Hidden Gems: Meet Steven of Tap Truck Beach Cities

Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven.

Hi Steven, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
After spending about a year away on military orders with the Army National Guard, I came home wanting to do something different. I sold my RX-7 and started looking for my next classic-car project.

One day, I was having a beer while searching online for cars and started wondering how I could make money with the next one instead of letting it sit in the garage. Breweries were really popular in my area, and I lived close to about a dozen of them. That gave me the idea of putting beer taps into a classic car and bringing the brewery experience directly to people’s homes and events.

I found a 1950 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery and bought it with that idea in mind. While researching how to make it work, I came across Tap Truck USA. They were already doing something similar, so I reached out. The territory I wanted was taken, and with COVID still affecting events, I decided to put the idea on hold.

Not long after, the National Guard activated me to work at a COVID site. While I was there, the owner of Tap Truck Beach Cities at the time called and asked whether I was still interested. I called my childhood friend Robert, and we decided to take it on together. In March 2022, we took over Tap Truck Beach Cities.

Since then, we have grown beyond one classic truck. Today, we provide our 1956 Ford Panel Truck, portable tap bars, bartending, draft systems, beer gardens, and beverage service for events throughout the South Bay and Los Angeles. What started as an idea over a beer became a full mobile beverage business that continues to grow.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. We took over the business while the event industry was still recovering from COVID, so there was a lot of uncertainty in the beginning. We were learning how to operate the business while also trying to generate bookings and rebuild momentum.

One of the biggest challenges was realizing how much work happens behind the scenes. It is not as simple as showing up with a truck and pouring drinks. Every event involves permits, insurance, staffing, transportation, purchasing, equipment, setup, breakdown, and coordinating with clients and venues. Different cities and event locations can also have different requirements, so we have had to learn how to adjust.

Operating a classic vehicle creates its own challenges. Our 1956 Ford looks great at events, but an older truck requires regular maintenance and sometimes has issues at the worst possible time. We have learned to prepare backup equipment and build other service options, such as our portable tap bars, so the entire business is not dependent on one vehicle.

Weather, cancellations, seasonal demand, and rising operating costs have also made it difficult to predict revenue. At the same time, we have had to compete with traditional bartending companies and other mobile beverage businesses while explaining what makes our service different.

A lot of the struggle has simply been learning through experience. We have made mistakes, invested in equipment, adjusted our services, and figured out which types of events make the most sense for us. Each challenge has helped us improve the operation and better understand what it takes to build a sustainable event business.

As you know, we’re big fans of Tap Truck Beach Cities. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Tap Truck Beach Cities is a mobile beverage-catering company serving the South Bay and greater Los Angeles area. We provide bartending, draft beverage service, portable tap bars, beer gardens, truck rentals, and custom beverage setups for weddings, private parties, corporate events, festivals, concerts, nonprofit events, and community gatherings.

We are best known for our 1956 Ford Panel Truck, which has five built-in taps and creates a unique centerpiece at an event. Depending on the client, those taps can be used for beer, wine, cocktails, mocktails, cold brew, lemonade, and other beverages. However, we have grown beyond the truck and now have portable bars, jockey boxes, kegerators, and additional draft equipment that allow us to serve indoor venues and larger events.

What separates us is that we combine the look and personality of a classic vehicle with the equipment and experience needed to run a complete beverage operation. We can create a small custom setup for a private celebration or provide multiple service stations and bartenders for an event with hundreds of guests.

I am most proud of how much the company has grown since we took it over in 2022. What began as an opportunity centered around one classic truck has developed into a flexible event business that has worked with cities, corporations, nonprofits, event producers, and families throughout Los Angeles.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
We are always interested in working with event planners, venues, caterers, breweries, beverage brands, corporations, cities, nonprofits, and community organizations. We can come in as the primary beverage provider or work alongside an existing event team to handle the bars, bartenders, draft systems, or a branded truck activation.

The best way to work with us is to reach out with the event date, location, expected number of guests, and the type of beverage service needed. From there, we can recommend a setup that makes sense for the event instead of forcing every client into the same package.

People can support us by booking Tap Truck Beach Cities, referring us to someone planning an event, following and sharing our work on social media, or keeping us in mind when their company or organization needs beverage service. Referrals and repeat clients have played a major role in our growth.

Pricing:

• Pricing is customized based on the event location, guest count, service hours, beverage selection, staffing, and equipment needed.
• Services can include the 1956 Ford Tap Truck, portable tap bars, bartenders, draft equipment, beer gardens, or a combination of options.
• Corporate activations, festivals, weddings, private parties, and community events are quoted individually.
• Contact Tap Truck Beach Cities with your event details to receive a customized proposal.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://taptruckbeachcities.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taptruckbeachcities
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taptruckbeachcities