Walk down Oak Street in the Old Port and you might miss it—tucked discreetly behind frosted glass, with nothing to announce itself but a subtle logo. But inside Man & Oak, a members-only bottle club founded by whiskey enthusiast and industry veteran Michael Meir, something exceptional is happening.
“It’s not that I pay to drink my own bottles,” one member told Meir. “I pay to share my bottles and drink other people’s bottles.” That quote, posted to Man & Oak’s Instagram, perfectly sums up the ethos of this unique space: part social club, part spirits sanctuary, and entirely one-of-a-kind.
Meir’s love for whiskey began two decades ago, when he was managing a beach bar in St. Thomas. “All I wanted was something simple at the end of a long shift,” he recalls, “so I started going one by one through the scotches.” That nightly ritual evolved into a full-on fascination—reading the backs of bottles, hosting tastings, and eventually becoming a certified spirits educator and brand ambassador.
When Meir and his wife relocated to Portland to start a family, he noticed something was missing in the local market. “Whiskey reps never came to Maine,” he says. “New York, Florida, Michigan—those were the places getting all the attention. I thought, why not bring that energy here?” In 2014, he launched Man & Oak as a side hustle—hosting tastings at weddings and dinner parties—but had to briefly dissolve the company due to conflicts with his day job. By 2019, with support from a local distributor and a more flexible schedule, he revived it—this time with bigger ambitions.
Enter: the bottle club. With over 330 private lockers, Man & Oak allows members to store their own bottles on-site, pour their own drinks, and host guests in a polished, lounge-like setting. “It’s a more price-conscious way to drink really great spirits,” Meir explains. “If you’ve got a $45 bottle that’s hard to find, you could pay $60 to $70 per pour at a bar. Here, you just pour from your own bottle.”
And it’s not all whiskey. While the club was built around brown spirits, Meir insists it’s a space for every kind of drinker. “We have mezcal, rum, wine, vodka—even a surprising amount of Tito’s,” he laughs. “I always correct people when they call it a whiskey club. It’s a bottle club.”
Man & Oak also functions as a hub for education and community. Brand ambassadors from across the country now seek it out as a venue for tastings and product launches. There are monthly “Dram Days”—casual, themed bottle shares where members bring in spirits that match the prompt (think: mezcal night, Heaven Hill tasting, or a Willett vertical). And then there are the chili cook-offs, trivia nights, whiskey blending workshops, and even curated trips—like this season’s high-end bourbon tour in Kentucky.
Despite the name, Man & Oak is decidedly inclusive. “We caught some flak early on,” Meir admits. “Some people thought the name felt too male-centric. But we’ve always been open to everyone, and right now we have around 50 to 70 women locker holders.” The space, designed entirely by Meir’s wife, exudes a warm, low-lit elegance that appeals to anyone who appreciates good company and great design.
One of the club’s most charming features is its layout—specifically, the front lounge, lovingly dubbed “the Misfit Lounge.” That’s where solo members tend to gather, pulling up a stool and falling into easy conversation. “More often than not,” Meir says, “the back lounge is empty and everyone’s up front just hanging out. It’s built for connection.”
In a city packed with restaurants and bars but few places to gather with intention, Man & Oak fills a very gentlemanly void—not with exclusivity, but with community. “At the end of the day,” Meir says, “it’s about creating a space where people can nerd out, connect, and share something they love.”