Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Murphy.
Hi Matthew, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In 2013 my wife and I lived in Philadelphia where I started working in the cigar and bar industry. The idea for both Quaint and Fireside came about when my family moved to Olathe in 2017. Olathe was a great place to live but lacked things to do. Many times we found ourselves going to other parts of the city for dinner and activities and then driving back home wishing there were more unique things to do closer to home. I wanted to create a place for people to sit down and enjoy conversation with each other. We made a very intentional decision to not have TVs on the wall. There are many places you can go to sit and watch a game on TV and be entertained. But there are a limited number of places you can go and focus on just being with other people.
I have always been passionate about creating community for people. In mid 2019, I started the beginning stages of planning to open Fireside. That plan was delayed as we came into 2020 and the realities of COVID began to take shape in all our lives. During that time, it became very clear that people were increasingly starved for community. As restrictions began to relax, we picked up the Fireside plan and officially opened in early 2021. Immediately people were drawn in because they wanted to be around people again. I knew that the next phase was for a cocktail bar. As soon as space opened next to Fireside, I started to develop the plan for Quaint. As with most projects there were some construction delays but eventually, we were able to open our doors in late 2024.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There are always challenges when getting a new business off the ground. From construction and build-out, finding the right people, to acquiring new customers. Since opening in late 2024, we have overcome many of those initial challenges.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mindset even before I started my own businesses. My professional career has been in many different industries but always centered around people and sales.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Determination and focus has been key. There is a lot of noise out there that makes it easy to get sidetracked and focus on what others are doing. I’ve always had the mindset to keep focused on my businesses because when you start looking at others you switch to an imitation midset instead of creating something that is truly yours.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.quaintcocktails.com
- Instagram: @quaintcocktails
