September 2010
15 posts
The building of a bar business
I have been negligent in my updates.
Right now, I feel like I am waiting for a storm. I have my rubbers (boots), my umbrella, my life vest and I can see the dark clouds rolling in the distance… but the breeze is still.
If my euphemism was not clear, it is slow and not getting busier. We have repeat customers. We have new customers. We are doing roughly the same amount of business each...
The building of a bar business
We have been open, officially, for four nights.
Thursday was great. Friday was slow for a Friday but great for it being the second night we were open. Saturday was lackluster near the end and Sunday was pretty much awful, as Sundays tend to be.
That said, we have had several repeat customers already. And that is a good thing.
I forgot this process, the building of a business.
When I worked...
The building of a bar business
So, I like my job.
I am a bartender again.
There are several loose ends to tie up and many hundreds of projects to complete, but I am behind a bar and in my element. I don’t get hungry. I don’t get thirsty (so much). I am in rhythm even when I am out of sync and I do what I love to do.
I forgot that drunk people are fun. Drunks are not. In three months so much can be...
The building of a bar business
The doors opened today.
There are kinks.
But it was rad. It was really, really awesome.
I will be behind the bar for the first time since June 12 2010.
I can’t wait.
If I can not be modest for a minute, I have to say that my bar is pretty fucking great.
It all came together. I am grateful for those that helped. I could not have done it without the tremendous amount of...
The building of a bar
Sadly, I believe that I may have to push back friend’s and family night to Wednesday.
The hood that I spent ever so much money on, is not functioning properly.
My chef has still not been able to cook.
Also, there was a misunderstanding with the meat we will be using. The misunderstanding being that we did not get our meat delivery today.
My crew, most of my entire new crew came in...
The building of a bar
D-day approaches and I am not feeling too good.
I am too exhausted to be excited and that makes me a little sad. My body aches, not in the “I just worked out or did manual labor” ache, but in the “my mind and body are broken,” ache.
I am doing a thousand things every day and I feel like I still have a million more things to do before I am ready.
But will I ever be...
The building of a bar
I have mixed feelings about today.
A lot got done, but at every turn it seems like there is even more to do.
My electrician was back on track today. He is still what feels like days behind, but he is at least putting in 8 hours at a time. For the last week, he’d come in for an hour or two, shut things off or unhook them, not tell me, then leave. It was very frustrating.
But...
The building of a bar
It is getting close, very, very close… but it seems so far away. I know it will come together, but there sure is a lot to do.
But.
But.
Butt.
Butte.
But.
My bartenders met each other today.
I had a meltdown. It was only my second, so I feel I am doing pretty good.
Oh, and I never have meltdowns.
If one hasn’t been able to gather, this is a bit of a stressful process....
The building of a bar
How does one combat rumors?
I really don’t know the answer to this.
The Star Bar is not a chain. I am not corporate.
I am going to rant, briefly, about rumors.
Rumors are fucked up. Why do people start rumors? Spite? Insecurity? Malice?
I heard recently that there is a rumor going around that the Star Bar is a burger chain from California and Seattle that has claimed the spot...
Th building of a bar
I have copper tops and they look glorious.
I have eight taps installed and they look glorious.
I have my bar shelves and they, too, look glorious.
I interviewed many a person.
Tomorrow I will hopefully hang the last of the lights.
And again, cleaning is in store for my future.
Star Bar, counting down, six
The building of a bar
Well, well, well… look who is coming around.
Let’s see, where do I begin?
Huh. Let’s see. How about with, “Jesus, I am tired!” Oh, don’t confuse tired with exhausted. I have been exhausted for more than a month now. I am tired because I have had to wake up at 8 to 8:30 for the last four days.
“Oh, Boo Hoo!” you say. “Poor him,”...
The building of a bar
Oh blog, what happened to you? You have fallen apart. You have let yourself go. It used to be that you were updated and maintained but now, now you are sloven and disheveled, appearing late at night sporadically and not letting anyone know where you have been.
What happened?
While you were away interviews-a-plenty took place, a couple of hires were made, lights were hung (will they never be...
The building of a bar
Ding! Ding! Ding!
In this corner, coming in at just under two months old, we have the new-comer Bridgetown Star Bar!
In this corner, coming in strong we have the contestants, er, the interviewees.
It is round 1 of the future of the Star Bar’s front of the house.
That was more complicated than necessary. To sum it up, we spent all day interviewing people today. All day. Every half...
The building of a bar
Tomorrow morning I will meet with the OLCC.
Tonight, I have to go in and make my bar look like a bar and this is no easy task.
The bar is there, the tethered bones of what will be are shining through, but it does not resemble a bar just yet.
My tables are not screwed onto the stands. My kitchen is still a mess… but a new, shiny, nearly functioning mess.
There is a large walk-in...
