Baird’s been at the helm of the Turkey Roost since before it had a name, a license, or a staff. He and wife Donna moved into Acacia Creek in 2010, just a few months after the retirement community opened its doors. Although his background wasn’t in bar management, he agreed to organize the resident-run pub, which at that point was just a great idea with a lengthy licensing process ahead of it. He got to work on a naming campaign (with the help of his grandkids) and recruited volunteer bartenders from among his Acacia Creek co-residents. At some point along the way, everyone started referring to him as the bar czar.

These days, Baird presides over 16 resident bartenders—including himself and two “associate bar czars”—who have gone through the appropriate training and work roughly one shift per week in teams of two. He regularly recruits new residents into the fold, as much for their benefit as the bar’s. “It’s a good place to meet people,” he says. “You get to know everyone’s name when they sign a chit for the drinks they buy.”

As a break-even bar, the prices can’t be beat. House wine is $2.50 a glass. A premium label costs $4. Anchor Steam is always on tap, along with seasonal choices and assorted bottled beers. The wine is on tap, too, in four steel kegs (currently: chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, and pinot noir), plus a selection in bottles. On the softer side, root beer’s a popular choice: Residents order it to go, then head to dinner, where they request vanilla ice cream for DIY floats. Patrons can bring their own refreshments, too, including the hard stuff. One resident ponies up to the bar nightly with a bottle of his favorite Scotch to enjoy among neighbors.

Baird’s drink of choice? Red wine. “For dinner,” he says. “We don’t drink on duty.”