A deep dive into The Local Drive with co-owner Winston Manley to learn what The Local Drive is, how it came about and the future plans for the business.
What is The Local Drive?
The Local Drive is an elevated cocktail bar in the River North (RiNo) arts district featuring five Trackman golf simulators.
What sets The Local Drive apart from other golf simulator lounges?
The Local Drive is the largest Trackman simulator center in the state of Colorado. Among its five bays are two of the largest Trackman has ever installed. The bar has been designed to provide an elevated experience that showcases the direction golf is headed: modern, inclusive, and approachable. The alcohol program features the very best Colorado has to offer with over 80% of all products coming from within the state. In addition to the bar, The Local Drive also has the nation’s first mobile Trackman golf simulator.
How did the name “The Local Drive” come about?
The name “The Local Drive” came from the ethos of what our brand is. A brand that highlights and showcases local artists, makers, and companies through four main avenues: Atmosphere, Golf, Beverage Program, and Merchandise.
Can you give us a little background of how you and Joe met?
Joe and I met nearly a decade ago in Houston, Texas. He was currently managing the opening of the new Marriott Marquee Hotel and I was at university working on my second degree in Petroleum Engineering. To help cover the bills, I was a personal trainer and Crossfit coach at Crossfit Roughnecks in downtown Houston. Joe decided to stop by and tryout a class and we hit it off. We always talked about opening a business together, but the opportunity never presented itself.
After a couple years, we both had moved to new cities, but stayed in touch. During Covid, I had been working as a Company Man for BP on a deepwater drillship in the gulf and had the ability to live wherever I wanted. With travel restricted, my girlfriend and I decided it was time to move somewhere new and picked Denver. Later that year, Joe called me up to tell me he had accepted a job in Denver and would be moving up in a few weeks. Within 3 months of him moving to Denver, The Local Drive LLC had been formed and we were off to the races.
What cocktail should everyone come in and try? What’s it made of?
What future plans does The Local Drive have?
The future plans of The Local Drive after the successful launch of our flagship location in RiNo are to expand throughout the front range and beyond. We are currently in discussions with investors for our 2nd and 3rd locations and hope to announce those soon.