With the lighting of a brand new Christmas Tree, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Double Eagle Restaurant in Mesilla! The restaurant still has its traditional trees and trimmings...but this year, there's a new addition...a tree made up of Patron tequila bottles. Late last year, Double Eagle owner Buddy Ritter saw a photo of a stack of Patron bottles with green and red Christmas lights and the wheels started turning. “That would be a fun project. I’m going to do it!” said Ritter.
Ritter’s vision was of a large tree and he quickly realize he needed he needed design help in planning the construction. He found that help in local architect Ron Nims. “I fell in love with the idea. Visually stunning, structurally a challenge, electrically tricky. It was very enjoyable to develop the plans from Buddy’s concept.” said Nims. For the “tricky electrical” help, Ritter found Vince Gilbert of VG Electric who quickly solved the electrical problems.
Ritter then enlisted the help of servers and bartenders at Double Eagle since over 170 Patron bottles were needed. And, those bottles had to be empty! So, for all of 2014, suggestive selling was top of the mind for Double Eagle employees. Regular customers were also enlisted. One of those who helped was Rick Stoes. “I’m proud to say I contributed, at least, three bottles myself!. Would have been more but I’ve been out of town a lot.” said Stoes.
The tree frame is made of flat steel rings with pipe fingers holding the bottles in place. A Christmas tree green paint adds to the effect. Green LED lights infuse the greenish tint of the glass bottles with a warm glow topped with a giant 1.75 liter Patron Silver bottle lit by red LED lights.
The tree is now on display in the central indoor patio assembled over the main fountain of the restaurant. “It’s going to be a must-see for a trip to Mesilla during the Christmas season.” said Ritter.