Meet Jen Kowal of Birmingham

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Kowal.

Hi Jen, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Our mobile bar journey began when we planned the wedding for our daughter. Emma and her fiancé, Brett. They wanted to include a mobile bar at their wedding reception; however, local mobile bars were unavailable for their date.

Over the years, my husband Mark and I have renovated many of our homes. We also love to entertain. We merged these passions to create a mobile bar business. This would be our first time customizing a camper. In our minds, compared to house renovations, we could easily tackle this small-scale project. Next came scouring the internet and then a three-hour road trip to check out a contender. We purchased a vintage 1966 Avalon camper in January 2024, and the renovation began. Fast forward to the Spring of 2024, and our plans to create an interior with a modern, upscale vibe began to take shape. Yard Bar Detroit became a fully renovated mobile bar with finishing touches completed just in time for the wedding in October 2024.

Yard Bar Detroit has evolved into a family-owned business! We enjoy all aspects of our business, including meeting and connecting with our clients, developing a detailed plan for their bar service, and ensuring that they and their guests have the best time.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Overall, I would say it has been a relatively smooth process. We had the added pressure of needing the renovation to be complete with all the other tasks that go into planning a wedding. My husband Mark and Emma’s fiancé Brett took on the renovation project, while my daughters Emma and Julia helped with interior design choices. Our son Aidan has taken on the role of bartender. Struggles included finding insurance for this type of business, along with developing the website. If I had asked my younger self if I would ever be designing a website, I certainly would have said no. I am a recently retired special education teacher, so creating content on a website platform was new to me. This business opportunity was a reminder that anyone can learn something new, no matter their age. Our family and friends were kind enough to check out our website and shared valuable feedback.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Yard Bar Detroit provides bar service for private events. We specialize in providing our clients with friendly TIPS-certified bartenders, a customized bar experience, including signature drink suggestions, a custom shopping list, and bar menu. In addition to bar service, we offer many add-on options, including a vintage lounge area, a corn hole game, plants, and high-top cocktail tables. A good friend even painted a beautiful mural on the back side of the Yard Bar. This can be used for photos at any event. If the Yard Bar (Mobile Bar) does not fit at your event venue, we also offer portable side bars as an option. We meet with our clients in advance to ensure we capture every detail, making their event memorable.

How do you think about happiness?
Spending time with my family and friends makes me the happiest. I am fortunate that all of my children and the majority of my extended family have stayed in the state of Michigan! We love spending time together at weekly family dinners, while traveling, and have the best time when we are together in northern Michigan. We provide each other with emotional support, acceptance, encouragement, and many laughs!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Yardbardetroit.com
• Instagram: yard_bardetroit