Today we’d like to introduce you to Autumn Brackeen.
Autumn, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started my bartending career in NYC in 2000. I had recently moved to New York on a whim from Texas, and though most of my brief work history was in retail management, I decided to try something different. My best friend, who was also new to NYC as a flight attendant, introduced me to a friend and fellow flight attendant that was opening an Irish pub in the East Village called Finnerty’s.
I begged for a job at the tiny, smoky little dive bar. It was actually the seedy little hole in the wall that the prostitutes hung out in front of in Taxi Driver. My first day as a bartender was ST. Patty’s Day of 2001, and I was hooked. I spent the next seven years bartending at Finnerty’s, and a few other NYC bars: King’s Head Tavern and Boss Tweed’s. I moved home in 2007 when I turned thirty to be closer to my family, and I had decided I also wanted to try my hand working with animals.
Between 2007-2012, I worked as a vet tech, and then I became the Director of Animal Services for a local municipality. I also met the love of my life and got married! I missed being in the bar business. The shelter life was very stressful, and I began talking to my longtime friend, Jason Alford about opening a bar. Jason was a nurse and was also ready for a change. We started looking at spots all over Fort Worth, and continually returned to the pull of Magnolia Ave, though there was not a lot over here at the time. We ended up opening The Owl in 2012 and quickly became a neighborhood staple. Jason and I both love to travel and began talking about our love of visiting Tiki bars around the world. We knew we were ready for another project and started looking a few years ago for our new spot. We partnered with Lori Henderson who owns the buildings at SOMA on Main street, and have been working on developing Tarantula Tiki Lounge ever since. I pursued a new avenue in my personal life by becoming a certified yoga instructor and advanced Reiki practitioner in 2017. I try to practice both as much as possible to keep my life balanced between the high energy of nightlife and striving to stay grounded and at peace.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Everything felt like it fell into place opening The Boiled Owl. While opening a bar is never easy, we were very fortunate to have an incredible staff from the beginning, and a neighborhood full of friendly, cool people who immediately felt at home at The Owl. The people we have surrounded ourselves with have made all the difference. Opening the Tiki Lounge has been a bit more difficult, in terms of time, just because the building we settled on is over 100 years old and needed a lot more TLC as far as construction. But the upside of that is that we have had plenty of time to create the most amazing and unique version of Tiki possible. We are so excited to introduce North Texas to our particular brand of exotic, creepy, fantasy-filled Tiki. We truly believe walking into the door of TTL will transport guests to another world, where cares and troubles can be checked at the door!
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Boiled Owl Tavern and Tarantula Tiki Lounge story. Tell us more about the business.
The Boiled Owl is known for being a very social neighborhood spot where regulars feel as though they are in their living room, and a friend could walk in the door at any time. We are always playing great music and something unusual on the TV. Our Monday karaoke nights have gained a cult following, and patrons can always expect to be blown away by a local musician or two. I am most proud about being a female owner and boss in a male-dominated field. I am proud to have maintained the same staff for many years, which is unusual in this industry. We pride ourselves on being a great place to work and owe most of our success the incredible people you will meet behind our bar.
Tarantula Tiki Lounge:
While honoring many of the classic Tiki traditions, we are excited to bring to life our own particular Tiki vibe. It will be weird, wild, unique, silly, and most of all, insanely fun!! We will feature many Tiki classics, such as the Mai Tai, Zombie, Planter’s Punch and Painkiller. We also have many original drinks, that we can’t wait to share with the world! Originals include The Screaming Skull, Cruel Summer, High Priestess of Funk and our signature sharable concoction, The Mermaid Orgy!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I would say we have been lucky with our timing. We had a good feeling about locating on Magnolia Ave, and shortly after we opened, the neighborhood exploded in popularity. We are predicting a similar situation on South Main. We got in early on Main Street as well, and with all the other great businesses opening alongside us, we anticipate this being the hip new neighborhood to grab a drink, a bite, shop, and just hang out. We are just so happy to be a part of two creative and dynamic neighborhoods in Fort Worth! I also feel very lucky to have such an incredible support system in my husband Jeff, who cheers me on every step of the way!
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Tarantula Tiki Lounge and The Boiled Owl Tavern, My Reiki/Yoga Practice: The Chakra Nerd
- Instagaram: Tarantula Tiki Lounge and The Boiled Owl Tavern, My Reiki/Yoga Practice: The Chakra Nerd
Image Credit:
Autumn Brackeen
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