The foundation of a great bar is built through clarity of purpose, values, and vision.
Opening a bar is a dream many people in our industry share. Before the music starts and the first cocktail is served, countless decisions, challenges, and lessons shape the bar's ultimate identity. In this session, Death & Co co-founder and Gin & Luck CEO David Kaplan reflects on what he wishes he knew before opening his first bar—sharing both practical guidance and the deeper work of understanding your values, your purpose, and the experience you want to create for others.
Why You Should Attend
Walk away with a clearer understanding of how systems, culture, and leadership shape the guest experience -- long before opening night
Get practical lessons from real-world bar development: construction overages, licensing timelines, and hiring the right experts
Build a framework for identifying your personal values and purpose so you can create a bar that feels authentic, intentional, and truly your own
Track: Leadership + Culture
PRESENTED BY
David Kaplin
CEO
Gin & Luck
David Kaplan has worked in hospitality since the age of 13. In the summer of 2006, at 24, he opened Death & Company in Manhattan’s East Village—helping spark the modern cocktail movement. At the 2010 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, Death & Co received honors including America’s Best Cocktail Bar and World’s Best Cocktail Menu.
In 2018, David and Alex Day formed Gin & Luck, the cocktail-anchored hospitality group behind Death & Co and a growing roster of destination-driven ventures across the U.S. Today the company spans four U.S. Death & Co locations (New York, Denver, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.), an online retail platform, and the expanding Midnight Auteur Hotels portfolio—including Municipal Grand by Midnight Auteur in Savannah. In 2025, Gin & Luck continued its national growth with Close Company Nashville, Close Company Atlanta, Close Company at The Venetian in Las Vegas, the first international Death & Co locations in Melbourne and Brisbane, and a fifth U.S. Death & Co under construction in Seattle.
David is also the co-author of three award-winning, best-selling cocktail books: Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails, Cocktail Codex, and Death & Co: Welcome Home. He recently launched Fashioned by Death & Co, the company’s education platform designed to bring Death & Co’s approach to technique, hospitality, and craft to a broader community.
David runs Gin & Luck as CEO, working alongside COO Alex Day and a talented team of operators and creatives. When not on the road, he lives in Seattle with his wife Jenna, daughter Aria, and their dogs, Stella and Doug.
Bartender’s Circle Summit: Industry Session
This session is part of the Bartender’s Circle Summit and is strictly intended for members of the global hospitality industry. To attend this masterclass, you must have a BCS Class Pass. Our summit programming at Pacific Place is a dedicated space for professionals to sharpen their craft, delve into spirit categories like Cognac and Pisco, and learn from the industry’s most respected leaders.
Want to see the full curriculum? Find out more here.
Ready to level up? Get your Class Pass below.