In the bar and restaurant industry, philosophies of sustainability, community and creativity are often woven through menus and special events, but at Sailor & the Dock, a new bar, events venue and retail concept at 617 W. Sheridan Ave. in Film Row, they’re more than buzzwords — they’re central to every facet of the business.
Coming from a real estate background, founder Hamid Pezeshkian moved home to Oklahoma City with the goal to connect nature with real estate by turning under-utilized spaces — in this case a defunct ’20s warehouse — into something that could serve the community anew. Sailor & the Dock is a collective of indie eco-conscious businesses, selling everything from books and vintage clothes to olive oil and tea. Drinks are a central through-line, from the apothecary-style tea shop at Re:Supply Market to Hunny & Honey, a heartfelt cafe from Matthew Griffin, whose caffeinated resume includes opening Neon Coffee with 84 Hospitality and The Gilded Acorn with Andrew Black. The latter was an inspiration and collaborator on Hunny & Honey, where sustainability, community and creativity are as palpable as the brown sugar milk tea or the avocado toast.
“The name Hunny & Honey is a term of endearment for people we love,” said Griffin of his cafe, where drinks are an ingredient used to foster community. “We want people to feel at home, and we embody that in our coffee, food and customer service.”
In the middle of the space is the Dock Bar, made using a repurposed sailboat from Lake Hefner, where mocktails echo the company’s other key tenet: wellness. Pezeshkian uses local produce for fresh juices as much as possible, along with fruit he grows himself at an orchard he owns with his brother in San Diego. “Growing in a sustainable way is the key to wellness,” he noted of the bar’s use of everything from grapefruit and dragonfruit to passion fruit and elderberries. “It’s a way to incorporate what we grow with other producers of high-quality produce that are sustainable.”
Mocktails reflect the growing seasons, with current wintry fare like apple mules with spiced agave, hibiscus fizzes with orange or lemony elderberry spritzes. There’s also craft beer and wine, and mocktails can be topped with Champagne, but the spirit-free focus is a way to showcase alcohol-free mixology and keep wellness — in an environment that feels wholly sustainable and communal — front-and-center.
Be it coffee, milk tea or mocktails, drinks are just one aspect of Sailor & the Dock designed to draw community together. “It’s the synergy with everyone; not just the individuality of the shops, but how everything comes together” says Griffin. “We’re not just coffee and food; we’re the human connection.”
