Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Bard.
Hi Molly, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My background is mostly in coffee, actually. My mom opened Claddagh Coffee on West 7th in 2011 and opened a second location on Selby Ave, in 2015. I worked there on and off for the first eight years we were open. I would try out other jobs, but I always ended up wanting to be back at Claddagh–there was (and still is) something so special about the community there that kept pulling me back. At the end of 2019, I started really taking over the business from my mom and a few short months later– a global pandemic hit.
While this was an extremely tough time for Claddagh and all businesses, constantly having to adapt and get creative so that your business could survive, the slowness of this time period allowed me to put more time into developing an idea that I had been thinking about for a long time–to open a cozy little cocktail lounge in St. Paul with great food, drinks, and service. Whenever I travelled, I was always drawn to these small, charming little bars and restaurants. I love the uniqueness and intimacy of them– and I wanted to bring a space like that to St. Paul.
The space directly next door to Claddagh was a yoga studio that had closed during the pandemic and as soon as I toured it, i knew that it was the space I wanted for Emerald. It was a small space and since it had most recently been used as a yoga studio– it was a totally blank slate. We realized pretty quickly that to build out a brand new kitchen and bathroom for the space would cost far too much money and take up a fair amount of the little space we had– so we ended up knocking a hole in the wall between Claddagh and Emerald so that we could share a kitchen and bathroom. We figured, as long as their hours don’t overlap, there was no reason this wouldn’t work out just fine–and it (luckily) did.
While I was still working on my business plan and application for a liquor license, I roped in my close friend Amanda Caruso, who was also helping manage at Claddagh, at the time. Amanda is our GM at Emerald but I often times refer to her has my business partner because we truly created Emerald together. Amanda was there every step of the way with designing the space, searching for all the right furniture and equipment, filling out various paperwork to keep things moving, hiring staff, developing menus–everything. We had a very specific vision for what we wanted our restaurant to be, but we also had spent years working in coffee and not behind a bar or in a kitchen– so we knew we needed to hire the right people to help us bring everything to life. We were lucky enough to find our bar manager, Vincent Donohue, and our Head Chef, Brea Daniels, who have both been with us since the very beginning and have played a huge role in making Emerald what it is today.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think opening any new business is full of bumps along the way. Getting our liquor license was a very long process–we submitted the paperwork in March of 2021 and didn’t actually get our license until October. From there, we had a few objections from neighbors about a restaurant going in the space, so we had to do a court hearing. There were lots of hurdles to jump over just to get the doors open.
There has also been a lot for me to learn about running a restaurant! There are many similarities to running a coffee shop but also so many differences. I’m still learning every day, the best way to run this place while staying true to our original vision.
I feel extremely grateful that we’ve got such a wonderful staff, many of whom have been with us since the beginning, that have stuck it out with us as we learn and adapt and grow.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
When we first opened, we really became known for our cocktails. I am slightly biased, but Vinnie created some incredible menu cocktails that guests have been loving since day one. We also have a Martini Du Jour on menu that changes every day and this was something that drew a lot of folks in. As time went on, though, people started realizing that we actually have really good food, too. We have a small, curated menu that changes seasonally so there’s usually something new and exciting for people to try.
While the food and drink are key aspects of our business, the thing that I am most proud of is the community that we’ve created at Emerald Lounge. We wanted to be a space where people could come as they are– feel seen, welcome, and appreciated– and I like to think that that is what we are doing. Our regulars feel like family, and we seem to adopt new regulars every week. The majority of our staff has been with us since we opened and we’ve been through so much together at this point.
There’s a quote hanging up in our coffee shop that reads; “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel,” It’s a quote that I find myself thinking about often when I think about what I want our business to be and how I want us to be remembered.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.emeraldstpaul.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emerald_stpaul/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emeraldstpaul/
- Other: https://www.claddagh-coffee.com
