Expatriate Bartenders Open Bull In China Retail Shop

Bull In China, the newest venture by bartenders Lucas Plant (of Expatriate) and Daniel Osborne (of Teardrop Lounge) is open now: But before you get all gussied up for a night out on the town, no, it's not a bar. In fact, it's a retail space on N. Williams Street geared to serve home bar enthusiasts, collectors, and eventually, even those looking for bar wholesale. Bull In China is located within Workshop Vintage, where Plant and Osborne have created a "one-stop shop for bartenders." Shelves are lined with vintage crystal glasses and stemware, shakers and stirrers, bitters, bar books, and even a specially made stir vessel from Vitreluxe, a glass studio out of Sellwood.

The drink-slinging duo (past co-workers at Expatriate and good buddies) had been hearing a common complaint in the bartending community: the lack of a retail space dedicated to bar equipment and tools. They're both longtime collectors of barwares, and drive up and down the coast hitting estate sales and antiques shops in order to find the best scores. Along with retail, the shop will also eventually serve as a home base for bar education classes on technique and proper bar building, showcasing different artists and many of our extraordinary bartenders from around the area. And of course, for these events drinking a cocktail or two will be a part of the experience.

Bull In China officially opened on August 27, but on September 1, the team is throwing what they call a "Not Our Grand Opening, But Our Pretty Damn Close to Grand Opening Barbecue." They'll be grilling up hot dogs, and serving beer and wine, and it will be open to the public at no cost from 1p.m. to 6p.m.

Regular hours for the shop are Monday through Friday, 11a.m. to 7p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11a.m. to 6p.m.
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Photo courtesy Nathan Gerdes