My first job was serving soft serve ice cream. I’d ride my bike to the local shop and work a few hours after school. I learned to count back change, greet customers + clean up after my shift. Later, I’d become a hostess at an Italian restaurant. I learned a lot about the FOH operations… welcoming customers was a responsibility I didn’t take lightly. Their experience started with me, and I wanted it to be an enjoyable one. I’d eventually move on to waiting tables at a local breakfast spot, cocktail waitressing at a downtown night club, and bartending wherever I could. I always made sure customers felt seen, heard + valued. I loved my job, loved those who were more than just another customer to me, and really appreciated the lessons I learned like hard work, humility + responsibility. I grew so much during those years of hustle, and believe everyone should experience some time in the service industry at some point or another. Now, my husband and I are fortunate to employ almost 100 incredible people in two different bar/restaurant locations. We have seen them mature, marry, raise children, and buy homes. We respect, appreciate + love them like family.
As the economy slowly opens back up, please remember… these people have been out of work for weeks, struggling to make car payments, keep children fed + a roof over their heads. Not only are they readjusting to work limitations + safety precautions, but they are figuring out how to get back into the new swing of things. Don’t ask for a discount or deal. Be patient + kind. Smile, pay them full price + tip well. They bring so much to our communities, let us not take them or their establishments for granted again. ❤️
