Proof Bar’s Three Musketeers Have 2,000 Bottles and a Place for You
When I think about what makes a bar worth returning to, I think about the people behind it. The best ones remember your face, help you find a drink you’ll like, and make a room full of strangers feel a little like your room.
I haven’t visited Proof yet. I’m traveling, watching from a distance, and making it one of my first stops when I’m back in Vancouver. But in the reels, I noticed the smiling owners and team before the whiskey wall. One playful post hands over a cocktail with the message: “You look like you need a hug followed by a hug"e Margarita" is hilarious.” I have a good feeling about this place already.
The Proof Bar feels like the work of three people who each brought something the others needed. Carla and Andrew Myers built businesses in behavioral health and childcare. After selling them, they were ready for a new chapter. They brought entrepreneurial experience and an idea of hospitality: make guests feel comfortable, cared for, and glad they came.
Nick Rasmussen brought the bar experience. He has more than a decade in hospitality and bar management, including at Vancouver’s Waterfront Taphouse, where he helped lead the cocktail program. The Myers knew how to build a business; Nick knew the rhythm of a busy room and how to help guests find their way through a spirits menu.
The owners also share a whiskey-club passion. They are members of Bunghole Anonymous, a local club that helped shape Proof’s collection of more than 2,000 whiskey and spirit bottles. That number could feel intimidating; Nick’s approach is to help guests discover what they enjoy. You don’t have to arrive knowing what to order. That’s part of the fun.
Then there is the address. Proof has taken over the former Sedgwick at 801 Washington Street, a room downtown already knew. The Sedgwick closed in May after five years. Proof has reimagined the space with a brighter feel and two ways to settle in: a 21-and-over cocktail lounge for drinks and conversation, and a dining room for friends and family. Elevated, but easy to feel at home in.
The first detailed soft-opening review suggests that welcome was already taking shape. Michael Key of VanPort Insider had the first reservation on the first night. He described an experienced team working through the inevitable first-service challenges. His table ordered steak bites and brie en croûte; the starters became the evening’s favorites. A few days later, the Greater Vancouver Chamber marked the official opening with community members, friends and supporters gathered around the team at the ribbon cutting.
A great collection, thoughtful food and a beautiful room all matter. But the feeling people carry home comes from the people who made the evening feel easy.
Carla, Andrew and Nick: I haven’t had my first drink at Proof yet. I’m still away, but you’ve made my list. When I’m back in town, I’ll come by, say hello and find out what you’d pour for someone who already feels welcome.
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