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.
