1953 Bus Wants Second Life as a “Barmobile’’
The Kickstarter needs $35,000 by Friday, May 15.
“We didn’t want a stereotypical food truck,’’ Kevin Mabry, one of three individuals behind the Barmobile Kickstarter campaign, told Boston.com. The city already has plenty of big, square trucks selling everything from grilled cheese and burgers, to ice cream and waffles.
So Mabry – along Domingo-Martin Barreres and Suzie Dagenais, two other self-described “restaurant pros’’ – went in a different direction. They want to serve high-quality, classic cocktails, so they got their hands on a classic ride: a 1953 Flxible bus.
Founded in 1913 as a manufacturer of motorcycle sidecars, The Flxible Company switched to making buses in 1924, according to Baldwin Wallace University. When the company filed for bankruptcy in 1996, it was the largest transit bus builder in the U.S.
The bus models from 1946 to 1967 featured “panoramic windshields’’ and dual headlight front-end designs reminiscent of a smiley face. According to Flxible Owners International, this was the most popular Flxible bus, with 2,050 models produced between 1946 and 1950.
The Barmobile crew, from left: Kevin Mabry, Suzie Dagenais, and Domingo-Martin Barreres.
Mabry and Barreres found their red bus (named “Rosie’’) from a dealer in Los Angeles. The only catch is that Rosie needs quite a bit of work, including a new diesel engine, automatic transmission, power steering, brakes and tires.
Mabry, Barreres, and Dagenais have launched a Kickstarter campaign to cover the cost of repairs. But that’s just the start.
“As if this was not enough work we’ll be customizing the bus to be a rolling bar,’’ they wrote on Kickstarter.
The group wants to outfit their bus with two wells, four taps, back bar coolers, and a VIP lounge onboard. Rosie also needs a new generator for coolers and party entertainment.
The “Clipper’’ model from 1946 to 1947 has the large aluminum Flxible badge below the windshield, according to Flxible Owners International.
If all goes according to plan, the Barmobile would “bring the party’’ – and the booze — to private events, charities, corporate parties, and any other locale without a liquor license. The trio could also be hired for music festivals and sporting events.
Mabry, Barreres, and Dagenais all have impressive cocktail experience. Mabry was most recently beverage director at jm Curley, Merrill & Co., and Bogie’s Place, and was named “Boston’s Best Bartender’’ by Boston Magazine in 2014. Barreres has also mixed cocktails at Bogie’s, as well as local hotspots The Beehive and House of Blues, while Dagenais has most recently worked at jm Curley.
“Boston has been great to us and has long been known as the innovation hub,’’ they wrote. “We can’t think of a better place to launch this ambitious project.’’
They hope to raise $35,000 by Friday, May 15 to launch the boozy business venture. Backers get ‘thank you’ gifts like key chains, koozies, t-shirts, or hoodies, depending on the amount donated, with the most generous donors getting invited to a launch party held at Boston Harbor Distillery.
“If we reach our $35,000 goal, we already have everything in motion,’’ Mabry said. “We hope to be on the road for August.’’
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