The return of 'old-school, fun' drinks at a new bar in Goa
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. In the hospitality industry, there’s a unique practice--new places open in the off season. The aim is to test it, iron out the kinks and prepare for the high demand by the end of the year.
In India, monsoon is the off season and it presents a few challenges. In July, Bar Outrigger launched in Goa, and there was an unexpected accident. By the end of the month, excessive rain caused a power surge and their stabiliser’s spark caught fire.
To their good fortune, flames did not engulf the place, but the smoke caused much damage. The place had to be redone and it reopened last month. Bar Outrigger, located in the heritage neighbourhood of Dona Paula, overlooks yachts and fishing boats bobbing in the sea.
One of its two co-founders is the events entrepreneur Francis Coelho, a member of Goa Yachting Association Boat Club. The other partner is Arijit Bose. The 43-year-old bar entrepreneur has spent about two decades in the industry.
He honed his skills by working with Bacardi in the early days of his career, oversaw bars at the music festival NH7 and went on to launch multiple bars, including PCO in Delhi in 2012. As a serial entrepreneur, he introduced brands like Mr Jerry’s Cocktails with ready-to-serve drinks and Lover’s Rum; founded beverage consultancies, such as Countertop which was sold to Third Eye Distilleries in 2022; and currently co-owns two bars in Bengaluru—Bar Spirit Forward and Wine In Progress. As a rum afficionado, his newest venture is Bar Outrigger.
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