate Bruce Lerman gained his bartending and managerial experience as general manager of Epernay.
The trio came up with the Hedonist Project Rum Shack after having run some of the best bars in Leeds themselves because they wanted to branch out on their own.
The site, temporarily on will see a seasonal drinks menu, reflecting the cyclical changes in a restaurant menu – and applying that to alcohol.
“That’s why we decided on the hourglass as our brand symbol, it’s constantly changing and bringing something new which is what we wanted for The Hedonist Project,” said Daniel.
“At the moment we’re subletting the property with the intent to go into a fixed venue by August.
“With Hedonist Drinks, we want to give back to the public what we have taken for granted being in the bar scene here for so long.
“We’ll offer training sessions with master rum-makers and try and give as much as we can, because without the public we couldn’t be in this business, doing what we love.”
“With the Rum Shack concept, it’s all about the atmosphere, people enjoying each others company and relaxing. It’s a celebration of what Leeds is good at, without any pretence behind it. We want people to enjoy a drink, and try something new and a bit different.”
This isn’t just about the customers either. Daniel said: “We pay staff fairly, the Living Wage as well in our attempts to help professionalise the industry. The bar trade I would say is about 10 years behind chefing, which is much more acceptable and mainstream as a career choice.
“We also want to have a hand in the professionalisation of the bar industry, so we’re having a bartender takeover night, when they get to decide on the whole menu and prove what they can do.”
The resurgence of the Merrion Street area in North Leeds as a hub for new bars and restaurants hasn’t gone unnoticed and is precisely why the trio decided to set up shop in the former Hogarth’s Gin Joint.
Daniel said: “There’s been a transition up to North Leeds. Call Lane is an absolutely brilliant night out, but because of its popularity it can get filled with tourists.
“Then you have your financial quarter bars, with all the Living Ventures sites opening on Greek Street, which are aspirational venues, but Leeds regulars have started coming to the North end of the city.”
Perhaps because of the major investment by the council into Merrion Street which has meant that bar brands Manahatta and Soba have moved in, amongst more established staples like Belgrave Music Hall.
“The arena coming to the Northern quarter definitely helped. Investment here increased, it was basically the reverse of what had happened down in South Leeds with Arc Inspirations a few years ago,” he said.
“We wanted Rum Shack to be a bar for the people. We think the greatest thing about Leeds is the bar community, we all support each other and have grown up together.”
The Rum Shack opened to the public on June 26 and runs until September 5.
