Today we’d like to introduce you to Bess Baldwin.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in Greenville, SC. I grew up listening to Conway Twitty with my Dad, and Patsy Cline with my Mom. I have been bartending since I was 20. I moved out of the state twice, being Ohio and Las Vegas. I always come back home. I knew there was room in Greenville for a honky tonk/ outlaw country music venue. After bartending at the same bar for three years, I found out that it was for sale and made an offer on it. Having a large stage and ample square footage, I knew that was the place that I had hoped for. It all came to fruition in October of 2021. Seven months later, we are rocking and rolling and booking National acts and bringing the honk with all the tonk straight to Greenville- thanks to Brett Hill at Hillhouse Records!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. Having worked at the bar that I purchased, I knew there were going to be numerous and expensive upgrades right away that needed to be addressed. Plumbing issues, electrical issues- you name it- We have dealt with it, and footed the huge bill to boot. Thanks to Brian Paulino, my GM and right-hand man- we have figured it out. Brian worked at the bar with me before we took over. The bar didn’t have quite the honky tonk vibe, either. Adding the large stage, amazing green room for the bands, and a separate band entrance has helped us establish ourselves as a music venue. So changing all of that up also has been a challenge, but people are liking it and are appreciative of what we are doing, which makes it all worthwhile.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We are known for having great country music artists- both local and National, we are most proud of the growth that we have had in such a short amount of time. We have been open for less than a year, and have already had several sold-out shows. Our customers have been exceptionally receptive to the country music artists and bands that have come through. We have gained a following for that and are proud of that.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
We opened after covid.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.Docstavernsc.com
- Instagram: Docstavernsc
Image Credits
Casey Coscarelli
