How many of us have dreamed of opening a “third space”—as in, a social space that isn’t our home and isn’t our workplace—whether it be a collective art studio, a bookstore-slash-gallery, a coffee shop with live music—or perhaps a beer bar with shelves upon shelves of vinyl records? Well, the Maestro family did just that, and they did it well. 

In Courtney Iseman’s piece titled “Better on Vinyl — BierWax in Brooklyn and Queens, New York,” which was published on Good Beer Hunting on September 21, 2022, she dives deep into BierWax’s history, origins, pandemic struggles, and unique place in New York City beer history. She encourages visitors to head to BierWax to discover something new, whether it be beer or music, and leave with a sense of welcoming community that serves to engage and inspire. 

In today’s conversation about her piece, we’ll talk about how Chris and Yahaira Maestro created an extension of their home, how they became living proof of a dream realized, and why there simply aren’t more places like their bar out there. We’ll also discuss how it is possible to like your job, how Courtney found a new family at BierWax, and the ways in which authenticity and intention can help nurture a warm, inviting space that remains an all-too-rare outlier in the beverage scene. If you’ve ever nurtured a still-unrealized dream, this is the conversation that may encourage you to finally go for it. This is Courtney Iseman on BierWax.