Burnt Hands Perspective
This is a raw and unfiltered look into the pu$$ification and state of the restaurant industry as a whole, powered by longtime friends Chef/Owner Antonio Caruana and former bartender turned News Anchor/TV Host Kristen Crowley.
Representing all aspects of the industry from the front to the back of the house we will dig into the juiciest stories and pull from decades of experience in one of the sexiest and most exciting industries in the world...the food and beverage industry.
From international chefs, sommeliers, industry pros, and so much more, this show will cover all of it without a filter. You turn up the volume; we'll turn up the heat.
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Burnt Hands Perspective
Ep 25 - From Bartender to Entrepreneur: How to build a bar following by being badass and boujee
Women behind the bar. Badass, Boujee Bar B!t@hes - Let's go!
We go in on ALL aspects of the restaurant industry, from the front of the house to the back of the house, and this episode is pure fire.
This episode features two badass women who built an insane bar following in the 757. Chef and KC go all in on the mentality of hard work and maintaining a following while finding new business in true BHP style! NOTE: Don't judge a book by its cover, folks. This episode is one everyone should listen too before commenting on the women behind the bar.
We explore the world of bartending where ego meets entertainment, featuring unfiltered stories from seasoned female bartenders who reflect on their journeys through the nightlife and hospitality scene.
This episode def sheds light on the complexities of relationships, evolving bar cultures, and the essential advice for newcomers on maintaining integrity and finding success in the industry. Plus, how to own your sexuality and not get taken advantage of behind the bar. Boundaries are key.
Plus, you will get some killer marketing tips that have never been shared before from one of the area's top bartenders.
• Discussion of the allure of bad bitches in bartending
• Insights into the transition from nightlife to real-world careers
• The art and craft of bartending as a performance
• Personal anecdotes highlighting the chaos and beauty of bar life
• Advice for aspiring bartenders on building a personal brand
• Reflections on the changing dynamics of the industry and customer interactions
• Importance of professionalism and boundaries
• Closing thoughts on the passion that fuels bartenders despite industry challenges
Connect with our guests and support them in their next chapters of life:
Meghan Olivarius - https://www.instagram.com/meghanolivarius/
Shelby Harris - https://www.instagram.com/shelby_marie2091/
Welcome to the show! Burnt Hands Perspective
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*The views and opinions on this show are meant for entertainment purposes only. They do not reflect the views of our sponsors. We are not here to babysit your feelings, if you are a true industry pro, you will know that what we say is meant to make you laugh and have a great time. If you don't get that, this is not the podcast for you. You've been warned. Enjoy the ride!
Do you know what my fucking problem is?
Speaker 2:What is your fucking problem?
Speaker 1:My problem is this okay, I like bad bitches, that's my fucking problem.
Speaker 3:That's a fucking problem and I'm surrounded. I feel like that's kind of a good problem. I'm surrounded.
Speaker 1:Look at this lineup right here I like bad, bad. I don't think people understand the lineup we have right now. I don't think so, because if have sitting here, so why don't you introduce yourselves? Because that belongs to you, go for it.
Speaker 4:I'm Megan Olivares.
Speaker 1:And you rock what you rock the bars at when are you?
Speaker 4:rocking at. Right now I'm currently at Granby Theater, so I kind of transitioned into the professional world a little bit.
Speaker 1:So wow, I didn't know that. Yeah, Topic for discussion.
Speaker 4:Yep Granby Theater. We're running a solar company now.
Speaker 1:Okay, right on, so you're switching. Okay, good, that's good news.
Speaker 3:Also still doing the adult thing. Recently Did get my real estate license.
Speaker 2:I think you have to clarify that. What the adult thing?
Speaker 3:is. I mean that is done too, so I don't really have to clarify much of that. But no, I got my real estate license, but I am still bartending on the side. I'm currently over at Rustic Spoon in Red Mill.
Speaker 1:Okay. Doing the brunch thing you know getting out of the nighttime, so demographics have changed here.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's still deep down inside. You know the mayhem.
Speaker 1:So when you're doing brunch, right. So we got to talk about this Going from the nightlife. Now, this is how I know you.
Speaker 1:Okay, yeah, okay, yeah let's start, I know, your origin story riding up on my motorcycle middle of summer, pulling to a bar, lying outside, people going crazy. It's uh, it's that type of vibe. And here here are these two, just fucking maestro and these dudes like a marionette, like dance puppets, dance right and um. So those days were amazing. So I would come in there and I would just be like watching the dudes. And of course I'm older now at this point, right. So at one point in my life I was that guy, I was the victim of this madness.
Speaker 3:And what did you?
Speaker 1:call it. Before when you came in, you called it something.
Speaker 3:Oh God.
Speaker 1:Foonery or something.
Speaker 3:Debauchery, mayhem, yeah all of it.
Speaker 4:So how many?
Speaker 1:hearts, would you say. You broke in a matter of a month On your hottest night. I'm talking about back in the day. When was your highlight of your time?
Speaker 4:Hearts or egos? Oh, the egos is hers.
Speaker 1:The egos is hers all day.
Speaker 3:All right, let's start with the egos. That's kind of my thing, that was my favorite. I would just sit back and watch, I would just let it happen.
Speaker 1:So wait a minute, now tell me about this. That's right, I didn't think about that. Hearts or egos.
Speaker 4:You can crush both. I never let them think they had a chance. You know what I mean. Yeah, it always worked out for me because I would work with another girl bartender that was like kind of the flirty one you know what I mean. Sweet, but you weren't. Though. Like you need a nipple. I'm confused. And they love that shit. They eat it up, you know.
Speaker 1:So the egos would go down first, and then that's when the heartache came, because once you broke down their structure of ego, now they have something for you. Now they think you like them right.
Speaker 3:They have a little sentimental spot, that's that weird thing with men Like you just are viciously rude and mean to them and they're like oh, they like shoes. She loves me.
Speaker 1:And I'm going to let her know my love by giving her more of my money.
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah, that's how it works. Yeah, that's the only way I understand it.
Speaker 1:So when was the height of your time? I'm talking about the height of your. Now you're moving out. You went to the Granby Theater, which is a little bit. You tell me more about that in a minute but when was the height of your? Just deba? When were you in your mix?
Speaker 4:Definitely the venue days.
Speaker 1:Which was 2000.
Speaker 4:I don't even know God, you were a venue.
Speaker 3:I was a venue for like five years.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you were there a lot, it was like five years ago.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well how many? Years have you each been bartending.
Speaker 4:How old am I?
Speaker 2:On my 21st birthday you threw me behind the bar at midnight 12 years, 12, okay.
Speaker 1:And that was it. You were hooked. So 21,. Get back there. No, you can't come out, you're stuck. How did you get up behind the bar?
Speaker 3:So I was a Hooters girl forever, where at I worked at General Booth for eight years and then I was a manager at Milt Air Highway for four.
Speaker 1:You know it's a good discussion when someone says I was a Hooters girl in the other back row.
Speaker 4:Oh, we're right there. I was there. That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:I was way before you I was 2000, 2001, 2002.
Speaker 3:I started at General Booth in 2011.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was a little bit after my glory days.
Speaker 1:A little bit after, but yeah, I mean, even back then it was still rocking.
Speaker 2:Oh, hooters, then back in the early 2000s you were pulling $300 to $500 a day. No questions asked.
Speaker 1:So the job at Hooters, let's talk about that. Since you're bartenders now, you started there, it's got a relevance.
Speaker 3:I love that company, everything about it.
Speaker 1:You're not the only person that tells me that. She says it, and there's a lot of women that talk to me about Hooters and how good it was to work there. And you would think the main frame of people out there, the mainstream people, would think the total opposite, right, you would think it's bullshit, you're selling yourself da-da-da-da-da. Not at all, but it's not like that is it.
Speaker 2:It because, again, I did the calendar two years. Then I did the swimsuit competition in Vegas, and so I got to travel with the marketing team and since I was the only person, or girl, traveling with them, I got to learn all their knowledge, pick their brain. How are we doing this? What are we doing with the magazines? How are you using this to leverage for business?
Speaker 1:And this was again.
Speaker 2:I was in my early 20s then I mean it was yeah, early 20s, so 20s. Then I mean it was early 20s, so I mean it was, it was great. It was the best learning experience I had in marketing and also customer service. Oh yeah, because we learned more about customer service in that, because you had to distract and entertain at the same time and it was a beautiful balance which I think led me into bartending the day I turned 21. And I think it was a good. That was a really good training ground.
Speaker 3:I'm going to be honest. It literally taught me hospitality, customer service, thick skin, yeah, Honestly, you know it is a little bit difficult at times. You know being 19, 20, 21. And you are judged, and it's not by the company itself, it's by the people that come in.
Speaker 1:You know there is a certain stigma that goes around with it and at the time but what I always wondered is how they judge you when they're the ones who walk through the fucking door. It's crazy, I can't believe your hair working like this I mean the wings are really good.
Speaker 2:Well, not even that. Like you know, I want that waitress because she has bigger tits. I want that waitress because, like they would be selective, almost like you're at a candy store.
Speaker 1:So there's some women in there that are like getting butt hurt over this because they're just not, they just don't have they're not in the selection.
Speaker 3:Ego again Like a strip club type thing To an extent. Yeah, I mean, it is very much. You know, pick and choose what you want, and at the time I was, I just shaved my head, I was just starting to get tattoos.
Speaker 2:That was not a thing, that was not normal, then you were the outlier I got in so much trouble.
Speaker 3:It was a good way for me to start feeling myself and who I am. They rode along with me. They were like, look, we get it, but can you stop shaving your head to the scalp? That'd be cool.
Speaker 2:Back then they could say that they could tell you you gain too much weight.
Speaker 3:All the time you need to lose weight. That's not allowed. Their little photo picture yeah, we hired you like this. You need to be like this in six weeks, so now, here's the thing.
Speaker 1:So now, today, let's back this shit up to today. If you were to tell someone they can't be getting away with that now, can they? They can't still be doing that because it's not politically correct.
Speaker 2:You change the classification to model instead of entertainment. So that they can control you because in news contracts they can control our haircuts and everything. They could control that Because you sign a contract. They change what your title is.
Speaker 1:You're no longer a waitress, bartender or whatever you are. You are an exotic.
Speaker 2:There's always a loophole, you're an entertainer?
Speaker 1:Yes, I didn't even know that.
Speaker 3:Well see, now they allow you to have short hair, they allow you to have tattoos yeah, they're not quite as strict, the piercings even.
Speaker 2:You weren't allowed to have more than just one stud earring in you could only wear one ring.
Speaker 3:You couldn't wear anything like that. Now they don't.
Speaker 1:So they wanted to be like Sports Illustrated Swim suits.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, it was essentially when we were there. I mean everybody showed up, Everybody, you know.
Speaker 3:Everybody was 10 out of 10 when they showed up. There was no. Oh, I don't feel like doing my makeup today.
Speaker 1:So first where you started, megan.
Speaker 4:So when you started it was the opposite. It's like what are we doing about this? Yeah, 100. They were lucky if I brushed my hair before. You know I'm still done today.
Speaker 1:Sorry guys, come out the party into the bar, back to the party 100, just like most of us in the kitchen. So in the relationship between the front of the house and the back of the house it kind of is the same, especially back in them days, because I was before. Before I had all the responsibilities I do now as a chef and an owner. I was just a chef at one point too, and before that I was a sous chef, and all the way up and the further back I went, the higher up the elevator of nonsense I would commit the felonies if I were to get caught. I would get caught. Just a night shift, I could catch a damn case. Just at work. Just the shit we used to do, and I'm sure I still do it now. Just at work. Just the shit we used to do, and I'm sure my guys still do it.
Speaker 1:Now. You know what. Let's be honest. You know what I mean. So when it comes to that type of stuff, I want to hear some dirt. We need some dirt. We need good stories. Our listeners want to hear it. You know what we talk about the professional end all the time, and that's a fun story for people who are trying to open a bar or become a bartender.
Speaker 2:We like to mix in the real part. Fuck all that man.
Speaker 1:I want to hear some nonsense because I got my hat off. I'm blowing up, let's go. Who wants to start?
Speaker 3:Give me a good story, I think one of my favorite villain stories. Who's?
Speaker 1:the villain you.
Speaker 3:It was a group of us.
Speaker 1:It was a group of us. Oh mean girls, I like it.
Speaker 3:No, it wasn't all girls, it was just a whole bunch of group of when we were at the block. Okay, we created Bible study on Sundays. You know, everybody goes to church on Sundays. We went to our church on Sundays. Okay, our church was seaside.
Speaker 4:Okay, it was our basement.
Speaker 1:Seaside raw bar. Yes, all right. So for those listening, seaside raw bar is a small place on Virginia Beach, right on Atlantic Avenue. It's a hot spot. It's tiny.
Speaker 3:It's what you would call a dive bar.
Speaker 1:It's a dive bar to the degree of like fathoms.
Speaker 3:That's how far you gotta dive Like back in the day when they still had the milkshake glasses hanging from the ceiling and all that we love the dive. We love it by the way they love it. I was supposed to go last night and I fell asleep.
Speaker 1:Times I was supposed to go last night and I fell asleep. Times have changed. Times have changed.
Speaker 3:So one of our best friends used to open up on Sundays 11 am. He'd be there and we would have bar clean from 9 to 10, 10.30-ish. Immediately walk over to Seaside.
Speaker 4:And we're playing shot roulette.
Speaker 3:Mind you, I worked Sunday nights. Oh, I worked every Pre-game.
Speaker 1:I worked at the edge at 9pm yeah, and that was some of the best nights to go. Those nights, oh yeah, that's the best time.
Speaker 3:I would literally show up. We'd be, you know, 8 hours of drinking in shot.
Speaker 3:Roulette did a whole world tour of every bar we could get to all day everything that you could think of to stay awake that long and continue to drink, and I would show up. This is back before they had hookah at all the bars. Yeah, only chemistry had hookah. Sandbar had a kitchen and that was the only places you can get food and a hookah. I'd go steal a hookah from chemistry, get steak bites at Sandbar, go lay on top of the bar at the edge, eat my steak bites, smoke my hookah.
Speaker 1:Smashing Adderall and going to work.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like no, this was at work. I was physically working at the bar.
Speaker 2:Oh you were working and laying? Yeah, no, I was laying on the bar then I've been on that bar before.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely so. For me it's Madderall. And if it's the end of the shift and I'm irritated and shit, which I've stopped doing many years ago because of all this. It's fun while you're doing it, man, but that, Madderall, it doesn't do me well.
Speaker 3:I was not really an Adderall, I was more of a MDMA.
Speaker 1:Yeah at work, sure At work. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, of course Super casual, it's Super low key.
Speaker 3:Some people get hungry. They have a snack. I just you know, papa Molly.
Speaker 1:Some people carry, you know, I know some of my cooks right now they come in.
Speaker 3:They got little granola bars and stuff to get them through the night. Yeah, same, you're different. No, it's the same. It's the same, it's totally the same, exactly the same, just minus the nutrients. Yeah, absolutely yeah. Macros.
Speaker 1:Got it.
Speaker 3:And then we just you know, absolute mayhem. But we did that every single Sunday, wow, no matter if it was 30 degrees outside, if it was 100 degrees outside, dancing on the bar. You remember when Cat used to come out too. Oh my God, it used to be a whole mayhem of just hot bitches, just absolutely drunk as hell, I'd be on the ground watching the person, yeah, but I'd be lifting them up, no, she. She normally would be sitting in the corner at one of the tables.
Speaker 3:Don't get me wrong, she's a bad bitch, but she is so calm, cool and collected.
Speaker 1:You're the madam. You're the madam of this situation.
Speaker 3:She very much is the puppeteer again.
Speaker 1:Yes, Metaphorically, that's what we're talking about. Metaphorically, you're the madam of this situation.
Speaker 3:She's like yeah, get on the bar. Get on the bar, you won't Killed it.
Speaker 2:You were instigating too. Oh yeah, stirring the pot.
Speaker 1:So you got the cauldron and you're just like dance, let's go with it. But you're having a great time and that's all that fucking matters. And then you go to night that, but you know what? Though, here's the Vibe is not going to be created anywhere else, but in the fucking place, and that's been removed from the bar scene and it's not allowed anymore.
Speaker 1:Or even if it's not allowed, I just don't think the new generation and no disrespect to them, but it's obvious sometimes they don't get it and they don't understand that people are going to a place to be part of something and if you guys are acting that way, it may be madness to other people, but it's not, it's normal to us and we're so programmed and living that way that we work so much and we're so used to being on this side of the entertainment scene, the bar or the kitchen or whatever it may be, that when we're out acting a fool, we can only do it either on our way to work or on our way home from work. And when we are at work, work all you can do is have fun, work hard, play hard, or else you're boring. Yeah, who's?
Speaker 1:gonna tip you if you're boring? Who's gonna? If you're not partying and feeling good?
Speaker 3:I had this exact conversation with somebody. I can't remember who I was talking to, uh, but we were standing at a bar and I was like the bartenders these days don't get me wrong they're good bartenders. They're just not the same. When we're behind the bar, we're're entertaining you, yeah, and also serving 500 people. Like we are fun, we're goofing off, we're throwing things at each other, we're dancing. I'm climbing on the bar, I'm jumping over the bar. She's trying to fight somebody on the other side of the bar. Like there's always something.
Speaker 2:Right, and in one way or another, you're engaging yeah, with each other, with something there's action there was when I told you I was helping a restaurant open recently here in the area and they had some bartenders who were not experienced and they had one that was only two weeks into bartending at a grand opening and one who said she was okay and it was. They were not keeping up. So I forewent all my other responsibilities in the marketing and went behind the bar and I just started working and I had several separate people that night like separate from each other say I am so glad you're working, like you have rent to pay.
Speaker 1:And that was like the biggest compliment I could get.
Speaker 2:Cause I wasn't really doing that, I mean I, but I was, I was, I was laughing, I was you know how are you doing I was touching that, Like it was just a whole interactive thing. I was trying to get them to talk to each other what we're supposed to do, and that art of it seems to have been lost in a lot of places, and that's what's sad. I mean, I think it's sad, I totally agree.
Speaker 1:Well, I think that it's a passion that we have. So this is a funny scenario. You both said the same thing, and with Kristen as well, and myself, I think out of all of us here I'm doomed with the long-term commitment. There's no way out for me, right? So you're doing your real estate thing, you're doing a solar thing, you're doing your own things, trying to, but that's not because you don't have a passion anymore. That's because age in the chapter of the life, yes, it's where we are right.
Speaker 1:Very much so when you do go back and get behind there, you have something inside of you that comes back and, though most know, most people would be like, oh, they're just bartenders talking shit. What do they know? They don't do nothing. The passion and the loyalty and commitment to what we've done for so long surpasses any of their bullshit judgment. I'm talking to you. Whoever's judging I'm talking to you. They have no idea what this industry means to us. They don't get it. What this industry means to us, they don't get it. And some of us have to get out of it because of we're just simply getting older. Times are changing. We're getting married. Our spouse may not like this anymore, or maybe we can't wake the fuck up anymore like that. We can't stay up anymore. We're not interested anymore in staying up until four in the morning.
Speaker 2:Five am. It's not as fun as going home.
Speaker 1:Going back at nine Right again in the morning, yeah, we worked all these years to be able to, at one point in time, buy a house or get a nice condo and get these nice blankets. And now we want to get in them motherfuckers right, the blankets. I'm with the blankets, dude.
Speaker 2:You're a blanket. Hoe You're such a blanket hoe All.
Speaker 3:I'm worried about is buying good blankets, that's all.
Speaker 1:I'm worried about. So tell me, let me hear something really good. You talked about the ego before and that's always classic to me because I love. I have an eye for this when I go out and about. Now I'm older and stuff I'm not looking for. I definitely ain't going to the bar looking for women and picking up chicks or anything like that, especially out of all the years okay, out of all the years I'm not looking for the ones that work there. I understand the game to the fullest.
Speaker 1:You're not falling for it, it's no different than when I see young guys going to a strip club, thinking that they like them. I think she likes me. She does.
Speaker 2:You're right, she loves you. Tiger, give her more money. She'll like you more, trust me I, she'll like you more, trust me.
Speaker 1:I like going to the bars now, and this is what I liked about you, because I used to watch you, man, and I'm like, look at this girl just digging her talons into this prey. I love it. You know what I mean. And it's fun, it's entertaining, but because you're doing it, you're entertaining me, you're entertaining that sap, you're entertaining his friends because you're loving it, and that's what the hell you do. And in the meantime, really, what you're doing is you're paying your rent, like she said, and and and that comes down to it. So what was some of your tactics talk to about? Firstly, did you ever feel bad for guys that you can see them really thinking they had a chance and you're like damn, I gotta slow down on this board, or did you just let him eat?
Speaker 4:my thing is, I never let them think they had a chance. You know what I mean. If they thought they had a chance, it was their own fault.
Speaker 1:Well, that's what I'm saying. They literally made that up.
Speaker 4:So, yeah, no, I didn't feel bad. You know what I mean. I mean sometimes, when they would give me these gnarly tips, I'd be like whoa.
Speaker 1:Like a lot.
Speaker 4:What's a gnarly tip, grand tip at a happy hour? You can ask John Lindsay about it, that was a real happy hour.
Speaker 1:That was a regular bar, so wait a minute. My brain just skipped a minute. You're telling me you're at a happy hour, you're working happy hour.
Speaker 2:Early in the day so it's not like end of the night.
Speaker 4:But they got me full force because it's not one-on-one, because my happy hours were busy, but it got me like full force because it's like not one-on-one, because my happy hours were busy, but you know just me working.
Speaker 4:John had just came in for the later I was working straight through I would open and then work the whole night. John came in it was like a Wednesday too and he was helping like kind of prep for the night shift, and that's when the guy closes out, and he tried to give more and I was like, listen, I don't even know if the card company is going to like I'm already going to have to make phone calls.
Speaker 1:So what was his goal? Did he think that this was going to be the key, the gate? The gate wasn't open.
Speaker 4:He couldn't have, Because I was like people don't give that out without expecting something. Yeah and that's. There was nothing.
Speaker 2:After no follow up, just gave you the money he would come in all the time. He just came in but he wasn't like in a like crazy crazy.
Speaker 4:I mean he definitely would try, but yeah, but you shut him down.
Speaker 1:I gave you 10 grand.
Speaker 2:Just let me see the net just let me see the net, girl, let me see the net. It's so good to watch.
Speaker 3:I'm telling you she thoroughly enjoyed it. I love it when Megan's in full force because she'll give me like a heads up when we're working together. She's like this guy over here is an idiot and I'm like, oh yes, I was like go take him his next drink, like over, like walk out from behind the bar, go give it to him. And you just watch her walk over and this guy's literally drooling by the time she gets to the table.
Speaker 1:The drink's all shaking and shit.
Speaker 3:who the fuck you think you're talking to? But I'm not the one and I'm like. What did he even say? I don't know. He said I was hot. No amount of money is worth it.
Speaker 4:I'm out. It's awesome.
Speaker 2:So you don't play.
Speaker 1:Did you take the 10 grand tip?
Speaker 4:You already know. So I tried to split it with John because he came in and he was tough.
Speaker 2:John doesn't deserve that. We love you, John, but no yeah.
Speaker 4:No, he. I mean, I learned so much from him, so it was just and I knew he was going to have to go through hell with the. You know the company and stuff like that, american Express.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, anything over nine, nine, nine, nine. Yeah, I mean you're going to have issues, it was one Jack.
Speaker 1:So that's good. So hopefully you did something really good or really bad with the money. Either way, or nicely bad or something.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it went toward a really bad decision.
Speaker 1:I love that Buy a.
Speaker 4:Maserati, especially a brand new one.
Speaker 1:Is that the one? I remember you got that car, so that was a 10 grand tip A brand new one.
Speaker 4:It was more than that.
Speaker 1:That tip was a catalyst Tip was a catalyst to that car 100%. And you didn't like the deal. You didn't like to do it. It was a bad deal. You didn't like the car.
Speaker 4:I mean, I loved the car, but a Prius that was older than me rear-ended me and totaled it and yeah, my insurance. They didn't have anybody proficient enough in exotics to even assess the damages, so it sat in Central Shore's parking lot for seven months.
Speaker 3:I was like oh, megan's at work, never mind, never mind. So you lost the car.
Speaker 4:Is that what happened? 100%.
Speaker 1:So you think that was a little bit of karma for taking this news money.
Speaker 4:Listen, we gave it to him.
Speaker 1:I don't know what to tell you.
Speaker 4:I tried to tell him not. No, that's not fucking carbon. She didn't deserve that.
Speaker 3:That was nice, I mean yeah.
Speaker 1:What about you? What is one of your bigger tips?
Speaker 3:Singular tips. In a night Probably 1,500.
Speaker 1:From one guy.
Speaker 3:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:And that's just because of my eyebrow eyelashes batting stuff like that.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 4:Well, this is why we get along so great is because her I mean, we're so similar in the way of. We don't play it up like that with guys You're direct With the money. Yeah, yeah, we're not going to do. You know we're out. Girl, I'm here to work. Yeah, you guys are vicious.
Speaker 3:They eat that shit up, but I will very much wear pasties and a thong behind the bar and be like don't touch me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, You've lost your. Why in the?
Speaker 3:world. Would you ever think you could talk to me?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm confused, yeah, so I got pasties on, don't you notice? Yeah, and they say fuck me, but don't touch me Very much.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I wear pasties 24 seven behind the bar talked about this because we've only had a couple like bartending episodes on the show, but we try and represent every aspect of the industry because it's all part of it and since we had a couple couple conversations about this of women in general yes, you're, you're dressing a certain way, you and your hoe phase like you look that way for a reason, but you can still command respect when you're behind the bar. Even that's not an invitation, it it's just us doing the job.
Speaker 3:Again, I'm an entertainer. Try me, I'm entertaining. You Don't ever get it twisted that I'm any more than just entertainment. That's right, exactly.
Speaker 1:You stand true to that. I know you for a long time and I've watched both of you. Like I said, I'm entertained in my own right by watching you with a very respectful way, because we become friends after these.
Speaker 3:Absolutely and.
Speaker 1:I remember one time, megan. Here's a story. Here's a story I remember about Megan.
Speaker 3:I can tell you one about you too.
Speaker 1:But so I remember one time there was literally a fight broke out in front of the bar at venue. The place is packed. It's small. I mean there's a couple hundred people in this place, right.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Where there, should you know, there's a lot. There's not that much room, so it's tight, and right in front of the bar there's a fight. Right, you would think that the bartender would be trying to break it up or something. This bitch right here is taking wads of napkins bar naps and just throwing it at them like making it rain and just creating more chaos and havoc, and it's almost like Roadhouse. I'm like this chick is fucking dope, and that's when I first saw you for the first time. I'm like who is this? She's rallying the troops to keep this shit going and in the meantime, while the bouncer's are coming in, she's pouring shots.
Speaker 3:Like 100%.
Speaker 1:Again, I'm working, don't bother me, let's go, that's entertainment, I'm gonna use you in my full advance. Where are the?
Speaker 3:They don't have them.
Speaker 4:They don't All of them. It's changed.
Speaker 3:It really has the thing about I actually had this conversation the other day even the block. Like you know, the block is known for mayhem. Yeah, like you, go to the block to fuck shit up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, including your soul, your integrity, all of it. All of it, your morals, all of it, your morals.
Speaker 3:Everything. It's a different crowd now. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's still a blast. I still enjoy going there when you walk into the bars.
Speaker 1:Here's my next thing on that. Right there, when you walk into the bars now, do you find yourself, like me, where you're looking around like it's like the old timers are looking back, like you fuckers, don't know what's going?
Speaker 4:on oh, 100%. You don't know what you're doing, Girl. What are?
Speaker 1:you doing with back on? Are you serious?
Speaker 3:Listen, I used to rock the fuck out of the tournament you can.
Speaker 2:It still shows up. You can wear whatever you want.
Speaker 1:The turtlenecks are nice on you because you cut them to him.
Speaker 4:It's just all underboob. You don't know my life.
Speaker 1:It's amazing to me how the bar scene is changing Now if we go out, for instance, the crew, us, we all went.
Speaker 2:We were out in Indianapolis right, oh Jesus, went to a couple places. Go on, here we go.
Speaker 1:And not to trash the food, part of it all. But if you look at the bars it's almost like they're upset, it's busy, they're flustered that it's busy. They're just shaking as fast as they can, pouring their thing, doing a little, you know, pouring the martinis, handing it to you, and they're almost like come on, what do you need? There's no personality anymore, there's no excitement, there's no barkeep. I call it the barkeep mentality.
Speaker 1:When you would stand there back in the day and the dude would have his little things up here and have his hands on listening to your problems. That doesn't happen anymore. Right on listening to your problems. Yeah, that doesn't happen anymore, right, yeah, so are you afraid of this? I mean, you're not really anymore because you guys are kind of weaning out of the industry. But do you notice what I'm saying?
Speaker 4:It's definitely changed. I mean it used to be an art, but also they come into it like when we started it. Anybody can make a rum and coke, you know what I mean? Yeah, it to pack a bar like to fill a bar. I mean we would stick three bartenders behind one bar and easily two of us could have handled it. But you schedule three under the impression that at least every bartender is bringing out at least 30 people minimum per chef. Make it as busy as possible. That's the goal.
Speaker 1:So the goal isn't don't lose your thought, because I want to say something. That is the difference right there. You want to have another one so you can serve more and make more money. Nowadays, they want another one so they can do less and not be sweating. Is that where you're going?
Speaker 3:It very much is also like a different mentality, like back then, if you didn't make your promo post by noon, you didn't have the shift that night. Now nobody pushes their shifts. You don't know when anybody's working.
Speaker 2:There's very few.
Speaker 3:There is no marketing in yourself. People would know my schedule the entire week on Monday they would beat me to shift.
Speaker 4:I'd be like, sorry I'm late, I know Megan's coming.
Speaker 3:She's going to be there in 20 minutes. It's funny. One thing I remember about you at the block and this changed my mentality from Hooters to block mentality you had a burner phone that you would only turn on on the weekends. Text all your regulars, that was the number they had.
Speaker 4:Night of the week save next to their name.
Speaker 3:They would literally.
Speaker 4:You were off on Wednesdays, so you'd black out on Tuesday nights with me.
Speaker 3:And she only turned it on when she was at work. You didn't have her real phone number, so you had to burn it.
Speaker 1:You had to earn it and burn it.
Speaker 3:That's when I was like oh, that's brilliant, that's brilliant.
Speaker 4:I text all of my people that say Tuesday, Tuesday night, Tuesday morning or Monday. Oh my God, that is so smart.
Speaker 1:Let's back this conversation up. Give a little tip out there. Give this tip. Tell these upcoming bartenders who don't understand what the fuck's going on. Tell them what to do here, because this is classic and maybe you can pass this knowledge on OG.
Speaker 3:That was very much like the moment. I was like, oh, this shit's different 100%.
Speaker 1:So tell me how this works. So you have the phone, you have the burner. Okay, and tell me again how this works.
Speaker 4:I would get people to come out. I would promote through social media all this, all that. I would meet people and I would get their information. I would save their name next to Tuesday or whatever. Whatever shift it was. And then I would know, Monday night I'd go through all my Tuesday names like hey, how are you doing? Oh, my God.
Speaker 1:And blast them.
Speaker 4:Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 1:So they would text you back or something, some dudes and stuff, but you wouldn't care because it's on the burner. You just say show up.
Speaker 2:There was no communication. You weren't giving them anything else other than here's the bait.
Speaker 3:Remember me, you should come see me tomorrow.
Speaker 1:So this is a tool. You're using a burner phone as a complete marketing tool.
Speaker 4:I never had a dead shift ever and I never gave them the wrong impression Like, yeah, of course we knew what a lot of them were out for you know what I? Mean, but none of them ever got it.
Speaker 1:So it was like you know, that's what kept them coming.
Speaker 2:That's brilliant Santa Claus is coming next week too, y'all.
Speaker 1:So I mean we all think you know what I mean, it's possible.
Speaker 2:So there's a chance it could happen. It could happen.
Speaker 1:This is the year, it's okay. This is the belief in that is the same belief they may have in a chance with you. So as long as you keep feeding that, they're going to keep biting it.
Speaker 4:And that's a great tip. I would never like have consistent conversations. It would just You're micro dosing your client.
Speaker 2:That's exactly what she's doing.
Speaker 1:Mushroom coffee, just a little yeah. Just a little sizzle A little bit Keep yeah, just a little sizzle A little bit.
Speaker 2:Keep them in your life was a sizzle reel.
Speaker 1:I like it. So all you people out there listening to this, we like to have a takeaway from everything there's one. There's one. You've learned something today by the burnt hands perspective Right.
Speaker 3:Yeah 100%.
Speaker 1:Did you have any tricks up your sleeve that you used to do?
Speaker 3:Most of mine was just really just being super extra behind the bar, Like once you got to the bar you weren't leaving the bar if I was there.
Speaker 1:Because I'm going to do whatever it takes.
Speaker 3:I'm twerking behind the bar. I'm dancing on the bar. I'm pouring shots in your mouth.
Speaker 1:She is too, though.
Speaker 3:I don't like I am. I'm going to make sure that you're going to go somewhere else, but then you're going to be pissed off and come back Because you. I don't know why I came over here.
Speaker 4:This is stupid yeah that's why we were such a gnarly team. Yeah, because I would draw them in and then Shelby would just keep them fucking my OPD ass. I'm cleaning and shit.
Speaker 3:Yeah, she literally cleans all game like I'm a psycho at this point, when we're working together, we're considered, oh geez. At the point where we know your role so we really Got away with murder for real? Yeah, and that's literally what happened. There would be nights where I Might not pour more than about 10 drinks. To be honest with you, I'm pouring 600 on me. She's cleaning and we're getting hundreds.
Speaker 1:Stack them and you slap them.
Speaker 3:She'd literally be like we used to have a couple regulars Go get so-and-so to buy 1942 tonight. I right bet I got him tonight, whatever.
Speaker 4:See, she'll go get on the floor and, like you know coming from, you know we both waitress and stuff like that before, so we're used to all that. But when it gets slammed I'm too violent to be on the floor. Yeah, she's not loud. You flirt with that lower back area I hey girl, yeah, 100%, hey hun. She looks over somebody's in the walls of Jericho.
Speaker 1:How many huns it's bad. How many huns are you? How are you? What word am I trying to say?
Speaker 4:I'm a love and a babe.
Speaker 1:You're a love and a babe, so how many huns do you have out in the world? According to them, A million 7,000.
Speaker 3:Hey hun, hey hun.
Speaker 1:That's crazy so here's a story about you now. I told you my little remembrance of her.
Speaker 2:Hers is good too. No, hers is good.
Speaker 1:So it's right along the lines of what we're saying. So I'm gonna tell you how true the story that they're telling and they're not bullshitting here. Yeah, so the first time I met her, I was up in my little vip booth that john hooks us up with every time we go and I had one of my guys with me that he's always, you know, he's not around anymore for reasons can't hang with the dogs, get the fuck out. However, he would just kind of be one of them guys that would just sucking around on leeching type of thing. He never contributed such stuff like that. So she was coming up, coming up, coming up, and we were having fun conversation, banter back and forth. You probably don't remember this. This was a while ago. I was probably drunk, probably. Yes, matter of fact, you were. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Matter of fact, you were. Yeah, I know. Like I said, I was probably drunk.
Speaker 1:So was I. It was a good time, anyway, that's where we started. And then this guy kept coming up. I'll take a water, I'll take a Bud Light, and then he's getting ready to go. And then she goes up to him and asks if he wants anything else, not knowing he's getting ready to go, and he said something. I don't know what he said to you, because all I heard was you say I've came up here a hundred fucking times and now you want something, are you? I'm not here to waste my time, you're wasting my time. And I said you fucking suck. That's what I told the dude and I was loved it from that point on. I was on it because you're absolutely right.
Speaker 1:She just looks right at me and says you're wasting you wasted my time all fucking night and I'm not wasting my time for you anymore. I mean, you know what I mean, and it's fucking amazing. So that's the way it's supposed to be really when you're in that atmosphere. You know, I wish you would have said that an hour before, because it would have got him out of my hair quicker.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I'm trying to. I'm trying to give that might've been the first time we met, but I said I know who you were. You were at a VIB booth that John gave you, like I know.
Speaker 2:I know the situation, yeah, yeah, but it just it also that brings me to. You have to have owners who support you.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:We've run into those issues in the past of owners that I had, owners that didn't support me, and it was I mean it's a brutal.
Speaker 1:It's a brutal time.
Speaker 2:It's a very brutal time because it was someone who physically assaulted me and then I kicked the shit out of them and then they were allowed back in because they had money. So it was like a bad time. So when you have owners that support you and also know your worth because that's very important you can act a certain way. So we all get that way, you know, at some point. But if you have owners that back you, then you have the power to really run the room and do what you need to do.
Speaker 3:Oh, you just land, because they trust your judgment. They know that you're not there to start shit. They know you're there to actually make your money. I actually had a situation like that at Hooters, which is a corporate environment, that I punched a because he the whole night flirting with me. Okay, whatever, that's fine. But then I was like, hey, can I touch your butt? I said absolutely not, sir, you don't have the money for that. So I kept moving, whatever. They're getting ready to leave. He was like well, can I at least give you a side hug? I was like I'll take a side hug, that's fine. You know the Hooters. Back I turned around what? In the middle of the restaurant, my GM at the time I love him to death. My GM at the time saw it on the camera sitting in the office and came out and was like what just happened? I was like he touched my butt. He said okay, cool, kick him out. I said all right cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah, see, that's like. And back I mean cause. Again I'm going back further, like 10 years prior there wasn't that, there wasn't like any you know, I mean again, when I started at the edge I wasn't allowed to bartend cause females weren't allowed behind the bar. So like it's come a long way. But yeah, the owners that are supportive I mean I know you do that like for your staff and stuff.
Speaker 1:Yes, I'm very supportive, especially when the when I hear Sometimes it sucks because I don't hear about a lot of things.
Speaker 2:until it's gone, you don't know the whole story.
Speaker 1:So 90% of the times, especially now, I don't hear about issues until the person's already gone or it's already happened or it's too late now. You know what I'm saying. So there's nothing I can really do. But there's been times, especially in downtown Norfolk, my Grammar Street location when I was there every night and Norfolk was a different spot back then.
Speaker 1:It was just a lot of transient people coming in and out drinking. It was a show down there. It was like mini New Orleans at some point in time. So there was a time where one of my great bartenders was disrespected fully and they wrote she was a whore on her tip spot and all this stuff.
Speaker 3:Nice, Joe Classic.
Speaker 1:So I got pissed off at this and I met the guy outside, luckily, and I took the slip with him and she was she was upset about it, and just this woman here is really hard to shake.
Speaker 4:Yeah, she's like us, she's one of us. She should be sitting.
Speaker 1:She's a great, great woman and she's a hard worker and she's still in the industry today, yeah, you know. And and I went outside and I took the thing and the guy was drunk and I Handed him the thing and I said what the hell is this? You come in my place and disrespect people like this? And he snatched it out of my hand and as soon as he snatched out my hand, he crumbled like this and threw it back at my chest and I just open hand slapped him across the face and he cowered right down and his friends literally ran as if someone shot a gun, yeah. And so I grabbed the guy and I brought him back inside and I said say something to her right now. I'm sorry. And then he did the apology. I will not tolerate it and I'll probably maybe not so much now, but back then I'll catch a case over it.
Speaker 4:Yeah, you know, what I mean.
Speaker 1:Now, I don't know. It's not as it's not, especially here in this place, obviously we do get some rude people.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:We get some rude, we get some rude mugs in here.
Speaker 2:It doesn. But before we wrap up, there's two things I want to touch on with the bar side the misconception, because last time we had to ask about pet peeves, which was fun, and then money, so yeah, so there's a couple. There's my child, so there's two things. So biggest pet peeve of what someone does or says to you during a shift Mine would have to be if you snap or clap your hands at me, yeah, that's a huge one. I love hearing it it's literally 100%.
Speaker 3:I might not have addressed you completely, but I've looked at you and we've made eye contact. I know you're there and I know what order you came to the bar. Do not lean over the bar and snap at me.
Speaker 1:What do they think that's going to do?
Speaker 3:I don't know, they don't even know.
Speaker 1:We need to make a short where someone's doing it and someone snaps and we just throw everything down and run over.
Speaker 3:Listen, that's exactly what they expect, that's okay.
Speaker 2:All right, Megan, what's yours Biggest pet peeve?
Speaker 4:Ugh.
Speaker 2:Or misconception.
Speaker 4:Yeah, man, there's so many. I think it pisses me off when people see I'm bougie with what I wear like labels and stuff like that when I drive all that. So if people think that anything with having to do with the money that I have has anything to do with a man, you know what I mean, Like who bought me that? Or my parents' money, anything like that.
Speaker 1:You work your ass off, you work.
Speaker 2:Now let's shift to the money. The only thing you don't do is sleep. Yeah, well, that too the money part. I don't think people understand how much money there is to be made in the industry. What is when you're looking at, compared to other industries and since you guys are out of it now how much you made bartending peak years and what that allowed you to do.
Speaker 3:I always like to say this. So, like Beckett Hooters and I'm saying this is Hooters this is not high volume bar, this is a restaurant. I made $1,500 on a night at Hooters, like I was able to save my own money in two years to buy a house on my own. Just the freedom that you have of being able to work four or five hours and make two grand. Yeah, that doesn't happen every night, but you're going to make at least, but on the average it kind of does.
Speaker 1:It kind of does. If you take that yearly average, break it down, you're making more money than or as much money as some wealth.
Speaker 3:You're making $100,000 a year Easy.
Speaker 4:Working four or five hours a night, four or five hours a night, that's it, partying the rest.
Speaker 1:Just absolute mayhem the rest of the day Now could you imagine going back in time and being able to have the smarts you do now and then take the rest of them hours?
Speaker 3:that you weren't there and do it again.
Speaker 4:I think about it. I invested, I bought real estate.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean, yeah.
Speaker 4:I mean I definitely threw yeah, and I mean we'd be trading the same $100 bill. We joked about that, it was the same $100 bill.
Speaker 2:It just went around to your friend. That was not reciprocated.
Speaker 4:You know, or they would come in and reciprocate was just keeping it alive. Now, if you see me out, it's calculated.
Speaker 3:You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:You're on a mission.
Speaker 3:I'm there for a reason. I'm there to see somebody specific, yeah.
Speaker 1:I can tell you one thing With my time, when I was doing it back in the day, I could tell you what every print of Bill smells like. You know what I mean. I'd give all that up for having more knowledge, but I wouldn't be able to go be where I am now with all that nonsense.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you need it, yeah, so it's an amazing time.
Speaker 1:Having you guys on right now is great because it brings back nostalgia, but yet you're still in the business. But it's good to talk to people that we kind of watch grow and we work together. Growing because it shows people out there, especially those who are just watching. A lot of people are watching this typically because of the nostalgia factor. People watching this typically because of the nostalgia factor, people watching this aren't people just getting into the bar scene now and they're trying to get something out of this. We already know that they know everything. They're not going to learn anything from us because they know all of it. We already know that. We're not expecting them to be the ones watching. However, if they did, they know how to get a burner now.
Speaker 2:That is literally one of the best marketing tips I have heard about behind the bar.
Speaker 4:I always looked at it like my shift started the night before.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you worked. I didn't just go in at night.
Speaker 1:Hence why you have a Maserati dude. That's it. It's no guy. It's a bunch of guys that you worked for.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean?
Speaker 4:No, man gave that like you earned it, but it's not nice enough to you know, have anybody else fund you, and that's your gift.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean it's good to, yeah, it's good to get that in there. But I love it when there are women in the industry. That, again, the first thing when someone sees you is a misconception of you. Just look like a dumb bimbo. Yeah, and I can take you for a ride.
Speaker 1:And you're like we're coming in, let's do that. Let's go to the people who may be watching, who are coming into this industry. Do you have any advice for them?
Speaker 3:My big thing is for one, you got to know your basic recipes. Obviously Somebody comes in and asks for a liquid marijuana. You got to make it. But going back to the, just be entertaining, be fun, enjoy what you're doing. You're going to make more money enjoying what you're doing and maybe not knowing how to make a liquid marijuana, than only making those.
Speaker 1:You know what I mean.
Speaker 3:Like you got to bring that back, like you can't just stand there and make drinks.
Speaker 1:So I tell them. I say this to my people too Anybody can get the same bottle of wine anywhere. Why the hell, do they want to buy it here?
Speaker 3:Why are?
Speaker 1:they going to come back and get it here instead of there? What about you? What's your tip?
Speaker 4:I would say, especially for women coming up do not sleep around. You know what I mean Be untouchable, that was my thing.
Speaker 1:Unobtainable, always sells.
Speaker 4:Yes, my cocktail waitresses that would train under me, or other bartenders coming on girls being like how'd you get your following? How do people respect you? And you know your shifts are always busy and all these guys are all over you and all this stuff.
Speaker 2:You're selling fantasy yeah.
Speaker 4:And I'm like it's because none of them have touched me. They can't name anyone who's touched me. You know I've been in long relationships like it's not. You know girls think they come into the industry and to get popular they just toss it out there. Yeah, that's not at all, and I'm over here like Bible open, legs closed.
Speaker 2:Like chill out Hold on hold on Say that again, Say that again. Bible open, legs closed.
Speaker 1:Bottle open legs closed.
Speaker 4:They just come out here and they're just throwing it around. I'm like what are you doing?
Speaker 2:You said bottle or Bible.
Speaker 4:Bible oh.
Speaker 1:I thought you said bottle open.
Speaker 2:I heard the wrong thing, it's okay, it's both words.
Speaker 1:That's why I was confused. I'm like wait a minute. Did I hear that wrong?
Speaker 2:Cause they both work. What do you hear when they say something? I totally heard bottles, so that's great. It does work, though.
Speaker 3:So yeah that's awesome.
Speaker 1:So this has been awesome. Thank you guys for your time. I know it's you where you're going and I see it happening. I'm glad to be sitting here with you, because we don't sit with slouches. We don't do it. We don't invite slouches on our show. You have to work your way up onto this platform Even though, as us starting this together, we're still starting with the highest standard.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, no.
Speaker 1:Just the tips you just gave were amazing. You started out with the basics of recipes, which is amazing, and you started with the total opposite of what everybody wants to believe, and that's don't sleep around where everyone thinks. That's how you have to do it. Wrong You're listening to professionals right here.
Speaker 2:Treat it as a business.
Speaker 1:I can tell you they're successful as fuck.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:They are bougie and they deserve it. I'm bougie, she's bougie, we all deserve it and it's something we succeed. Typically, the people in this industry who aren't are in it for a short period of time. Then they're at the shipyard or they're working for the city or they're doing something totally different. In order to succeed, you have to sell bouge. We have to be bougey to understand how to sell it. Kudos to you, thanks for coming, we drank all of our drinks.
Speaker 2:Martini's down Badass bougey bar bitches.
Speaker 1:Cheers, bibles open, legs closed. Never trust them, hoes. Ciao, for now Ciao.
