Behind the bar: Stirred, shaken, and slightly unhinged

by Lillian Kopia

Bartending is like running a race – very fast-paced. 

Pouring, shaking, stirring. Keeping up with the rush while maintaining smiles on customers' faces is the goal.

It requires multitasking and executing good customer service all while handling high volume. 

“I just feel like I thrive in chaos,” said Sean Dauphinee, a bartender at Bartaco. “I love the adrenaline of it and I like thinking on my feet.” 

But it’s not just being able to handle the chaos that drives people into this business.

It’s wanting to be in that chaos – for a variety of reasons.

Meeting different people from different places seems to be a common denominator among Charleston bartenders. 

“I love getting to know people,” says Gabi Jones, a bartender at Felix. “That is my favorite thing.” 

Some of these connections are memorable and long-lasting. 

“I met someone from Italy who sat at my bar. We exchanged numbers and when I traveled to Italy I let them know and they showed me around and took me out to dinner,” said Anna Kremen, a bartender at Prohibition. 

The shift becomes a wild card when everything kicks into motion. You never know what to expect.

“I saw some woman bear hug the security guard because she was trying to stop him from kicking her out of the bar,” said Kaycie Fullmer, a bartender at Uptown Social. 

Sometimes you'll even get lucky enough to make drinks for famous people.

“I literally served Prince an apple martini,” Kremen said about a time when she was a bartender in New York. “I also have served Lindsey Lohan. She was always a mess.”  

The potential for quick money is a significant attraction to bartending. 

"I became a bartender because of like the fast, easy money. Actually I wouldn't say it's easy but fast money,” said Jackson Colin, a bartender at Fuji. “You gotta work for it.”  

The promise of quick cash is enticing, but for J.P. Walsh it’s the the daily obligations, like covering rent and caring for a loyal companion, that keep him motivated.

“My rent and my dog. If I didn't have to pay rent and I didnt have him I would be doing nothing and I would not be contributing to society," said Walsh, bartender at Bedford Falls. 

It might seem surprising, but many bartenders say that one of the job’s greatest perks is helping guests celebrate milestones, like birthdays and anniversaries, and making those moments memorable.

“Being involved in such intimate moments in people's lives is definitely the best part. Like birthdays,” Jones said. “One of our regulars just had their first grandchild so it was nice being able to celebrate with them.”  

Guy Cilliers, a bartender at Husk, likes celebrating others’ special moments because he doesn’t have the opportunity to do it himself very often.

“Coming from someone that doesn't always get to celebrate special occasions with my own family, when you're in the hospitality world, you get to share other people’s special moments by making their moments special,” he said. 

But bartending isn't always fun. There are several downsides to the job as well.

“Handling drunk people is hard, I usually just watch their behavior before they interact with me and others to see if they'll become a problem for me or others. I'll ask someone to relax and if they continue to be assholes then I'll ask them to leave,” said Kaycie Fullmer, a bartender at Uptown Social. “Some people are nice about it and other people are so rude about it.” 

Jones kind of likes dealing with those people, however. 

“I enjoy telling people ‘no." she said. “It's definitely one of my strong suits.” 

Working the nightlife scene can seriously disrupt sleep patterns.

Especially when it starts to interfere with other essential parts of people’s lives.

“My sleep schedule is fucked honestly. It's so backwards,” said Fullmer, who usually goes to bed between 2 and 6 a.m. and then wakes up at 2 p.m. “I'm also a student so waking up and going to classes after working at a nightclub is really hard.” 

The bartender’s schedule can also be challenging when it comes to maintaining friendships and relationships.

“It's tough for friendships with like normal people with a 9-5 because I'm always working at night when they want to hang out,” Kremen said. “That's why I don't work weekends because I wouldn't be able to have time with my fiancé.” 

The stress behind the bar can become intense, but every bartender handles it differently.

“I'm lucky that I was born hyperaware and the fact that I've been doing this my whole life. Cause I'm just fucking good at it. I have a good experience working under high pressure and high volume situations,” said Cilliers.

Preparation is key when it comes to making sure the night goes smoothly. 

“You have to be alert and also being fully set up making sure you're set up for success. Make sure you have everything you need at the beginning of the shift so you're not searching for stuff," said Kremen.

The advice recommended to new bartenders is varied and diverse.

“No question is a stupid question," said Sean Dauphinee, bartender at Bartaco. 

Mastering drinks takes time and persistence. 

“It's okay not to know every cocktail. Bartending has been around for hundreds of years you're not going to know everything the first day," said Jones.

It is important for new bartenders to learn how to recover from challenging shifts and remain calm.

“Be patient and have a goldfish-like memory you're going to get offended and pissed off so don't take it too harshly," said Walsh.

Bartending proves to be far more than a job. It’s a craft of quick wit and steady hands, where every shift blends the pursuit of fast cash with moments of patience, connection, celebration, and resilience.

Although Cilliers loves it, he doesn’t recommend it for anyone else.

“Don’t. Do anything else. Food and Beverage is not the way it used to be,” he said, adding it’s not a very forgiving business. ”You take it home with you. You wear it on your shoulders. It will drive you crazy.”