Stephen Walker, the entrepreneur and marketing man behind 1858 Caesar Bar in downtown Collingwood, talks to On The Bay about his humble beginnings and his brand’s meteoric rise to franchise stardom.
Stephen Walker is the co-founder and CEO of what’s become a destination for both visitors and locals in downtown Collingwood—1858 Caesar Bar. Walker’s concept of garnishing a classic Canadian cocktail with a meal and wrapping it in a brand-infused experience is a hit. From his original alcohol-soaked brainstorm to a viable franchise network, including a new location in the Blue Mountain Village and a retail line of premixed caesar elixirs, Walker, along with his co-founder and wife Vanessa, have successfully navigated the pitfalls and challenges of being small-town entrepreneurs.
A graduate of the school of hard knocks, Walker says he was broke when he started out and he’s had his fair share of failures, but right now there’s no looking back as he continues to apply a lifetime of street smarts and personal drive to build the 1858 brand. Walker included a nod to local history when he named his establishment, 1858 being the year the Town of Collingwood was incorporated. Who knew?
“I always tell people, you know, I’m two seconds away from fame but I’m also on a banana peel. It’s still scary, you know. This is not old money. This is us, sweat equity, and it’s scary-exciting.”
Stephen Walker
Roger Klein: Welcome to On The Bay, Stephen. Let’s start at the beginning, where did the original notion of selling caesars come from?
Stephen Walker: It all started with a hangover. It was a Sunday morning, some friends and I were concocting caesars and making a whole bunch. We would add some brines to it and this and that. They would take forever to make. And I said, wouldn’t it be nice if somebody created like a one shot. That’s how it all started with Walkers OneShot, which was the original elixir. It was a caesar mix additive. We first sold it at trade shows. People didn’t know what it was at first. They would go, “What is this, like a beard oil?” Because it had a picture of my face on it. But we knew we had something when we sold out in one day at Bradford Greenhouses Garden Gallery. Then we did it again and we knew we had something special.
RK: I remember when you first opened your doors on Hurontario Street next to the theatre. The location was really small—most restaurants/bars wouldn’t have considered it. How did you make the tiny space work?
SW: We were actually just going to do a store and I woke up one morning and I told Vanessa I want to own my own little “Cheers Bar” where I can talk to people, make people happy. I guess I love making caesars, I wanted to make a cool spot where I could engage with the customer. Long story short, we did it. We were licensed for 14 people. The rest is history.
RK: It was a big leap to move across the street into your current location. Did you have
a plan?
SW: We realized that we had something special because we were seeing locals come back, not just tourists; the chairs turned so much it was absurd. I was at Home Depot when I met the gentleman that owned this building and he said, “I just bought it, I’m going to be leasing it.” I said, “Well, I’d like to maybe look at it.” It was just faith. We rolled the fridge across the street into this location and we built it out so it wasn’t too big because I was scared.
RK: When did you start to imagine that this could be a franchise?
SW: Well, I didn’t, to be honest with you. Everybody was telling me it’s not going to work. We were only open two months when somebody approached me and said, “Hey, I’d like a franchise.” And then I had an NHL player who also wanted to invest. He said, “I think your concept is great.” But I said, “Hey, I’m just starting off. I don’t need anything at this point. Thank you very much, I’m OK.” I’m thinking, we’re just my little “Cheers Bar” right?
LEFT The Grill Daddy Caesar. ABOVE 1858’s signature line of one-shot caesar elixirs and rimmers were the genesis of the business.
RK: That was six years ago. A lot has happened since then, there are now multiple 1858 Caesar Bar locations including Sauble Beach, Huntsville and a new one in the Blue Mountain Village. When did things really take off?
SW: When we did decide to start franchising, a person who now works for the company, Audra Wosik, reached out to us saying, “Hey, I’m interested in buying a franchise.” Audra was with one of the major restaurant brands and is now our director and vice president of franchising. She’s the one responsible for developing franchises across Canada. And she’s doing a great job at it, because by 2025 we should have five new locations open.
RK: You’re launching a new pre-packaged product as well. Do you consider it a craft product?
SW: 1858 has been working to develop this product for over two years. We’re super proud of it. It’s a ready-to-drink caesar in a can. It’s premium-quality, it’s the first caesar in a can that tastes like a caesar. Tagline: caesars are what we do, we do it best. Our focus groups yielded extremely good results. Our premium “Feeling Dill” product will also be available across Ontario and in LCBO stores in 2025.
RK: How does the new canned product fit into the whole franchise picture?
SW: What goes out there is also a branding thing. So as 1858 grows, this is an asset to the 1858 franchisees as well. When franchisees sell the product within their bricks and mortar, they’ll generate revenue from it too. So it’s a revenue-generator across the board for everybody.
RK: Did changes to Ontario’s liquor laws create new opportunities for your business and other craft producers?
SW: Huge, it opens a gateway. It’s been a great thing in my opinion. We were ready. You can come in here now and buy an 1858 Caesar in a can. The prices are regulated to what they would be at the LCBO.
RK: What’s next for Stephen Walker?
SW: I always tell people, you know, I’m two seconds away from fame but I’m also on a banana peel. It’s still scary, you know. This is not old money. This is us, sweat equity, and it’s scary-exciting.
