Main Street News

Madison Kiggins grew up in the hospitality business. Her parents, Jason and Madeline, own two restaurants: Madison’s Pizza Cafe & Catering in Pleasant Valley – which is actually named after Madison – and Jason Patrick’s on 44 in Poughkeepsie. 

So when she graduated from Marist College with her bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2023, it seemed only natural that she would open her own hospitality business. Thus, Salute Mobile Bar + Cocktails was born. 

“I grew up in my parents’ restaurants, and I’ve been bartending at Jason Patrick’s for three years now, so that’s kind of where the whole idea came from,” Madison said. 

Her previous experience in the hospitality business influenced her decision to major in business and learn more about the behind-the-scenes of running a successful restaurant in the Hudson Valley. 

“I went to school and got my degree, but nothing beats the experience of actually being in a restaurant from such a young age,” she shared. “You learn how to interact with customers and how to act professionally. All of these are things that you can’t learn from a textbook, you have to actually be in it. I’m so grateful that my parents gave me the opportunity to experience that.”

Services offered

Madison chose a mobile bar over a brick and mortar location because she enjoys catering and attending events: “I love being there for special moments.” 

Salute Mobile Bar + Cocktails is available for events of all kinds, including but not limited to weddings, birthdays, graduations, and baby and bridal showers.

Currently, Madison travels up to an hour outside of the Poughkeepsie area, but she is willing to travel further and is interested in expanding her area of coverage in the coming months. 

Salute currently has two types of packages, both of which are customizable based on clients’ wants and needs. The first is a dry-hire, in which the customer supplies the alcohol and Madison brings everything else that she needs in order to make the drinks. 

The second is a full-bar package, in which Madison supplies all of the goods, from the alcohol to the garnishes, mixers, and ice. 

Regardless of the package or type of event, Madison enjoys working closely with her clients to create specific cocktail recipes and tailor Salute’s offerings to clients’ preferences. She prides herself on being flexible and mixing and matching to create the perfect package for each individual client. “I want their party visions to come to life. A lot of packages are clear cut and not exactly what people are looking for. I want my clients to know that I’m on their side, and I want to work with them to make their event everything that they want it to be,” she said. 

In addition to bartending and creating cocktails, Madison also enjoys building relationships with her customers. Her goal is always to put them at ease. “You should feel comfortable, and you shouldn’t have to worry about anything on the day of your event,” she said. “I want everyone to feel like they’re walking up to their regular bar when they come to get a drink from the trailer.” 

Curating cocktails

For the past three years, Madison has worked closely with the bar manager, Deanna, to create fun, seasonal cocktails for the menu at Jason Patrick’s. Now, she gets to use her creativity to build up her own menu at Salute. 

“Each season we come up with seasonal cocktails, and that’s always been my favorite part of working in the bar,” she said. “We use local, seasonal flavors that keep our clientele engaged and wanting to come back for more.” 

Madison also favors putting her own twist on classic cocktails. For example, espresso martinis have been around forever, but Madison and Deanna have curated different espresso martini recipes at Jason Patrick’s to match the season. 

“I’ve found that if customers have to Google a drink, they end up skipping it and choosing something different,” she said. “They want to know that they’re ordering something that they’ll like.” 

Expanding further

Once Madison gets more established, she’s hoping to build a team and have multiple trailers to cater numerous events at the same time. She’s also looking to expand her offerings to include different packages that fit what people are looking for so that they don’t have to outsource to multiple vendors. Madison also hopes to incorporate event planning into her business going forward. 

Additionally, she’s interested in collaborating with other similar businesses and vendors. “In order to have a seamless event, you have to work together to make it successful for the person who’s throwing the party. That’s ultimately the goal,” she said. “I would love to collaborate with other vendors, wedding coordinators, and even farm venues. I’m definitely open to working with any business that shares the same goals.” •

Visit Salute Mobile Bar + Cocktails website at salute-mobile-bar.square.site or follow it on Instagram @salute_mobilebar.