Making His Mark

by David Morris | Riviera San Diego magazine | December 23, 2011

Nightlife impresario Cedd Moses knows that whiskey is the fastest-growing spirit in the U.S., particularly in L.A. and San Francisco, but now he has his sights set on San Diego. The world’s No. 1 retailer of Maker’s Mark, Moses has dreamed up 16 bar concepts over the last decade in L.A. and come this month, look for Seven Grand, his edgy whiskey and craft beer watering hole, set to open in North Park on the corner of Ohio and University. We get Moses on the vodka backlash, the whiskey glow and his three rules to live by.

Taking stock? We will carry up to 350 whiskeys, as many ryes and bourbons as we can get, and 20 kinds of craft beer.

Why whiskey? It’s my favorite spirit. Time in a glass. It has a character and complexity, unlike vodka, which is soulless and lacks taste. People want more complex craft beers and spirits.

Why S.D.? I like San Diego’s palate for great drinks and beer programs and there are a lot of amazing beer lists. I’ve helped develop some programs with Nate Stanton of Noble Experiment and Craft & Commerce. Their customers appreciate what they’ve done and I am excited about the opportunity in this market.

And North Park? It’s similar to up-and-coming areas in L.A. like Silver Lake and Echo Park, with a lot of young people.

Your three rules? 1. To be product-driven rather than flash, meaning we start with the product and work backward. 2. Hospitality. We don’t believe in velvet ropes and telling people they can’t come in. As long as they are in dress code and act civilized, they are welcome. 3. Staying power. Great music and atmosphere to draw people back, a décor that’s timeless and fresh. We want to look as though we have always been around and will always be around. Nightclubs die in three months; that’s not our goal or business. Hopefully, 7G S.D. will be around 20, 30, 40 years.

Catering to the ladies? We put money into the ladies’ rooms to make them more luxurious, larger and feminine. Women also tend to be drawn to spaces and men who are more masculine—like men who drink whiskey. A lot of women are part of our whiskey society.

What’s a whiskey society? We host bimonthly educational whiskey tastings showcasing three great brands from all over the world.

The whiskey glow? Other places focus on 100 LCD screens with dancing girls and we’re not into that. We want the product to be shown in the best light. The whiskey on the shelf is lit to cast a glow on bottles and clientele.