Rising Stars: Meet Tony Cross

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tony Cross.

Hi Tony, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I used to run a restaurant in Southern Pines for six years that included a cocktail program that I started the last 2 years there. I was very interested in starting a draught cocktail program at the restaurant, but at the time, we didn’t have the logistics to make it work. When I branched out on my own, I wanted to provide cocktails for the public but didn’t want to start a traditional catering company. I always envisioned bottling small bottles of carbonated cocktails and delivering them. One of my best friends is a home brewer; he showed me the ropes when it came to the ins and outs of carbonating liquid/operating the equipment. Lots of trial and error with recipes later, I started offering six-packs of carbonated cocktails to the public for delivery!

Soon after, I found out that due to ABC law, my bottle size (6.3 oz) was too small to add liquor to. I was pretty bummed because I had just started my business and was gaining quite an audience. I realized that I could deliver kegs of my mix to bars and restaurants, while adding their liquor once we arrived-thus, allowing other businesses to pour our cocktails on draught. Six years later, we’re represented in four states! We also deliver growlers of our carbonated cocktails to residences and businesses for personal consumption, parties, etc. During the pandemic and lockdowns, our growler program exploded! As far as I know, Reverie Cocktails is the first company to offer kegs of carbonated cocktails to businesses to pour on draught. This concept has gotten very popular post-pandemic, but we’ve been slinging kegs and such since 2016.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like every small business owner, I have definitely had my ups and downs. The biggest struggle has always been the state ABC laws. It can be impossible to provide drinks to big events that are open to the public.

Breweries and wineries can pour high abv drinks all day, but because we have liquor (already premixed into a keg, mind you), we get slapped on the wrist. These laws have cost my business tens of thousands of dollars, easily-and that’s being modest.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Reverie Cocktails are known for our (as we like to hashtag) #flavorstogo. We don’t have our own brick & mortar yet, so we’re pretty elusive, as far as businesses go.

I’m most proud of being able to start from nothing and having no blueprint (we are the first business with this model), to being where we’re at today. I have seen my share of raised eyebrows, heard a ton of chuckles, and received plenty of rejection, along with hearing tons of “yeah, good luck with that” along the way-so, it feels good to know that not only have we survived the years and pandemic, but we’re gaining accounts on a monthly basis.

We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Enjoying what you do. When you don’t feel like you’re “going to work.”

Contact Info:

• Website: reveriecocktails.com
• Instagram: @reverie_cocktails
• Facebook: Reverie Cocktails

Image Credits
Rachel Garrison (@rachelgarrisonphotography)