Miracle bars don’t just happen

For bars, luring in customers at the holidays often takes the form of festive decorations and thematic drinks—an effort formalized by participation in Miracle, a franchised cocktail experience now in its tenth year. Seasoned fans of the brand travel to check out new Miracle locations, which can be a jarring experience for first-time hosts. 

“Year one, I had a group walk in and they said, ‘This is nothing compared to the one in Atlanta.’ And then walked out,” says Trent Parker, general manager at The Expat, a bistro in Athens, Georgia.