The meez Podcast
Josh Sharkey (Entrepreneur, professional chef, and founder/CEO of meez, the culinaryOS for food professionals) interviews world class entrepreneurs in the food space that are shifting the paradigm of how we innovate and operate in our industry.
The meez Podcast
Should Every Restaurant Have a $5 Beer? Plus the Industry Tipping Point, ADHD as a Superpower, Frequency always wins
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#126
Josh, Mike, and Matt sits down with Keith Benjamin, nightlife operator and co-founder behind Uptown Social, Share House, Bodega, By The Way, and The Waverly, for a conversation about betting big, building brands, and turning hospitality into a true long game. Keith shares how his journey started with Penn State tailgates, fraternity social life, and bartending in New York before evolving into ownership in iconic Manhattan watering holes like Stumble Inn and Hair of the Dog. From there, he opens up about the leap to Charleston, why he saw an opening in the market, and how Uptown Social became the kind of unicorn venue most operators only dream about.
The conversation then shifts into the realities of nightlife economics, including the now-infamous $9 Modelo debate, how serious operators actually think about pricing, and why beverage-first businesses can be so attractive compared to labor-heavy food concepts. Keith, Josh, Matthew, and Michael dig into frequency, guest behavior, hospitality, and the brutal cost structure of modern restaurants, all while reflecting on what makes certain places worth returning to. Along the way, Keith talks about entrepreneurship, ADHD, risk-taking, and the compulsion to keep building, offering a clear look at the mindset behind one of Charleston’s most successful hospitality operators.
Links and resources đź“Ś
Visit meez: https://www.getmeez.com
Follow meez on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getmeez
Follow Josh on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshlsharkey/?hl=en
Follow Josh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-sharkey-406965b/
Follow Keith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-benjamin-4bba57396/
Follow Keith: @keithbenjamin
Follow Bodega on Instagram: @eatdrinkbodega
Follow Uptown Hospitality Group on Instagram: @uptownhospitalityevents
Follow Michael: @michaeljacober
Follow Matthew: @conbeazie
Timestamps
03:13 Michael Jacober Introduces One Of His Oldest Friends
05:37 From Penn State Tailgates To Bartending In New York
10:03 The Stumble Inn Era, Golden Handcuffs, And First Ownership
16:39 Why Keith Left New York And Bet On Charleston
19:44 Opening Uptown Social And Building A Nightlife Unicorn
23:41 Bodega, Share House, By The Way, And The Waverly
30:10 The $9 Modelo Debate And The True Cost Of Doing Business
54:22 Beverage-First Concepts, Margins, And Why Frequency Matters
01:14:06 Why Hospitality Economics Are Reaching A Tipping Point