Restaurant Owners Uncorked · 2026-07-07 · 1h 2m
Chrissy Pasquale-Urso owns five bars and restaurants (all within one block of each other) in Binghamton, New York. She shares her origin story of buying a university bar at age 21 through seller financing after bartending there for two years, then growing into a portfolio that includes a sushi restaurant, a pizzeria, and more, eventually buying the building itself. Now splitting her time between Soho, Montauk, and Binghamton while raising two young kids with her husband and business partner Andrew, Chrissy offers candid insight into the modern challenges facing operators: declining alcohol consumption among Gen Z, the impact of GLP-1 drugs and cannabis on check sizes, the constant need to reinvent offerings for a social-media-driven audience, post-COVID staffing struggles, ghosting job applicants, and rising costs. Throughout, she emphasizes the value of owning real estate, staying creative, developing talent from within, and the intangible "it" factor that entrepreneurs in hospitality need to survive and thrive. Key Takeaways Seller financing can open doors for young operators. Chrissy bought her first bar at 21 with no lump sum.
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