Tiffiany Ward wants you to know she’s the most fun banker you’ll ever meet. In fact, she’s so much fun that her house is always the place where family and friends congregate. One day, while looking for a fun and creative way to serve drinks to her guests, she stumbled upon Bonita — an all-electric mail cart from Hawaii. Not long after bringing Bonita back with her to Birmingham, Magic City Mini Bar was born. Tiffiany and the Magic City Mini Bar team served their first event in November 2019 at Windwood Equestrian; the rest is history. They quickly became a preferred vendor for the popular wedding venue, and they’ve also been featured in The Knot. Tiffiany and her team can pour whatever beverages you provide, from lemonade or hot chocolate to wine, beer, and signature drinks, offering customized, licensed, and insured bar services. And Bonita — also known as “Bo” — is decorated to match your event theme.
A mom of two, Tiffiany serves as vice president of retail banking at Millennial Bank and never set out to start a business. However, these days, Magic City Mini Bar is rented for everything from weddings and engagement parties to baby showers, influencer events, and more. We’re excited to introduce our newest FACE of Birmingham, Tiffiany Ward of Magic City Mini Bar.
Tell us the story of Bonita!
She had a whole life before me. We actually drove to Cincinnati to get Bonita after I found her on a Facebook Marketplace search. Bonita is a 1977 total electric mail cart. The guy we bought it from lived in southern Cincinnati — almost in Kentucky — and bought it in an auction of state vehicles. It was a mail cart used in a small neighborhood in Hawaii. It was electric because they didn’t want any gas-powered vehicles on this particular section of the island. When we got it, it was completely orange and had NASCAR stickers all over it. It had a hole in the floorboard. You could see through the floor. It was totally rusted. We brought her back to Birmingham and gave her a glow-up.
How did Bonita turn into a business?
We hosted a party for our friends and posted some pictures on Facebook. Somebody shared our picture, and we had someone reach out to us and ask, “Where did you rent this drink cart from?” We’re like, “Oh, we own it.” And he said, “Well, we would love to have that at our wedding.” That’s how it all started.
Because Alabama has some pretty archaic and antiquated liquor laws, no one had been able to navigate how to operate a mobile bartending service here. I have a friend and client who’s a state rep, and they had someone involved with the ABC Board, so I got the direct line of communication. I was able to ask them all the questions about what kind of licensing we needed and how to handle the business, and make sure it was on the up and up. We’re not the creator of this idea, obviously, but we were the first people to be able to execute it because we had a good direct line of communication to ask the right questions.
How does Magic City Mini Bar operate?
We do not provide any alcohol, drink mixers, or components of a drink. We provide bartending service. So, when hiring us, you’re essentially hiring bartenders to come and serve at your event, and then you have our truck as a prop — you’re hiring a bartending service.
What’s the benefit of hiring Magic City Mini Bar instead of employing a traditional bar setup?
The service is so much faster! We have an advantage because our drinks are on tap. You don’t have to wait for me to make you a margarita. Plus, it’s a lot less expensive and creates an experience for your guests because it’s a cute, Instagrammable backdrop.
What is the key to hosting a great event?
If you don’t spend money elsewhere, spend it on good food and drinks — even if the decor sucks. If they eat enough good food, they’re not going to be talking about the decor; if they drink enough good drinks, they’re not going to notice the decor.
How do you balance Magic City Mini Bar with family and your banking career?
In 2019 and 2020, we were just trying to get our name out there. We were working ourselves to death trying to stay relevant, especially with COVID because — hello, we opened up a bartending service in November, and then the whole world goes to hell in a handbasket.
Now that our business has grown, it’s essential for us to block out time. This year, we blocked off June, July, and August and said, “We’re not going to do anything these three months so we can go to the beach and chill.” Or, you know, go to Sam’s on a Saturday. Also, [it’s about] making sure that you limit when you post content and respond to emails or inquiries. You want to be responsive, but you also have to make sure you’re allocating time for your family and what’s important.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I love to host, but I also volunteer a lot of my time. I am the president of our local Chamber of Commerce (in Leeds). I’m on the board of a pregnancy resource center and the advisory council for our school system. There’s something bigger than yourself. It’s about remembering that and trying to make an impact in your community. It’s so easy to fall into “Oh, somebody else will do it.” No! My dad told me, “If not me, then who will it be?” And that’s been something that I’ve lived by forever.
What’s the best advice you have to offer?
The best advice I can give someone that has ever been given to me is, “Wake up, pray, and hustle.” That’s something I’ve lived my entire life by. You can say a lot of things, but you’re not going to say you outworked me.
Other than faith, family, and friends, name three things you can’t live without.
Coconut tequila, sushi, and candy cigarettes.
Thank you, Tiffiany! To learn more about Magic City Mini Bar, visit magiccityminibar.com.
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