Opening day of baseball season brought the opening of two new specialty bars in the St. Louis Cardinals’ Busch Stadium. The Spirits in Motion trained over 80 bartenders, developed an in-depth training program, and crafted six signature cocktails to breathe life into El Birdo’s Margarita and The Classic Mule. This project was especially exciting for Spirits in Motion co-founder Tony Pereyra, who is a lifelong baseball fan himself.
“Baseball has been a big part of my life since my childhood,” Pereyra said, “I played several years growing up. To this day, I love going to games and am still a big fan. It was really cool for the project to be in a Major League Baseball stadium, and I’m very thankful for the opportunity.”
For this project, The Spirits in Motion partnered with Delaware North, the company in charge of hospitality at Busch Stadium. Delaware North reached out to The Spirits for our expertise in opening and building bars, which they know first-hand from our work together on airport and resort bar designs. The co-founder said because there is so much to keep track of, working in stadiums is a whole different ball game.
Ergonomics and merchandising are big factors in creating new stadium bars. Pereyra said he worked closely with designers to ensure both bars would have an eye-popping display and an efficient use of space for bartenders.
“The internal design of a bar has to be very detailed,” Pereyra said. “Every inch matters, and right when you think you have enough extra space, you don’t! So it is very important to be efficient with space, tools, and equipment.”
Vodka drinkers know the Mule is a classic drink for good reason. At The Classic Mule, baseball fans can enjoy a mule with passionfruit, strawberry and basil, or the tried-and-true standard mule. Each mouthwatering drink is served in a traditional copper mug which guests can keep.
El Birdo’s Margarita is sure to leave guests cool and satisfied, offering the fresh flavors of frozen lime and mango margaritas. This new bar also offers the platinum Patron margarita, a beverage made with high-grade tequila and served in an ice-cold silver patron bottle which can also be taken home. Both bars operate out of Busch Stadium’s exclusive Redbird Club during games.
In preparing these bars to open Pereyra personally trained about 75 bartenders in the ten days he was on-site. He said training is a big task, but he finds a way to keeps things upbeat, professional and fun.
“I’ve worked in very similar conditions as a bartender, and I understand the dynamics of working in a massive stadium,” Pereyra said. “It was great to work with this team!”
The Spirits in Motion have a record of crafting knock-your-socks-off beverages and elevating service standards to new heights wherever they go.
“The biggest challenge,” Pereyra said, “was trying not to let the faithful Cardinals fans know I was born and raised in Los Angeles and am a faithful Dodger fan myself!”