A new self pour beer concept is coming to Elmwood Avenue. Co-owner and president of One Perfect Pour, Paolo Marinaccio, told me that he first got the idea for the self pour establishment after he visited one in Raleigh, NC. Since that time, he has visited other self pour bars and restaurants, which has spurred him to undertake his own venture in Buffalo, along with his fiancée/business partner.
Marinaccio, who has been in the bar and restaurant industry his entire life – most recently with Resurgence Brewing – moved back to Buffalo from Raleigh ten years ago. Eventually he got the hankering to open his own place, and figured that a craft bottle shop would be a good move. But as a number of bottle shops opened around town, he switched up his concept in the self pour direction.
Aside from still being a relatively unique concept in WNY, Marinaccio told me that people are still looking to interact with bars and restaurants differently these days. Not only will they be able to pour their own selections, they will be able to taste test as much as they want. They will also be able to drink exactly how much they want. Once a customer is set up with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) card, they will be the master of their own domain.
As we discussed Buffalo’s bar culture, Marinaccio mentioned [laughing] that drinking is the most responsible of irresponsible things that we do (as a city). Buffalo is still a bar town. And people are always looking for different types of bars, with different types of concepts. One Perfect Pour will be a social atmosphere built around a wall of beer. There will also be wine, cider, and seltzers, with some fun surprises.
As for the location, Marinaccio feels that One Perfect Pour will bring something new and exciting to the 400-500 blocks of Elmwood, home to the new Elmwood Crossing project.
“We think there will be plenty of foot traffic in this location,” said Marinaccio. “We can’t wait to show people what we’re up to. We will have a heavy concentration on NY State beers, especially those brewed in WNY. We will have beers that people already love (little guys and big guys), and a number that they might not be familiar with, such as those brewed by War Horse and Evil Twin. There will be an opportunity to try as many beers as customers want – we’re putting the glasses directly into their hands and letting them full pour, sample… whatever makes them happy. Sometimes people are afraid to ask for more than one sample. At One Perfect Pour, that’s never an issue. The last couple of years, the bar industry has been flipped on its head. This is a new experience that some might view as a novelty, but this is the future of the bar industry. We are creating an experience by Buffalo for Buffalo.”
In order to get started, Marinaccio is purchasing the self pour technology and the system. But it will be a stand-alone operating business that means that he will not have to answer to anyone. That will allow One Perfect Pour to be as unique as he wants it to be, while still having access to a refreshing self pour concept that is sweeping the country.
One Perfect Pour is expected to open the summer of 2022.
One Perfect Pour | 451 Elmwood Avenue | Buffalo, NY 14222 | Facebook