What happens when you build something special, but your neighborhood is not yet known as a destination? In this episode of the Small Business Resiliency Series, Stuart Takehara talks with Thea from The Wicked Wolf, a cocktail lounge, teahouse, and community gathering space in Long Beach’s Wrigley neighborhood. Thea shares the honest reality of opening a bar after the pandemic, running a small hospitality business during a slowdown, and trying to attract customers when people are spending less, drinking less, and staying closer to home. The conversation explores rising costs, staffing challenges, liquor distribution changes, labor-heavy craft cocktails, the growth of mocktails, event-driven business, and the challenge of building a destination in a neighborhood many people still think of as a place to drive through. For small business owners, this episode is a powerful reminder that a great concept is not enough. Your location, neighborhood identity, customer habits, and community support all have to work together. In This Episode:• How The Wicked Wolf became a cocktail lounge, teahouse, and gathering space • Opening a bar after the pandemic • Why staffing is one of the hardest parts of running a small hospitality business • How rising costs affect pricing and labor • Why handmade cocktails require more time and labor • Responding to younger customers drinking less alcohol • Using events to bring people into the business • Why location and concept have to match • The challenge of building a destination in Wrigley • How neighborhoods become more walkable and business-friendly • Why small businesses need more local support Episode Timeline00:00 Thea explains the slowdown facing bars and restaurants 01:19 Introduction to the Small Business Resiliency Series 02:39 What The Wicked Wolf is and where it is located 03:42 Staffing a small bar with part-time employees 05:17 Current food offerings and future kitchen plans 05:53 Opening in 2023 after the pandemic 06:44 Why Thea decided to open a bar despite the risks 07:09 Building a space for art, culture, community, and cocktails 08:25 How alcohol distribution changes affected the business 11:19 Rising costs, pricing pressure, and labor challenges 12:48 Why handmade drinks require more labor 14:04 Differentiating from dive bars and lower-cost competitors 14:57 How younger customers are changing drinking culture 15:14 Building a strong mocktail and event strategy 17:26 The biggest challenge over the next 12 to 18 months 18:00 Why customers may be staying home or spending less 19:02 What happy hour deals can signal about the market 19:30 The challenge of attracting customers to Wrigley 20:44 Staying true to the concept during a slowdown 22:36 How other bar owners are seeing similar spending changes 26:31 Membership programs and recurring revenue 28:30 Advice for anyone who wants to open a bar 29:09 Why location and concept fit matter most 30:30 Why some neighborhoods struggle to support small businesses 31:00 How walkability affects business success and neighborhood safety 32:35 How Wrigley businesses are creating more community activity 35:54 A message to small business owners 36:45 Why cities should invest more in small businesses 38:08 How to visit or contact The Wicked Wolf Key TakeawayA great business still needs the right neighborhood fit. The Wicked Wolf’s story shows that small business success depends on more than product quality. It also depends on location, customer behavior, neighborhood identity, walkability, and whether the community chooses to support the businesses it says it wants.
