‘A pony walks into a bar ...’ good idea
Ryan and Amy Bruckner were driving down a country road and saw a rusty old pony trailer for sale.
They drove up to the farm, made an offer, and the next day they owned it and were planning to transform it — with his father, Carl — into a shiny mobile bar as she had seen done in other places.
It was a great idea, because after debuting it at a few events last fall to raves, the Parched Pony Mobile Bar is booked for dozens of weddings and events, for which the pandemic has created pent-up demand, Mr. Ryan says. Heading into this spring season, because the South Strabane couple have full-time day jobs as well as four children, they brought on two partners to run the business, have hired more bartenders and are working on turning a second, bigger vintage trailer into another bar.
You can see and order a drink from the little one — a 1971 trailer that used to haul ponies and pigs—at Saturday’ s Washington, Pa ., Winter Farmers Market, held outdoors with portable heaters in the county seat’s Community Pavilionat 139 South Main St., Washington, PA 15301.
The Parched Pony isn’t selling local spirits, wine and beer but is serving the drinks for the farmers market. (State law doesn’t allow the mobile bar to sell its own booze.)
Customers at last month’s market were audibly and visibly charmed by the tiny trailer and its chalkboard menu of drinks, including a gorgeous Red Pump Spirits Minted Blackberry Mimosa ($8) and Washington Brewing Co. Lager Amber, as they call it ($5) .
Mr. Bruckner says it was a blast, and, “We’re really excited for the next Market.”
Learn more at www.parchedponybar.com and follow the progress of the new trailer and the company on its Instagram @parchedpony.