Hidden Gems: Meet Mike Floyd of The Whiskey Wagon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Floyd.

Hi Mike, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
The concept for The Whiskey Wagon began like all great ideas… at a local establishment over one too many ginger ales and iced teas. A friend of mine had just returned from a holiday trolly ride and said what a great time it was. Shortly after, during that same night, another friend of mine came in from a bachelor party saying how they wished they could have booked a party bus for the evening but there were none available for an affordable price. I saw both of these events happening on the same night as a sign that I may need to investigate further into the world of party buses.

After a few weeks of doing a small market study, I soon realized most of the party bus companies used the same exact busses, with the same exact business models. You could slap a different company name on the same bus and never even know the difference. This got my wheels turning… I had never once considered starting a party bus business, but it was clear there was a need for some new life to be breathed into the industry.

Coming from a background of woodworking and a love for good whiskey, I knew I wanted to incorporate these two passions into this new venture. I began searching the online markets for busses for sale and soon found myself traveling to the deepest corners of the great state of Michigan to look at potential busses. During this search, I found myself in some very seedy and downright creepy locations where I was sure that I was going to disappear and never be seen again! After weeks of looking at various different busses, I finally found the perfect one that I could build the business on in Toledo, Ohio.

I began converting the big yellow Twinkie into what is now The Whiskey Wagon at the beginning of 2023. It took around six months of blood, sweat, and tears to finally get the bus completed and ready to be put to work. Little did I know until after completing the bus, Michigan is hands down, the absolute worst state to try and get a party bus insured. It took over a month of cold-calling every company in existence, only to be turned down again and again.

The first quote I received was over 40K for one year. I was about ready to throw in the towel when I was referred to an insurance company by a party bus business in Traverse City. I was finally able to secure affordable-ish insurance for the bus and was absolutely ecstatic! The last obstacle was finding a qualified, reliable driver to safely get customers from point A to B. I was blessed enough to find one of the best drivers in the business, Michael Tata, who believed in the business and loved our new vibe!

We have since built a loyal following with many repeat customers who will no longer use any other party bus but The Whiskey Wagon. We couldn’t be more proud of getting to where we are today and can’t wait for everyone to get to experience our amazing bus and business!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
When you’ve never built a party bus before, or dealt with the mechanical issues of a huge diesel school bus, the learning curve can be quite painful. I learned a lot about the troublesome emissions systems of modern-day buses and everything that goes into maintaining them to be road-worthy. I stumbled upon an amazing diesel mechanic (Diesel Dave) after going to a truck car wash in Pontiac. He has been my go-to guy for any issues with the bus and has saved me from huge potential headaches.

I also had no idea that the bus would have to go through a lengthy, in-depth inspection process through MDOT. I reached out to the State inspector who walked me through everything I would need to change/modify or adjust in order to pass the inspection and get authorized for hired use.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Whiskey Wagon?
We are The Whiskey Wagon! Metro Detroit’s coolest, most unique party bus in the industry (and maybe even in the world). We offer party bus service for any event imaginable throughout the great state of Michigan, specifically SE Michigan. From the beginning of this journey, we knew we wanted to give our customers something that they couldn’t find anywhere else.

Along with great customer service, competitive prices, and an amazing night out… we also wanted our bus to be unlike any other out there on the road. Using resources from our previous woodworking days, we acquired real, reclaimed barn wood along with other unique building materials and got to work on creating something truly amazing. Much of the interior of the bus came from dismantled Michigan barns dating back to the late 1800’s!

Along with these one-of-a-kind materials, we also installed the party bus “essentials”, such as custom-built memory foam seating, LED night-glow accents, steampunk light fixtures, and a state-of-the-art stereo system that will knock your socks off! We also have a fully functional bathroom on board! (you’re welcome ladies and beer drinkers). Our bus has been described as feeling like you’re in a speak-easy on wheels!

Aside from the one-of-a-kind features of the bus, we also believe that people are the most important assets, not in business, but also in life. We want our customers to feel like they are part of something special like they are our close childhood buddies. Many customers come to us with a lot of questions about constructing their night out with us and look for suggestions. We’ll take as much time as needed to make sure they feel like they are maximizing every minute of their big adventure! There have even been times we have met them at a coffee shop to discuss details in person.

We are most proud of the response we have received since beginning the business. Our word-of-mouth referrals have been massive for the growth of the business. We feel that people crave something different and fresh, which is one of the reasons for our success this early in the game. When we see the joy and love that the bus provides and the way it brings friends and family together to forget their worries for a few hours of their stressful week, it makes every struggle we go through completely worthwhile.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
They say you have to be lucky to be good and good to be lucky… we couldn’t agree more. When we began building the bus into The Whiskey Wagon, we had no idea there were certain requirements that had to be met by the state of Michigan. We built the bus with arbitrary measurements (seating, emergency exits, etc.) that actually passed inspection on the first go around. Had they not of been up to code, we would have had to redo much of the interior, which would have been catastrophic.

Also, the bus driver on a party bus plays a huge role in the overall experience of the customer as well as the reputation of the business. A party bus driver is essentially a chauffeur, bouncer, DJ, entertainer, and manager all in one! They are also responsible for all of the lives on board, making the need for a qualified driver even more imperative.

A close friend of mine referred me to someone who he knew had a CDL (the required license to drive a bus) and was in between jobs. I called the gentleman who told me he had just put an application in for another party bus business but never heard back. I couldn’t believe my luck! We had a small interview on the bus and I immediately knew he was the guy for the job. Michael Tata, our number one driver, is the ambassador of our brand and does an amazing job driving The Whiskey Wagon.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wskywagon.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewhiskey.wagon?igsh=MXE4dXBxMmltMHYyeA==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWhiskeyWagonBus?mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@TheWhiskeyWagon-ik3be?si=JDIBgWF3ELMkmTIF

Image Credits
The Whiskey Wagon

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