Hidden bourbon bar opens downtown

A new hidden tasting room has appeared on St. Petersburg’s bar scene, offering a unique experience for bourbon enthusiasts, whiskey aficionados and inquisitive imbibers looking to try something different.

The 1st Ave Clubhouse Bourbon Bar isn’t exactly a “secret,” but it’s tucked away at the back of the 1st Ave Liquors store at 1211 1st Ave. North. If you didn’t already know it was there, it’s easy to miss. Inside, the small bar, made cozy with soft leather and dark walls, fits a total of only 45 people, with seating for 30. Owner Marcia Wells, a passionate bourbon enthusiast herself, conceived the idea for the bar after noticing a gap in the market.

“We were seeing a lot of people coming in [to the liquor store] and hoarding certain bourbons,” Wells explained. “I wanted to do something different, where the regular average Joe can come in and buy a bottle at normal price.”

The 1st Ave Clubhouse Bourbon Bar is located in the back of the 1st Ave Liquors store, 1211 1st Ave. N., Suite 100-C.

The idea for 1st Ave Clubhouse Bourbon Bar can be traced back to the early days of the Covid pandemic. Wells and her partner opened a bourbon store a few months before the pandemic hit. During the lockdowns, with people confined to their homes, the store experienced a surge in business.

“Holy moly, that was insane,” Wells remembers. “It brought out so many bourbon guys. They found us so quickly, and within the first year, we had a bourbon group where we started getting together and doing bourbon shares. A lot of that stuff is done over in Tampa, but there wasn’t anybody doing it on this side of the bridge, so it drew a big crowd.”

These gatherings, which initially took place inside the bourbon store, quickly gained popularity, attracting 30 to 40 people to each event. The success of these gatherings highlighted the need for a dedicated space for bourbon enthusiasts in St. Petersburg. When Wells and her partner converted that bourbon bar into a traditional liquor store, they knew their crew needed a place to continue to grow. 

“I knew we needed a bigger bar when we built this tasting room,” Wells said. “This is really kind of built for our bourbon folks. On the walls are all of our pictures from all of our past events and all of our customers who have been following us from the beginning. Bourbon has really been a huge thing that’s brought a lot of people together.”

1st Ave Clubhouse Bourbon Bar features more than 200 varieties of bourbon, rye and American whiskey, including “allocated bottles” that allow customers to try rare varieties in limited quantities.

The 1st Ave Clubhouse Bourbon Bar boasts over 200 varieties of bourbon, rye and American whiskey. This focused approach allows smaller distilleries to shine alongside well-known brands, giving patrons the opportunity to discover new favorites. 

“I have had so many people trying so many bottles from all the different distilleries, because, most of the time, they’ve never seen them anywhere else, or they’ve only seen them on the store shelf,” Wells said. “Now they have a chance to try it before they buy it and see if it’s something they are really going to enjoy.”

The 1st Ave Clubhouse Bourbon Bar offers smaller “tasting” pours, bourbon and whiskey flights, craft cocktails made with fresh ingredients and “allocated bottles” that allow customers to try rare varieties in limited quantities.

“An allocated bottle is something that may get released from a distillery once or maybe twice a year,” Wells explained. “So in the cabinet now, there’s a Parker’s Heritage. That comes from the Heaven Hill distillery, and that bottle, I may get one or two in a year. One or two bottles, not cases. That’s it. Here, [customers] can try it, but they’re limited to a max of two ounces out of each of the allocated bottles.”

Her goal is to serve St. Pete’s growing bourbon and whiskey scene while introducing more people to the spirits she and her crew are so passionate about.

“I want people to come in, have a good experience, get to try a few different selections and not go home broke,” Wells said. “When new people come in, they’re just blown away by the friendships the camaraderie between everybody. Everybody is so accepting and welcoming, and they love to answer questions and educate people who don’t know as much about [bourbon and whiskey]. To be honest, I’ve never seen that in anything else I’ve ever done in my entire life. So it’s definitely cool to watch that happen and see that process.”

1st Ave Clubhouse Bourbon Bar is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday, with Mondays and Tuesdays reserved for special events. As the bourbon trend continues to grow, Wells said she’s already considering plans to expand in the future, possibly into a cigar and bourbon bar concept. 

The drink menu, upcoming events and specials are published on the business’ Facebook and Instagram pages.

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