Today we’d like to introduce you to Vicki Bott.
Hi Vicki, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
After 35 years as a Risk Management executive in the mortgage industry, I came to a turning point where I questioned where I wanted to spend the last decade of my career. Should I continue to work in corporate America in an industry I had deep experience and significant marketplace credibility or did I want to take a major risk and embark on an adventure that sparked my passion?
I had moved back to Utah right in 2020 after being gone for 40 years (attended Bonneville High School in Ogden and Utah State University and then took after in search of warmer weather!) and loved everything about the outdoor lifestyle and energetic community. As Utah continues to see a migration of outdoor enthusiasts, I believed I had a vision of something other cities had built that was missing within Salt Lake City.
After a discussion with my oldest son who had just returned from living abroad, we started to brainstorm the concept of opening a hard cidery due to its growth in the US, but limited market saturation in Utah. But it wasn’t really about opening a bar, it was the desire to build an active community, where friends, family, co-workers and neighbors could connect in an atmosphere that created conversation. laughter and friendly competition!
Of course, we didn’t really know where to start so I hired a brewery consultant to guide me on the financial and tactical aspects of starting a Cidery. My son, Joe, had the front taproom experience and I could bring my executive management, organizational and financial skills to the team.
By some miracle, we found the perfect property and things moved quickly and here we are today with a fun business that is serving our community in ways that I am not sure we can even explain yet. We have a great cross-section of generations, backgrounds, and cultures who find us a place that is comfortable and fun to experience! We have so much opportunity to continue that growth!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Fully understanding all of the liquor requirements to open a Cidery, as well as the time, money and effort to work through architects and build-outs was a challenge, but never insurmountable. It required alot of flexibility as we reset our initial timelines and understand we need to compromise to ensure we built out essentials vs. nice-to-have amenities!!
The transition for me has been everything I was looking for, but definitely a challenge going from a daily meeting routine to a more abstract schedule balancing running the Cidery, planning events, working with vendors, and managing all the operational and financial components.
It is hard work, but it sparks a passion I have to give back to the community and get to know our customers! Corporate America definitely prepared me to take on this challenge and although a consistent paycheck is definitely comforting, there are times you need to break out and do what your heart is telling you to do!!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Second Summit Hard Cider Co?
Second Summit Hard Cider Co is focused on building an active community! We deliver this by providing a space that has an array of activities that build camaraderie through engagement and friendly competition. Second Summit has 4 lighted pickleball courts, ping pong, cornhole, indoor board games, and an array of other activities including live music, educational events, and tournaments.
We have an expansive outdoor space with seating designed to support large groups or more intimate gatherings. In addition, we make our hard cider with innovative flavors to appeal to a broad set of customers’ tastes! We also have a full taproom with local beers, spirits, and a large selection of non-alcoholic options. We serve gourmet sandwiches and snacks to ensure our customers can refuel and relax!
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My son, Joe Bott, was integral in building out the concept and managed the day-to-day build-out of the Cidery. Joe has an amazing ability to interact with people and manages operations of the Cidery. He can be found behind the bar on most days engaging with our customers.
Brandon Baldridige is our Chief Cider Maker and the man behind the amazing ciders we produce. You can’t be a great Cidery without great cider! Brandon is a talented and creative cider maker and we are fortunate he made the move to Utah!
Julie Adamson has been a lifelong friend and is now a business partner with the same passion as I have to provide a place that builds active community. Although she doesn’t live in SLC full-time, when she is here you can find her interacting with customers on our pickleball courts and teaching them new skills!
Lastly, my late husband Frank Bott taught me alot about the importance of letting life happen and minimizing focus on controlling outcomes and just enjoying the ride! My younger self may not have always taken that advice, but it resonates with me each day and I have no doubt he is smiling down on my unexpected shift from the regimen of corporate america to chaos and fun of a busy Cidery!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.secondsummitcider.com
- Instagram: @secondsummitcider
- Facebook: secondsummithardciderco
