"I kind of learned the business backwards.” That’s how entrepreneur Jonathan Fine describes his foray into the bar and nightlife industry.
Known for successful watering-hole concepts Rockhouse, PBR Rock Bar and most recently, PKWY Tavern, Fine has won over the Las Vegas Strip and the suburbs with these hip, uber-casual hangs. Before developing those concepts, he was a tech guy, heading up his Sting Alarm system company.
“I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up,” he jokes, but it’s that open-minded approach and a natural curiosity for different endeavors that landed Fine on the cutting edge of the bar scene. He isn’t just ahead of the curve—he’s creating it.
“I’ve got a real weird relationship with the millennial generation, because I work so closely with so many young people in my bars and restaurants,” he says. That allows him to tap into more modern sensibilities, like savvy ways to market his brand through social media and customer rewards apps. “I have a unique perspective on how to do promotions and how the future is going to unfold, so we’re creating a lot of new technology around that.” His next loyalty app rollout at PBR Rock Bar will “gamify” beer drinking with a virtual pub-crawl.
As Fine celebrates 10 successful years of Vegas’ ultimate divebar Rockhouse, he’s also expanding PKWY to Summerlin and Henderson. At the end of the day, he’s all about improving the experience for locals and tourists.
“I want people to come into my establishments, have a great time and walk out with money in their pocket,” Fine says of his pub philosophy.
