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Katie Garrett
Founder and Owner, Old Hickory Whiskey Bar
Being a part of Old Hickory is a part of something bigger than a whiskey bar, but a family—and that is my greatest professional achievement.
How did UWF prepare you to become a successful business owner in your 20s?
My undergraduate education has had the greatest influence on my current career, as I focused on Jacksonian-American history. My love for this period led me to name Old Hickory Whiskey Bar after President Andrew Jackson. My experience during my graduate education in historic preservation assisted in preserving artifacts during the renovation of the space.
What do you consider your greatest professional achievement to date?
The idea of Old Hickory Whiskey Bar came to me when I was working in an entirely different industry. I was so determined to build this bar that I never acknowledged how being young female in a male-dominated industry, facing the expected hurdles of opening a new venture and presenting a new concept to this city would pan out. I wanted to combine my love for whiskey and Pensacola history into a concept that others could enjoy. In the bar’s youth, Old Hickory has received a number of accolades that have contributed to building Palafox Street and bringing a spotlight to Pensacola. To see employees who never knew each other before being brought together by an idea I had one day is touching to me. Being a part of Old Hickory is a part of something bigger than a whiskey bar, but a family—and that is my greatest professional achievement.
What excites you most about the future of UWF?
UWF has an ever-growing presence in downtown Pensacola. Seeing the changes at the Historic Trust and the focus on ensuring the Historic Pensacola Village’s future gives me a great appreciation for how UWF honors our community’s past. The implementation of the Interpretive Master Plan coming to life through the Museum Plaza is an excellent example of future growth of UWF’s presence in the downtown area.