Chapter 72: I Went Inside a Hidden Bar
The sedan Richard had sent dropped me off in a quiet alley away from the bustle of downtown Phoenix.
“You can go inside.”
The driver pointed to an iron door standing alone in the wall, without so much as a sign or light.
So it isn’t a pub?
Creak—
When I opened the thick iron door, a narrow staircase leading directly underground appeared.
It feels like I’m entering an underground bunker...
With every step I descended, the scent of cigars—a mixture of dried leaves and leather—grew stronger.
When I finally reached the basement—
Wow...
A spacious, lavish bar that I never would have imagined was hidden behind an ordinary wall unfolded before me.
The rough-textured red brick walls had been left exposed, but the long walnut bar and brass shelves created an elegant atmosphere.
Even more impressive was the sight of the whiskey bottles filling the entire back bar.
“Welcome, Jason.”
Richard, who was sitting at the bar, noticed me standing at the entrance and raised a hand in greeting.
“Hello, Richard.”
I crossed a carpet that felt expensive beneath my feet and sat on the empty bar stool beside him.
“I never imagined there would be a bar in a place like this.”
“Exactly. It was designed around the concept of a Prohibition-era speakeasy. Isn’t it amusing? The moment we open that door and enter, we all become people who share a secret.”
(Translator’s Note: Prohibition and Speakeasies — Nationwide Prohibition in the United States took effect on January 17, 1920, and ended with the ratification of the Twenty-First Amendment on December 5, 1933. Speakeasies were illegal drinking establishments that concealed their operations and entrances from authorities.)
Prohibition had been enforced in the United States during the 1920s, and naturally, many people secretly gathered to drink.
The bars where those people gathered were called “speakeasies”—places where one was supposed to “speak easy,” or quietly.
Their entrances were often hidden in ingenious ways, behind laundromats, telephone booths, and even refrigerators.
“So, do you like whiskey?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never properly tried it before.”
This was also my first time visiting such a high-end bar.
“Hmm, is that so? Then it would be best to start with the buffalo.”
The buffalo...?
Richard gave the bartender a brief glance, and the man took out a thick bottle with a buffalo illustrated on the label.
“Buffalo Trace.”
(Translator’s Note: Buffalo Trace — A Kentucky straight bourbon produced by Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. The historic distillery adopted the Buffalo Trace name in 1999 after previously operating under names that included the George T. Stagg Distillery.)
“It’s the most basic American bourbon. Scotch is good too, but if you’re in Arizona, you need to know how to drink bourbon.”
The bartender poured a small amount of amber liquid into a little tulip-shaped glass.
“The glass has an unusual shape. Aren’t you supposed to add ice?”
In movies, people usually drank it cold from cylindrical glasses with large chunks of ice.
“You mean on the rocks? That kills the whiskey’s aroma. Trust me and drink it as it is. First, bring the glass to your nose and slowly take in the scent. Then roll a small amount across your tongue...”
Following Richard’s instructions, I raised the glass to my nose. Along with the sharp sting of alcohol came a sweet, caramel-like aroma.
Then I carefully swallowed a sip.
“...!”
An intense burning sensation filled my mouth.
It felt as if every taste bud on my tongue had stood on end.
“Whoa...!”
Each time I breathed, it felt as if hot alcohol fumes were pouring out through my nose.
But...
It was delicious.
An intense sweetness unlike anything I had tasted in beer or tequila left a deep impression in my mouth.
“Well?”
“It’s incredibly fiery.”
“Haha, bourbon has a high alcohol content, so it packs quite a punch. This one is ninety proof—forty-five percent alcohol. So, how does it taste?”
“Hmm... I’m not sure whether I’m getting this right, but there’s a strong vanilla flavor. There’s also something like cinnamon and butterscotch candy.”
Hearing my answer, Richard raised one corner of his mouth and glanced sideways at the bartender.
“Considering this is his first tasting, he has a remarkably sensitive palate.”
“Indeed. I thought this fellow was only good with cars, but it seems he has an extraordinary tongue as well. Try the next one.”
At Richard’s words, the bartender poured a second whiskey from a bottle bearing an eagle.
“This is Eagle Rare Ten-Year.”
(Translator’s Note: Eagle Rare Ten-Year — A ten-year-aged Kentucky straight bourbon. The Eagle Rare brand was introduced in 1975 and has been produced at Buffalo Trace Distillery since 1989.)
First a buffalo, and now a rare eagle... They certainly have entertaining names.
“Richard, is there some tradition requiring American bourbons to be named after animals?”
“Hahaha, unfortunately, no. It probably has something to do with the environment around the distillery. After all, there are brands like Wild Turkey and Four Roses. So, how does the eagle taste?”
(Translator’s Note: Wild Turkey — An American bourbon brand associated with Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Its animal-based name prompts Jason’s joking question about whether American bourbons traditionally require animal names.)
(Translator’s Note: Four Roses — A historic Kentucky bourbon brand whose name refers to four roses rather than an animal, providing Richard with a counterexample to Jason’s joke.)
“Hmm... This one tastes different. It’s much less sweet. I also taste something like raisins or cherries.”
“Hehe. Interesting.”
Richard watched closely as I tasted the Eagle Rare, then once again signaled to the bartender.
“I think we should let this fellow try that one. Bring out the bottle I left here.”
“Certainly.”
This time, the bartender brought out a bottle that had been hidden somewhere behind the bar rather than displayed on the back-bar shelves.
“George T. Stagg, 2003 vintage.”
(Translator’s Note: George T. Stagg — A high-proof Kentucky straight bourbon named after nineteenth-century distiller George T. Stagg. It is part of Buffalo Trace’s limited Antique Collection.)
“I’ll pour this one.”
Richard took the bottle and a fresh glass from the bartender, then poured me at least twice as much as before.
“Uh, is it all right to pour this much?”
“Of course. The entire bottle belongs to me. Now, I’m truly curious to hear what you’ll say.”
Richard looked at me with burning anticipation.
Following what I had learned, I first raised the glass and smelled it. Oak, dried figs, and caramel lightly struck my nose.
The previous bourbons had carried similar nuances, but there was one difference: instead of sharply piercing my nose, the scent seemed to roll through it smoothly.
When I filled my mouth with the amber liquid, the flavors arrived in stages, as though peeling away one layer after another.
“...First of all, this liquor tastes like honey.”
“Mm. What else?”
“There’s something slightly bitter, like coffee or dark chocolate. And a cinnamon-like aroma seems to linger faintly at the end.”
“...Impressive.”
“Indeed. Truly impressive. Somehow, you seem to understand the flavor better than I do, even though I’ve been drinking bourbon for decades. This is... genuinely enjoyable.”
The bartender and Richard stared wide-eyed after hearing my impressions.
“You know, I raised Hailey alone, and I never once wished I had a son. But today, for some reason, I find myself thinking it might have been nice to have one. I never knew watching someone else drink could be this entertaining.”
Richard quietly spoke as he emptied his glass.
“Though even if I had one, there’s no guarantee he would sit and drink with me like this. Hahaha.”
“...”
I did not know how to respond, so I simply sat in silence and slowly tilted the glass before me.
In truth, as Richard introduced me to this new world, I had been thinking something similar.
Had my father not left, would I have learned things like this from him...?
“Ahem. I got carried away and said something unnecessary.”
Richard emptied his glass with an awkward expression.
“Shall we slowly move on to business?”
The moment he said that, the bartender filled glasses with ice and water.
A brief silence settled over the long, spacious bar.
Gulp, gulp—
Richard and I drank the ice water at the same time. It felt as though our loosened minds had tightened again.
Clack—
“Whew. As you’ve probably already heard, Sterling benefited considerably from the Blackwood scandal. Numerically speaking, we can already be considered the second-largest company in the industry.”
Richard set down his glass of ice water and spoke first.
“Yes. I also heard that you rehired many of the employees who were laid off by Blackwood.”
“Ah... that. This whole issue was caused by an arrogant owner’s error in judgment. It wasn’t the employees’ fault. Most of them probably had families depending on them.”
Richard spoke with an awkward expression.
But that decision had also been the single most important choice that made Sterling the undisputed second-largest company in the industry.
It also seems to have allowed them to handle the market share they gained without disruption.
“That brings me to my point. I thought the greatest contributor to all this deserved some sort of reward. But you look as though you have a lot on your mind.”
Richard tilted his head slightly and spoke in a low voice.
“Yes. The number of inspection requests suddenly increased, so I haven’t been able to touch any other work. Of course, financially, it’s a very good thing.”
“I’ve heard. Apparently, trailers line up all the way to the main road every day. You truly are an extraordinary fellow. But if that is all you do, the tail will be wagging the dog. So, how large an expansion are you currently considering?”
“How did you...?”
I had never said a single word to either Hailey or Richard about considering an expansion.
However, looking into Richard’s eyes, I could tell there was no need for a lengthy explanation. My business situation, my concerns, and the direction I needed to take next were all clearly visible to him.
“Whew. I think I’ll need at least twenty-five hundred square feet—about seventy pyeong. I’ll need a customer waiting room and an office, and I think I’ll need space for at least two lifts.”
“Hmm. Twenty-five hundred square feet...”
Richard stroked his chin and sank into thought.
In truth, twenty-five hundred square feet was an awkward size.
For maximum efficiency, the shop needed at least forty-five hundred square feet—about one hundred twenty-five pyeong—with three lifts.
Restoration work inevitably involved waiting periods caused by parts procurement and outsourced work.
With additional lifts and workspace, I could work on other vehicles during those delays instead of wasting that time.
Of course, with the money I had saved so far, I could afford to find a new shop and fill it with lifts and equipment.
The problem was not the initial opening cost but the maintenance expenses, which would rise to an entirely different level.
With a small shop like my current one, even if operations were not always smooth or I occasionally made a mistake, I could somehow endure by cutting costs.
Even if the work stopped immediately, I’m confident I could keep paying Noah’s salary for three years.
But the moment the business expanded, that would become impossible.
For a forty-five-hundred-square-foot workshop, the rent alone would immediately rise eightfold.
“No matter how I think about it, twenty-five hundred square feet is too small. How about five thousand square feet—around one hundred forty pyeong—instead?”
The number Richard proposed was far beyond what I could handle.
It would not even have been worth considering if not for what he said next.
“As it happens, I own a piece of land large enough to build a workshop of that size.”
Richard grinned.
Richard spread a small map across the bar.
“It’s land where I once considered building an auction house before putting the plan on hold. It’s roughly three acres—around thirty-six hundred pyeong. It is nothing but empty wasteland, but if you want it, I’ll lease it to you very, very cheaply.”
The place he pointed to was not far from my current workshop.
Three acres was an enormous area large enough to hold one and a half football fields.
Even after accounting for the workshop, there would be more than enough space for customer parking, long-term storage of restoration vehicles, and tow trucks and trailers to turn freely.
I wouldn’t have to worry about complaints over noise or the smell of oil either...
“What about electricity and water?”
“We seriously considered constructing an auction house there, so three-phase power is already installed, and the water and sewer lines have been buried. A new access road would need to be built, but since it’s my land, I could provide support for that much...”
My heart began to pound.
Even if I had to construct the restoration shop myself, it would not be impossible if I used a pre-engineered metal building.
The expensive electricity and water infrastructure had already been handled, and he was even offering to support the road construction.
“...What do you want in return?”
He had already said he would charge me low rent, so what I was really asking was why he was offering such favorable conditions.
“The price is quite simple. During the lease period, accept a certain number of Sterling’s restoration projects. More importantly, I would prefer that you not accept work from our competitors.”
The conditions were far more generous than I had expected.
They were hardly different from what I was already doing through our strategic partnership.
“Is that... all?”
Perhaps reading my suspicion, Richard quietly drank a glass of water before continuing.
“If you’re asking about the benefit I’ll receive, there’s more. From a real-estate standpoint alone, there will be the anchor-tenant effect. But more importantly, it will publicly establish my relationship with you. As I’ve said before, I want you very badly. But if I try to hold you down by force, you’ll only fly away, so this is the only choice I have.”
Instead of locking a bird in a cage, one prepared things it would like in the garden.
Then the bird would continue returning to that garden.
Richard’s logic was clear and transparent.
Though I did not know exactly what sort of vision he saw in me.
“How long would the lease be?”
It was unlikely, but if I spent my own money constructing the building only for the contract to end several years later, the loss would be enormous.
“Twenty years as the base term, with an option to renew for another twenty years. That should keep you from worrying until retirement.”
Richard erased that concern from the outset.
“Whew... I assume you’ve already decided on the rent.”
At last, the most important final question.
“I was beginning to wonder when you would ask.”
Scratch, scratch—
Richard took a sheet of paper from his jacket pocket and wrote a number on it with a fountain pen.
Then he folded it in half and silently handed it to me.
It was a distinctly American custom not to speak numbers aloud during negotiations.
“Here.”
I opened the paper he handed me and froze.
“...Richard.”
The annual rent written there was exactly one dollar.
“Why? Is it too much? I’m willing to lower it.”
Richard smiled at my frozen expression.
“No... This is... even so...”
When I could not bring myself to continue, he poured another glass of Stagg bourbon into my empty glass.
“Considering what you’ve done for our company, I believe it’s only right. Besides, I would much rather have a young man like you use that land than leave it sitting idle.”
“Whew... I don’t know how to thank you... Then at least let me pay for tonight’s drinks.”
“You? You’ll regret that.”
Richard glanced at the bottle of Stagg bourbon on the bar.
Judging by his expression, that liquor must have been extremely expensive.
“Ah, then I’ll stick to the ‘buffalo’ from now on.”
“Hahaha. Very well.”
I raised my glass.
“I look forward to working with you.”
“As do I. For a very long time.”
Richard lightly clinked his glass against mine.