Specs
Specs is a single-location multi-concept café, cocktail bar, beverage retail mart, and tasting-workshop venue at 7 W Canal St, Winooski, Vermont, serving local consumers, event hosts, beverage enthusiasts, and Vermont-wide catering clients under owner Sam Nelis.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersWinooski, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Specs does
Specs is a privately held, single-location multi-concept beverage hospitality business operating at 7 W Canal St, Winooski, Vermont, owned by Sam Nelis. The company bundles four functions inside one venue: (1) a walk-in café serving espresso drinks, tea, real-fruit smoothies, fresh juices, house-made specialty drinks, pastries, and small bites, open 7am-10pm weekdays and 8am-11pm weekends; (2) a cocktail bar offering classic cocktails made with house-made ingredients and freshly squeezed juices, plus beer and wine from around the world, with a smaller daytime menu 8am-4pm and a full cocktail menu 4pm-10/11pm; (3) an adjacent beverage mart (Suite #2) selling juices, sodas, coffee, tea, beer, wine, cider, sherry, vermouth, port, aperitivos, tobacco, cocktail tools, bitters, syrups, books, chocolate, and glassware; and (4) education and event programming including recurring DJ nights, monthly open mic with Secret Door, spirit and tea tasting workshops, and craft workshops with Maker's Club. Bar catering is offered mobile across Vermont.
The underlying technology stack is thin and non-proprietary: a Squarespace website, SpotOn online ordering, Eventbrite for workshop registration, and Google Calendar/ICS for events. There is no app, API, or custom platform. Pricing is unit-based across formats — café items $3.00-$6.50, spirit workshops $44 plus tax and gratuity with a 15% industry-professional discount, and quote-based pricing for bar catering and private event rental. The company's go-to-market blends direct-to-consumer walk-in foot traffic, event-driven and community-led programming, and a regional Vermont-wide mobile catering arm. Customer segments include local Winooski consumers (primary), event hosts, beverage enthusiasts, and hospitality professionals seeking continuing education.
Specs was acquired and rebranded by Sam Nelis in October 2023, the café formally opened December 2023, the beverage mart launched March 2024, and the full bar opened November 2025. The only disclosed capital event is a $118,750 funding round dated 2024-08-12. Coverage in Tasting Table, Vinepair, and Seven Days VT establishes the owner's editorial credibility within the spirits community and underpins the educational-workshop positioning.
Specs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Specs
- Legal name
- Specs
- Website
- https://specs-cafe-bar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Specs is a single-location multi-concept café, cocktail bar, beverage retail mart, and tasting-workshop venue at 7 W Canal St, Winooski, Vermont, serving local consumers, event hosts, beverage enthusiasts, and Vermont-wide catering clients under owner Sam Nelis.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Specs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food and Beverage Hospitality
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Caterers (722320)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bar & Beverage Catering (Mobile Bar, Bartending) (HSACAGAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Catering Coordination & Bar Service Management (Non-restaurant) (HSACAAAH)
Keywords
Where Specs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Winooski
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Specs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Cafe Sales: Espresso drinks, tea, smoothies, fresh juices, specialty drinks, pastries and small bites. Operating 7am-10/11pm daily.
- Bar Sales: Classic cocktails with house-made ingredients and freshly squeezed juices, beer and wine from around the world, light snacks. Smaller menu 8am-4pm, full cocktail menu 4pm-10/11pm daily.
- Beverage Mart Retail: Drink-focused retail store selling juices, sodas, coffee, tea, beer, wine, cider, sherry, vermouth, port, aperitivos, tobacco, cocktail tools, bitters, syrups, books, chocolate, glassware. Est. March 2024.
- Events and Workshops: Educational tasting workshops on spirits, tea, and cocktails. Tasting events, DJ nights, open mic nights, and private event hosting. Classes range from at-home hobbyists to hospitality professionals.
- Bar Catering: Mobile beverage catering service for events anywhere in Vermont. From casual backyard BBQs to formal weddings. Fully insured and licensed. Signature cocktails, classic cocktails, beer, wine, non-alcoholic options.
- Private Event Space Rental: Partial or full space rental for private events including birthdays, weddings, holiday gatherings, cocktail parties, community events, small concerts, art shows, poetry readings, rehearsal parties, and classes. Max capacity 75 people.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Filter coffee and basic espresso drinks |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Specialty espresso drinks |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Spirit Tasting Workshops |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tea Workshop |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
Specs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Specs is a multi-concept beverage hospitality venue combining a specialty espresso cafe, a craft cocktail bar, a bottled beverage retail mart, mobile bar catering for off-site events, and an educational events and workshops program, all operated from a single location at 65 Winooski Falls Way in Winooski, Vermont. The cafe serves espresso, tea, smoothies, baked goods, and breakfast and lunch fare; the bar serves craft cocktails, beer, wine, and mocktails; the Beverage Mart retails bottled kombucha, beer, wine, and seltzers; Bar Catering deploys mobile bar setups to weddings, corporate functions, and private parties; and the events calendar includes spirit tastings, cocktail classes, the Burlington Social Club series, the Secret Door open mic, and the Maker's Club membership perk nights.
Product overview
Specs is a multi-concept beverage hospitality business in Winooski, VT, comprising three integrated operations: a cafe serving espresso drinks, tea, smoothies, and pastries; a full bar offering classic cocktails made with house-made ingredients, beer, and wine; and a retail beverage mart selling drinks and bar accessories. The business also provides bar catering services and hosts educational workshops and events. The cafe and bar operate from the main location (Suite #1) while the beverage mart is in adjacent Suite #2.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cafe The Cafe at Specs is a daytime walk-in cafe serving specialty espresso beverages, tea, smoothies, baked goods, and breakfast and lunch fare to local consumers at the 65 Winooski Falls Way location in Winooski, Vermont.
- Bar The Bar at Specs is an on-premise evening bar serving craft cocktails, beer, wine, and mocktails to adult consumers at the 65 Winooski Falls Way location in Winooski, Vermont.
- Beverage Mart The Beverage Mart at Specs is an on-premise retail store selling bottled kombucha, beer, wine, and seltzers to local consumers for off-premise consumption from the Winooski, VT location.
- Bar Catering Bar Catering is Specs' off-premise mobile bar service that deploys bartenders and bar equipment to weddings, corporate functions, and private parties, providing full bar service at the customer's chosen venue.
- Private Event Hosting Private Event Hosting at Specs rents the 65 Winooski Falls Way venue in Winooski, VT to local individuals and organizations for private gatherings outside normal cafe and bar operating hours.
- Events and Workshops Events and Workshops at Specs is a calendar of paid educational beverage experiences including spirit tastings, cocktail classes, the Burlington Social Club series, the Secret Door open mic, and Maker's Club membership perk nights, targeted at adult beverage enthusiasts in the Winooski and greater Burlington, VT area.
Quantifiable outcome
- Max event capacity of 75 people enables diverse private event offerings
Companies that use Specs
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Specs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Specs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Little Tree TeaminorCo-hosting tea education workshop. Founded by Matthew Frayer in 2016 after 10+ years of tea travels, service, sourcing, and sipping. Focuses on green, white, oolong, black, and fermented teas, as well as custom tea tours of tea gardens and producing regions in Asia.
- Burlington Social ClubminorJoint happy hour event partnership. Burlington Social Club hosts a happy hour event at Specs, cross-promoting both venues.
- Maker's ClubminorCo-hosting craft workshop (Mosaic Coasters) at Specs. Maker's Club provides the creative programming and instruction for hands-on craft events.
- Jim Ryan / Diageo SpiritsminorGuest educator and spirit expert for whiskey, gin, and other spirit tasting workshops. Jim Ryan represents Diageo Spirits, bringing industry expertise to Specs' educational programming.
- Secret DoorminorMonthly open mic night programming. Secret Door presents the recurring open mic event at Specs, providing entertainment and community engagement.
- Downtown WinooskiminorCommunity organization partnership. Melissa Corbin, Executive Director of Downtown Winooski, has praised Specs' bar service at community events.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Specs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Death & Co: Award-winning cocktail bar group with a strong house-made ingredients program, branded educational content (books, training), and event programming. Comparable as a craft cocktail operation that has monetized mixology expertise beyond bar service.
- Employees Only: Hospitality group operating high-end cocktail bars with proprietary house-made ingredients and branded cocktail training/merchandise. Comparable as a craft cocktail operator that has built brand equity through mixology expertise and bespoke cocktail programming.
- La Colombe Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee roaster and café operator that also runs cocktail-focused draft venues. Comparable as a multi-format coffee-and-beverage brand combining cafés, retail beverages, and bars under one operational model.
- Verve Coffee Roasters: Specialty coffee café chain with strong educational/event programming and a craft beverage identity. Comparable as a specialty café that emphasizes training, workshops, and brand storytelling around beverage craft.
- Bluestone Lane: Multi-concept café with all-day format, signature specialty drinks, and select bar/alcohol service. Comparable as a specialty café chain that has evolved from a single coffee concept into a fuller food-and-beverage experience, similar to Specs' café-to-bar trajectory.
Broad incumbents
- Starbucks Reserve Roastery: Flagship multi-concept coffee-and-bar destinations from a major incumbent, combining specialty coffee, tea, cocktails, and retail under one roof. Comparable as a proven model for the all-day café-plus-cocktail-plus-retail concept Specs is executing locally.
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Large specialty coffee chain operating cafés with carefully designed craft coffee programs and, at flagship locations, expanded food and beverage offerings. Comparable as a scaled, brand-led specialty café operator that Specs could aspire to emulate.
Regional players
- Burlington Social Club: Greater Burlington VT bar and event venue that hosts happy hours, live programming, and private events. Comparable as a regional competitor for evening bar traffic, private event hosting, and community-event partnerships.
- The Archives: Winooski, VT bar and live music venue. Comparable as a same-town nightlife operator competing for the same cocktail-and-event-driven evening traffic as Specs' bar.
- Misery Loves Co. Winooski, VT restaurant and bar operating in the same small downtown market as Specs. Comparable as a direct local competitor for evening dining, cocktails, and private events in the Winooski catchment.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Specs social profiles
Digital presenceSpecs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Specs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Specs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Specs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Specs
What does Specs do?
Specs is a multi-concept beverage hospitality venue combining a specialty espresso cafe, a craft cocktail bar, a bottled beverage retail mart, mobile bar catering for off-site events, and an educational events and workshops program, all operated from a single location at 65 Winooski Falls Way in Winooski, Vermont. The cafe serves espresso, tea, smoothies, baked goods, and breakfast and lunch fare; the bar serves craft cocktails, beer, wine, and mocktails; the Beverage Mart retails bottled kombucha, beer, wine, and seltzers; Bar Catering deploys mobile bar setups to weddings, corporate functions, and private parties; and the events calendar includes spirit tastings, cocktail classes, the Burlington Social Club series, the Secret Door open mic, and the Maker's Club membership perk nights.
Is Specs a public or private company?
Specs is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Specs founded?
Specs was founded in 2023.
Where is Specs based?
Specs is headquartered in Winooski, United States, in the North America region.
How does Specs make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Cafe Sales are the primary driver. The others are bar Sales, beverage Mart Retail, events and Workshops, bar Catering and private Event Space Rental.
Who are Specs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Death & Co, Employees Only, La Colombe Coffee Roasters, Verve Coffee Roasters and Bluestone Lane. Broad incumbents are Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Blue Bottle Coffee. Regional players are Burlington Social Club, The Archives and Misery Loves Co..
Does Specs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Specs.
What industry is Specs in?
Specs's product category is Food and Beverage Hospitality. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACAGAF, Bar & Beverage Catering (Mobile Bar, Bartending), with a secondary code of HSACAAAH, Catering Coordination & Bar Service Management (Non-restaurant). Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.