The Beautiful Legacy of Unglamorous Work

The Other Side of the Job

So what do a manager's duties entail when they're not keeping their craft up behind the bar? Well, there are administrative duties related to ordering, dealing with money, managing and revising workflow, keeping track of inventory, purchasing and managing repairs of machines, and dealing with emergencies like power outages and that one time there were no limes to be had anywhere.

But when we asked Aaron about the most important part of his job, his answer was suspiciously thematic: "staffing, scheduling, hiring, training, terminating, paying, mentoring, recommending...." to sum it up, the most important part of his role is staff relations. Yes, admin and technical duties are part of the package, but those things are easily teachable. If you're not adept at managing employees, and not willing to work on staff relations every single day, being a bar manager is not the role for you.  

Photo by Shawn Michael

Being in charge of staffing and ensuring a bar program is run efficiently isn't the most glamorous of jobs. According to Aaron, if you're in it for the status, to be the big boss, to have a little reign of your own, it's pretty likely you'll fail before long.  Being a Bar Manager or GM means you work for your employees, and your job is to make sure that their jobs are more enjoyable and more secure. That means being consistent, being fair, listening with understanding, and creating a culture of trust and dependability. It also means pointing the finger at yourself when things are rough, and constantly working to be better at the work you're doing. 

Frank's journey to a managerial role is an exceptional case, the perfect combination of hard work and natural leading capability paired with being in the right place at the right time for the right opportunities to manifest in rapid growth. He's had his work cut out for him with a steep learning curve, but rose to the challenge, and his development is a great asset to the bar. We asked him about the most significant part of his journey into management, and he responded with the wisdom that's evidently a core part of his character: "any move to management is based on earning trust above and below you. If you don't have trust and respect, you don't deserve management." 

Photo by Shawn Michael

The Everyday Man Will Be There Tomorrow

And that brings us to one of our closing thoughts.

It's easy in the cocktail industry to value the visible strengths of magnetic personalities, sexiest bartenders, scientific cocktail nerdiness (dare we say, snobbery?), or that guy who's moved on to open a bar program at the next new hot spot. None of these things are bad, and we appreciate them as well - they're fun, exciting, educational and challenging.

But there are other strengths that are so incredibly impactful, and that are by nature less newsworthy. Loyalty is one - what about the bar manager who's built up a great team and managed it well for years? Loyalty is, by it's very nature, the same old news. Trust and dependability are more of the same - no drama there to splash on the local magazines. These are the things we appreciate about sitting down at a familiar bar with a familiar face behind it. These are the things that communicate substance and provide a safe place, both for patrons and staff. 

Of course, and as Aaron emphasized at one point, not everyone has the opportunity for development where they are, and every career follows a different path. Often change is necessary to remain engaged, challenged, and growing. But the quiet character traits of patience, perseverance, commitment and contentment are worth taking a step back and recognizing when you come across them.

There are many more of these men and women than we can recognize, and many that have been serving in managerial roles longer than Aaron and Frankie. We'd like to thank all them for the role they play in creating a culture where your team is solid and established, your guests are comfortable and familiar. Here's a cheers to those favorite haunts where you go not to be in the fray of the next big thing, but to rest in the familiar routine, have a glass of something nice, and just be.

CHEERS!

You can find Aaron behind the bar on Friday nights, and Frank on Thursdays & Saturdays.

BONUS - Favorite Stirred Cocktail Recipes