Meet Elisa Joy Griffin | Mom & Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elisa Joy Griffin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elisa Joy, what’s the most important thing you’ve done for your children?
I recently stepped away from my full time job as a behavior therapist to pursue The Toasty Tap, head on. This was a huge change for our family and it was terrifying. A behavior therapist, was my identity for so long and to shift my mind set as a business owner was scary. I cried, I mourned, I released the pain into the universe and moved on. Our daughter saw it all happen. My empathetic 3 year old, witnessed her Mom grieve over change. However, we are so familiar with change, we now call them “seasons” and as parents we want her to know seasons are messy but beautiful. We are parents to a beautiful girl, Maizy Rey. She is the soul of The Toasty Tap and has been involved from the beginning. She knows this is HER trailer and is proud to call it hers. Despite being so young, we make a conscious effort for her to see all the moving parts of our business, even the uncomfortable ones. I think the most important thing as a parent, regardless of the outcome, is showing her we give everything our all.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We stepped into entrepreneurship the beginning of 2021, which to some, an insane idea. However, I knew and felt it in every fiber of my being, we were entering into something amazing. I always wanted to own my own business. I had taken a few business classes and each one lit a fire in me. I just never knew what service I could provide or which one of my talents I could showcase. My husband, Brian and I consider ourselves “multipotentialites”. We have many hobbies and interests. However, being parents, it can be challenging to balance artistic curiosity. The Toasty Tap is our outlet to allow for our creativity to blossom. We look at old pictures of the trailer and are in utter awe of how far we have come. Yes, the business definitely requires us to wear many “hats”. Yes, it has been stressful to learn all the moving parts involved. Yes, I sometimes overthink everything I do. Yes, I suffer from “mom guilt”. Yet, despite all the bumps along the way, this path has allowed me to be me, 100% unapologetically me.

The Toasty Tap is a mobile bar and photo booth service. We renovated a 1958 Mercury Camper Trailer and rightfully named him Freddy. If you are a pun lover, like myself, you’ll understand why, ha! Freddy has the dual purpose of 4 taps outside and a photo booth inside. I wish I could take credit for the idea, however, I was inspired by a company based out of Pennsylvania called Tappy Camper. At the beginning of my business adventure, they were one of many I had contacted. They were so incredibly helpful with answering all my questions! So here is a shameless plug, if you all are in Pennsylvania, check them out for all your bar and photo booth needs!

We offer a a variety of services from the trailer solely as a photo booth or only just the taps. We also offer satellite bars if Freddy doesn’t fit your vision. Our Kegco taps can pour it ALL: beer, nitro coffee, kombucha, cocktails and so much more. In addition our jumper box from ColdBreak keep them all deliciously ice cold. The Toasty Tap encourages our customers to “Stay Awhile, Get Toasty!”. Now who’s ready to party?

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely work my way east to west! Have you checked out The Badlands in Anza Borrego? or The Wind Caves? If you haven’t, it is a must see. I would start here early in the morning, maybe even sunrise, to beat the heat. If you have the opportunity, check out California Overland. They are a small tour company that offers an immersive jeep experience to see places which need 4WD. Anza Borrego is also the home for many large metal sculptures! You can see them from the road but are amazing to see up close!

After an early morning in the desert, make your way up to Julian for breakfast! Julian is a small town with a huge personality! I love the Cafe Breakfast from Soups n Such and filling up on tons of coffee at Regulars Wanted (on the other side of Main Street). If you are around for lunch, Quecho Elevated Mexican Eatery, has all the delicious goodies with gluten free & vegan options! Go find Cara Marino (the owner) and tell her we sent you! Right across the street from Quecho, is a cozy courtyard full of delightful people and stores. I am a repeat customer of Crow & Lilac. It is a magical boutique filled with handmade soaps, lotions, local art and eco friendly items. Trust me, you will want to buy everything. I religiously use their shampoo and conditioner bar! After buying the whole store, you can head next door to Blue Door Winery. Order the Sangria, find a seat outside and you’ll thank me later.

Since I was born and raised in Poway & Rancho Bernardo, I have to emphasize all the wonderful things the inland section of San Diego offer. Poway Lake is an awesome place to hike around, whether starting from Blue Sky and making it up to Lake Ramona or taking the back way to Mount Woodson or “Potato Chip Rock.” Afterwards, go get a tipple and an order of fish & chips at Phileas Fogg’s which is located in Sabre Springs Plaza. If that isn’t your fancy, check out Tong Sake for some life changing ramen in Poway. Need a pick me up? Mostra Coffee is the number one place to go and order a Campfire Latte!

The hubby Brian is also a San Diego native and he has a ton of favorite spots. As an avid surfer, he is my coastline tour guide. After surfing Big Rock or Windnsea, head to Monarch for some fantastic cocktails. After the beach, head down south to Chicano Park and eat at Las Cuatro Milpas. Bring a cooler and stock up on their scratch made tortillas. They are AMAZING! While you’re there, take in all the beautiful art work! Then get in the car for 4 minutes and head to Balboa Park and just walk around. It truly is a magical place.

San Diego is a city you fall in love with over and over again. I encourage friends to get lost in this city and embrace all the beauty. San Diego is simply *chef kiss*!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Brian Griffin, my husband, confidant, business and life partner – The Toasty Tap would not be where it is without him. He is the one who encourages my desires. He is the man behind the scenes, building the trailer, lifting the kegs, calming me down, the list goes on and on. I am very fortunate to have him by my side.

I also couldn’t have done this without The Griffin Family & The Ramos Family. It is such a blessing to have such a loving and encouraging support system. They ALL spent many weekends and spare time to help, from renovating the trailer, to watching our daughter during events. They truly are the pillars to our success,

I would also like to thank the mobile bar community, especially Sarah Murphy and Dawn Hensley from Mobile Bev Pros. Not only did they have incredible resources but they taught me the importance of community versus competition.

Website: www.thetoastytap.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thetoastytap

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thetoastytap

Yelp: thetoastytap

Other: https://www.theknot.com/marketplace/the-toasty-tap-julian-ca-2052726

Image Credits
Oh Lovely Wedding Astray Photography Jennifer G. Photography Jennifer Noelle Photography Kome Parnell Marcia Perrel Photography Kari Martinez Photography