Today we’d like to introduce you to Ty Fulcher.
Hi Ty, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My passion for hospitality began early. Growing up in Gig Harbor, Washington, I would often play “restaurant.” I created “meals” for my parents from pantry basics and would sell them their own groceries. By no means was it elaborate, but it set the tone for my passion, one I get to share every night with so many more and imbue it on my co-workers, guests, and partners.
At 14, I actually joined the restaurant world. Working in various roles – from dishwashing to prepping, to expediting, and anything else I could do to take in more knowledge – I was in love with the fast-paced, people-centric nature of the industry. In 2004, I had the incredible opportunity to study wine and vinification in Florence, Italy. This experience deepened my understanding and appreciation of food and beverages and changed my approach to hospitality – emphasizing a new level of quality, authenticity, and curating a guest’s experience.
The journey of Social began in 2013 when we opened with a vision to create an underground cocktail bar that combines historical inspiration with modern elegance. The city of Fort Collins’ dedication to preserving its past while embracing innovation makes it the perfect backdrop for a place like, but we wanted Social to be a place where guests could disconnect from the daily ordinary and reconnect over expertly crafted cocktails. Our aim was to provide an environment that felt both nostalgic and refreshingly contemporary.
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?
As with anything successful, there are always obstacles and challenges to overcome. While Social’s has been most a smooth road, of course we dealt with the struggles of increased food costs, Covid closures, and the struggles of the labor market. That being said, we are about to celebrate our 11th year and are in a very strong place.
As you know, we’re big fans of Social and Union Bar and Soda Fountain. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Social is an underground cocktail bar inspired by prohibition. We have been open for almost 11 years now and it has been one of the most rewarding and incredible things I have ever had the opportunity to do. We have won many awards and national recognition fully due to our staff’s passion and dedication to hospitality and the craft of spirits and bartending. in 2022 we were also listed as the #1 Speakeasy Style Bar in the US according to Yelp.
In 2018 we opened Union Bar & Soda Fountain which is a modern take on the classic American Soda Fountain and Diner. It has been an amazingly fun project, not only due to the development of the land and design of the building but also because of the pure size of the operation. We seat 175 guests inside and then, during the summer, open up the patio to seat an additional 125 guests. It has been an absolute blast.
In 2022, with a group of operators, we also had the opportunity to purchase The Melting Pot as well as Rodizio Grill in Fort Collins. This is a big nostalgic move as I first started working at The Melting Pot in 2006 as a server.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
My outlook on our industry is to keep the hospitality mindset in focus at all times.
Our goal is to always make people leave our restaurants in a better mood than when they arrived and luckily we have food and drinks that help facilitate that. However, our best opportunity to achieve this is through our employee’s genuine hospitality and eagerness to please. A restaurant can have the best food in the town but if hospitality, genuine care, and operations don’t match that, what do you really have?
Contact Info:
- Website: www.socialfortcollins.com and www.unionbarandsodafountain.com
- Instagram: socialfortcollins and unionfortcollins
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/socialfortcollins/ and https://www.facebook.com/unionfortcollins/
Image Credits
Phoco Photography
