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Man Buys Firetruck Off Facebook Marketplace Transforms It into Towns Coolest Bar

What’s the coolest thing you’ve ever purchased on Facebook Marketplace? Most people’s answers are generally pretty bland – a flatscreen TV, a couch, maybe a stove or a fridge… Most of us use online marketplace services as a way to pick up a cheap, second-hand home essential, but one Toledo man took his marketplace hunt to the next level.

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Six months ago, Toledo-based Kevin Mullan was browsing Facebook Marketplace when he spotted it: a vintage 1987 E-One pumper fire engine selling for just $5,000. He bought it right away.

Here’s where things get really fun: the beer enthusiast turned entrepreneur proceeded to purchase ten beer taps from another Facebook Marketplace user, retrofitted the truck with a climb-in cooler and ultimately transformed the vintage rig into a mobile craft beer bus, becoming the founder/owner of Ohio's first and only beer-serving fire engine, Tapped 419.

While starting a business using only resources from Facebook Marketplace is totally innovative and resourceful, Mullan remains humble, calling the online shopping service “the greatest garage sale of all time,” even using it to purchase a drone to cover the company’s launch party.

We sat down with Mullan to get to know Tapped 419 and its innovative founder a little bit better. Here, he shares exclusive insight on where this dream came from, and how he brought it all together and managed to pull off Toledo’s coolest bar on a budget.

Emily Manders Photography

Did you go looking for something like this with the intention of putting together a mobile craft beer business? Or did you stumble upon it and couldn’t resist?

I've been talking about this idea and off-and-on shopping for a firetruck for years to make the business a reality. Just in the last six months, I turned to Facebook Marketplace and that really made this dream come true. We found the right truck at the right price, and just a few hours from my hometown of Toledo, Ohio, so we were off and running!

Emily Manders Photography

Have there been any crazy moments since you started renting it for parties? What is it used for?

The national attention the truck has received has been incredible. I didn't really plan for that, and didn't really think about being a part of centennial celebrations for fire departments across the county, but we are getting those inquiries and trying to find ways to make them happen. I’ve even heard from someone interested in renting it for their grandfather’s 90th birthday (a retired fire chief). This truck is great for large community celebrations or parties, because it has 10 taps. We can do smaller events, but to use the truck to its fullest potential, you are talking about an event with a few hundred people to tens of thousands.

Emily Manders Photography

What have been some challenges along the way? Do you recommend that potential entrepreneurs get as creative as possible?

Certainly getting to the point where the firetruck is "done" has been a challenge. There have been so many moments over the past few years that I didn't think it would ever happen, and then over the last few months once I actually bought the truck. It's been a roller coaster of emotions. I'm proud that we got the truck to this point and it's a real beauty! We are excited to get it around the country and support local breweries, local events, and local businesses along the way.

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Kaitlyn McInnis, Khareem Sudlow