Tucked away in a Phoenix strip mall off Bethany Home Road and 16th Avenue is a small locale that appears unassuming, save for its unique title.
Dedicated to wine and beer aficionados alike, The Whining Pig is as unique as the decorum it’s dressed in. The actual bar itself (that being the countertop) is interlaid with pennies and illuminated by hanging tubular light bulbs. An old-time register behind the bar still works for those that pay with cash, and a pair of large chalkboards line the walls, with one providing the vast drink menu for the evening.
The wine selection carries anything from dry to reds, while the choice of beer is a treat for those of the craft mindset. Milk Stout Nitros and Moose Drool IPA’s are on hand (just to name a couple), and come chilled in bottles or cans with a cold glass.
Evenings have the bar at its liveliest, and even if you go by yourself, it’s still hard to not be drawn into another person’s conversation. The personable and casual bartenders add to this effect as well.
Greg Malkin is the owner of The Whining Pig and started the bar over a year ago. He said that the name was derived from his fondness for pigs and wine, though when he started he wasn’t much into craft beer.
“My license allowed me to sell beer and wine, so it made sense for me to get into it,” he said. “But now, I actually appreciate beer as much as I like wine, if not more.”
After quitting his job as an attorney, he visited a wine bar in Santa Barbara and saw a lot of happy people there, including the owner.
Malkin said that he wanted to be around happy people after his prior employment, which led to him opening a place where people could visit and have a good time.
“The bar is the size it is because I had a bunch of employees when I was practicing law,” he said. “I really just didn’t want to deal with those headaches.”
Malkin added that the bar was small so he could tend the bar as well.
When he began looking into opening his second location, The Pig’s Meow, Malkin wanted to keep the number of his employees small. This led to him making those he hired part-owners of the locations, each with a share connected to where they work.
“They have more responsibility and more accountability this way,” he said, “They act like owners instead of employees, and that’s nice.”
Over the course of the next two years, Malkin aims to open up seven new locations around the Valley.
“Two in Gilbert, one in Scottsdale, one in Downtown, one in Chandler and a liquor bar directly across the street from The Whining Pig,” he said.
Malkin also mentioned that while Phoenix has dive bars and bars within restaurants, there are only a few classy bars to go to in the valley.
“A lot of those places are focused on spirits, and the problem with spirits is that you get the ‘Fireball’ crowd and the ‘Jägermeister’ kids,” he said. “Then people get drunk and do stupid things.”
This translates to his desire to have people spend a few hours sitting down and enjoying their drinks. Having a selection of toys and card-based games like Cards Against Humanity dotting the countertops helps the idea.
Every day is happy hour until 8 p.m. when beer is available for $3 instead of $5, and glasses of wine are $5. On Sunday, happy hour runs from open to close. There’s no food menu, though there is a meat and cheese plate in addition to a selection of grilled cheese sandwiches.
Malkin said that in spite of everything going on with the new locations and The Whining Pig, being able to tend the bar and talk to regulars keeps him grounded.
“It’s a fun job,” he says.
And with more crowds continuing to pour in (no pun intended), The Whining Pig is a clear choice for those looking to talk over a wine glass or craft beer.
Follow The Whining Pig on Facebook.
Reach the reporter at djulienrohman@asu.edu or follow @legendpenguin on Twitter.
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