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Chris Doskoez wanted to open a bourbon and cigar lounge. When the cost put that dream out of reach, the Manorville resident and his wife came up with another way to bring people together over drinks.
Bring the bar to the party.
Doskoez, 40, is the owner of Old Smokeys LI, a mobile bar serving craft cocktails at private events across Long Island.
Last year, he purchased a landscaping trailer and began transforming it into the bar he’d envisioned over the winter.
Seven months later, Old Smokeys LI worked its first party, serving his signature smoked Old Fashioned, Lavender Lemonade and Lemon Good Good, a mix of whiskey, lemonade and ginger beer.
“That party went better than I expected,” Doskoez told Greater Long Island. “I got such great feedback, it was so great to hear.”
Since then, he has served at 10 gatherings, including birthdays, retirement parties, post-wedding celebrations and Fourth of July parties.
A little smoke in the glass
Doskoez puts his own spin on a menu of about 20 craft cocktails featuring bourbon, vodka, rum and other spirits.
“I just don’t make any mixed drinks,” he said. “That’s what makes me unique. It’s craft cocktails with my spin on things.”
Some drinks get a smoky finish from flavored wood chips.
“It makes the drinks different,” Doskoez said. “We do those giant smoke bubbles on drinks too. Everyone loves those.”
Those smoked cocktails also inspired the business’s name. Before buying the trailer, Doskoez was often behind the bar when friends and family gathered at his house, where his smoked Old Fashioneds became a favorite.
“Everyone loved them because of the smoke I added,” Doskoez said. “One day my friend referred to me as the old smokey guy, and it stuck.”
How it works
Customers supply the alcohol, while Doskoez provides the mixers, garnishes, glasses and equipment.
The number of cocktails offered depends on the size of the gathering. Parties with 10 to 20 guests can select two drinks, groups of 20 to 30 can choose three, and gatherings of 30 to 40 can have four.
“I have so many options, whoever is booking the party has some tough choices to make,” he said with a laugh. “But that’s what makes us different.”
Doskoez eventually hopes to add another trailer, creating a sitting area with sofas, chairs and a big-screen television.
“You can sit and watch a game while enjoying a drink,” he said. “It’s my hope and my dream.”
Top: Old Smokeys LI brings craft cocktails to private parties across Long Island from a converted landscaping trailer. Owner Chris Doskoez is pictured inset. (Credit: Chris Doskoez, courtesy)
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