Tom Moore and Maverick Genetos, the proud new owners of the Back Alley Wine Bar, met each other while working for Amazon, but decided to leave the “corporate rut” they found themselves in last February.

Genetos comes from a background in live music entertainment, while Moore brings years of hospitality experience to the bar. Originally, five of their friends were in on the plan, and they looked at a lot of real estate around town, Moore said.

“They’re still our friends, but I don’t think they thought we were as serious as we wanted, and we had a really long delay of trying to find the right one,” Moore said. “The thing that was right about this place was timing. We absolutely enjoyed this particular location as customers before we ever really saw it as something that you could ever take.”

Sheri Shaw, who opened the bar in 2019, told Moore one day she was thinking of selling, he said. He must’ve asked her 10 times if she was sure, he said.

“Even when the paperwork was signed and we were getting everything put together, it still didn’t feel real,” Moore said. “It was like we were just kind of like a part of this place, but it wasn’t our place. It wasn’t anything for us to put our stamp on,” Moore said.

The bar, tucked away in the alley behind the Birdcage Saloon, is particularly popular among locals. In taking over from long-term leadership, some were concerned there would be abrupt changes, Genetos said.

“What’s the hardest part? Probably everybody that came in expecting for us to be making big changes and kicking over tables and just kind of assuring them that if they liked it before, they’re probably gonna like it going forward, because we liked it,” Genetos said. “We wouldn’t have bought it if we didn’t like it.”

That isn’t to say they haven’t added some of their own influence to the place. In addition to the more than 25 wines offered, they have added draft beer and sake (rice wine) cocktails.

“The sake is infused into a lot of the cocktails that we’re making. It’s a step up with what we are bringing to life, which is a traditional cocktail, but in the form of sake,” Moore said.

The Back Alley Wine Bar has continued to host a rotation of live music performances throughout the transition. One of the bigger changes is that the owners have moved the music to the other side of the room to accommodate a stage that they plan to build.

Another change is the edition of BAWB After Dark, from 10 p.m. to close on Fridays and Saturdays, with more of a “night club feel.” Previously, the bar closed at 11 p.m. on weekends.

“It’s geared more for a 21 and older crowd. So we’ve been doing a little electronic music – younger crowd,” Genetos said.

Despite the additions, the plan is to keep the atmosphere and feel of the space the same as it’s been, Moore said. Both owners are frequently in the bar working, he said.

“If Maverick and I wanted to sit back and watch from across the way, we could watch this place operate, and it would do its job, and it would be successful,” Moore said. “Our best day at Amazon doesn’t touch our worst day here. We’re just having fun.”

Brodie Greene is a staff reporter for the Daily Courier and may be contacted at bgreene@prescottaz.com, 928-445-3333, ext. 6250. Connect with him on Instagram @brodiegreene