BEAT

SHAKING IT UP

Celia Waddington and Kim Gouch team up to develop a mixology subscription box

When Celia Waddington and Kim Gouch met at a local advertising agency in 2001, it was love at first bite (and sip). “We became fast friends thanks to our shared love of all things food and drink,” says Waddington, who worked on the creative side of the business while Gouch was on the client-facing side. After a year, and several Cadillac margaritas at Chevy’s downtown, the two left the firm to consult as a team, primarily focused on hospitality brands ranging from Marriott to Diageo, one of the world's largest spirit producers. The team’s reputation for imaginative menu design and forward-thinking brand strategy spread in the industry, earning them national and global clients, so much so in 2010 they formalized their partnership with the launch of their own creative services company. “In 2020 as COVID-19 hit, we found many of our bar and restaurant partners were at a loss for how to drive revenue,” Gouch says. “With laws on to-go beverages different state to state, we started bundling bottled spirits with cocktail recipes, tutorials and garnishes to help clients as well as consumers stuck at home.” Inspired, the business partners soon formed the idea to do their own bundle of sorts, melding over 20 years of experience with their irreverent personalities and favorite recipes. “Mixology is a science, which can be intimidating,” Waddington says. “So, we set out to develop a product that could turn the science into more of an easy-tofollow and very sippable art project.” In April 2021, Box on the Rocks was born. The retro-themed, colorful monthly subscription box features three different cocktail recipes – one traditional recipe, one unique idea and one mocktail – and all the ingredients to make over 10 drinks. It also offers recommendations on which spirits to purchase for optimal results and a link to video tutorials of each drink being made. “Each month, we also include one new bar tool, so subscribers can build their collection of professional mixology instruments from jiggers and shakers to stirring spoons and muddlers,” Gouch says. Subscriptions start at $40 a month, and the July box theme is the amaretto sour. This fall, they will also launch experiential products, including a s’mores and bourbon bundle and a wine tasting-themed offering. For more information, visit www.boxonthe.rocks.

BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ / PHOTO BY CLAUDIA JOHNSTONE