Childhood friends are opening a tequila bar in downtown Macon. Here’s when it could open
A new bar specializing in margaritas is opening soon in downtown Macon.
The Daisy Tequila and Margarita Bar at 518 Cherry St. is being brought to you by German Marin, co-owner of La Bella Morelia in downtown Macon, and his friend, Martin Velinov.
“[We] used to work together at a bar, and it was always something we wanted to do,” Marin said. “We talked about it. But we just never got around to it, and 10 years later, we decided to do it.”
The two had bartended together at El Sombrero at 4646 Forsyth Road in Macon. They’ve been friends, though, since moving to America — first Marin from Mexico and a year later Velinov from Bulgaria. They met at Howard Middle School in Macon.
Why The Daisy?
Daisy means margarita in Spanish, Marin explained, and one of the stories behind the popular drink’s origin is that a bartender had created a drink called the Daisy that used a different liquor but then one day he substituted tequila and dubbed the new concoction margarita.
The new spot, which has been undergoing interior renovations, is in the former Ricky’s Taco Shop location.
The friends hope to open The Daisy Tequila and Margarita Bar by the end of February if all goes according to plan.
Both expect to work at the bar to get it off the ground, while also working at their other businesses. Later, they expect to have someone manage the bar for them, Marin said.
In the meantime, Marin said he expects to be back and forth between the new bar and La Bella Morelia. He and his Mom, Angelica Marin, opened the popular, authentic Mexican restaurant at 524 Mulberry St. in 2017.
Before that, his mom owned and operated La Bella Morelia at Smiley’s Flea Market at 6717 Hawkinsville Road in Macon for several years.
What to expect
Although The Daisy Tequila and Margarita Bar will be a full-service bar, Marin and Velinov plan to focus on tequila and margaritas.
They also plan to offer appetizers.
“We’re not not doing the full restaurant … just what is necessary for people to come and enjoy a drink and be able to snack on something like cheese dip, salsa, guacamole, jalapeno skins — you know, something easy for people.”
The bar offers a small lounge area. They’ll also use barrels for tables.
They expect to be open only for the evenings, initially Tuesday through Sunday, “just so we can read the clientele and how the movement is here late at night.”
