We had the good fortune of connecting with Tabitha Wall and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Tabitha, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I believe that risk is a necessary component in life. Without taking risks, it’s easy for life to become a series of “what ifs”. I’d rather be uncomfortable for a while exploring whether or not something can work than wishing that I had dared to try it a decade from now. My husband and I will always knock on that door. What’s the worst that can happen? You hear a “no” “no” or a “not right now”? What if you could guarantee it was a “yes”? Of course, you can’t, but people forget that yes is also a viable option. When taking risks, you have to be comfortable with the possibility of both success or failure.
What should our readers know about your business?
Bully Brew Co. was founded on the passion of making premium coffee affordable and simple. We only purchase the top 0.5% premium quality. You can taste the difference! Great coffee is enjoyable without the necessity of loads of sugar and masking flavors. We have converted many people who “don’t like coffee” into believers. We also curate seasonal flavor menus and make those flavored syrups in-house. There’s truly something for everyone to enjoy. We launched our business in the farmer’s market circuit in 2017. The Valley provides so many opportunities to be outdoors nearly year-round. Farmer’s markets and large annual events gave us the momentum to open our first brick-and-mortar location in May of 2019. That transition was the most interesting! We took a risk and had to learn about the food side of the business, which has a lot more moving parts to it. Nate and I have definitely expanded our talents and learned a lot in the process. 2020 wasn’t easy on small businesses, but we were blessed to have one of our markets certified as an outdoor grocer during the pandemic. As far as our physical location, the loyalty of our patrons really shined during this time. The building we are in is wonderful, but the other businesses were forced to shut down during the lock down. Thankfully, we were well-versed and operate primarily on a take-out basis so we didn’t have to alter a lot of our day-to-day operations. The challenge was really figuring out how to get eyeballs to see that we were still open and operating inside a building where we have zero outdoor signage. I definitely spent a lot of my year re-learning social media and Google! When the pandemic hit, we were working on a second location. Operating during a pandemic is a feat in itself, but growing a hospitality-based business when the world is shut down? For a small business, it’s very challenging! Continuing to have a healthy business came to be our only focus. It had to be enough for us. After hearing “no” more times than I can even remember, we decided to just focus on the present, be patient and trust that the time would come. It seemed heartbreaking at the time, but I found you can’t obsess over the outcome or you’ll steal your own passion! The biggest lesson I learned in 2020 is to stay true to the path you’re on, even when it’s scary. Sometimes things don’t work out the way you want nor when you want them to. You have to be steadfast in doing work that keeps you moving forward, then trust the process. Timing is truly everything and cannot be forced. As business owners, we had failures and set backs, but 2021 has brought us the opportunity to expand the way we planned in 2020! We are proud to announce we are expanding to a 2,100 sq. ft. coffee shop set to open in Fall 2021! We look forward to working together as a family again like we did in the beginning. We are so excited to have a true third-space environment for people to do life together, where your name is known and you feel at home.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh my goodness! Phoenix has everything! I didn’t believe that when we moved from a place that had easy access to downtown Chicago, but over the last 14 years I’ve fallen in love with the Phoenix-valley over and over again! When friends or family come to town, the original Postino’s in Arcadia is ALWAYS a must for us. For burgers and brews, we love to introduce people to Peoria Artisan Brewery over on the west side. Chef Michael is a gem and this family-owned micro-brewery is always changing up the menu, both beer and food. It never disappoints! If Italian is your thing, we highly recommend The Sicilian Butcher’s brand new location in Park West (Peoria). The ambience, the decor and the food are all on point. It’s worth your while to strategize your order with friends and get the best of everything! If one of my girlfriends is in town, I keep Teaspressa up my sleeve. The decor is dainty and beautiful, the service is always delightful and friends love the idea of such a photogenic place. It definitely makes a lasting impression. We have younger children, so we like to get outdoors and let them burn off some of that energy. Hiking the White Tanks is breathtaking and has hikes for all levels. Paloma Park has also opened recently and boasts sandy shoreline, an expansive lawn for a picnic and a massive play area for kids to stay and play for hours. Pack a picnic, because you’re sure to be there a while!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
A.J. Whisler- Thank you for encouraging us to take the big leap in 2017. Without your words of encouragement and personal hankering for our coffee, we would have never started Bully Brew Co. Thank you for making us think big! David Wall – Your support and guidance have truly been everything! You have helped us grow so much. Never stop asking the hard questions. We can’t thank you enough for continuing to encourage us.
Website: www.bullybrewco.com
Instagram: @bullybrewco
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bullybrewco
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bully-brew-glendale
Image Credits
Rusty Metals Photography
I am one of the BELIEVERS! I have always said that I have not yet grown up yet😜because I don’t drink coffee or like it. UNTIL I TASTED BULLY BREW! Completely different bean! I’m a fan of their coffee, flavors and specialty lemonades as well! Love this entire family and everything they fight for and believe in!