157Lounge & Bartending 101
Bartending at 157Lounge
With every college town there is usually a downtown area coupled with numerous bars crammed all into one specific street. For a college town such as Kent State, that specific street would be Water Street. We always here about the late night adventures of college students, or local townies, but we never hear about the late night escapades of the people working behind the scenes at the bars. What really happens behind the bar? One bar in particular is known for their crazy late nights, located in downtown Kent Ohio, 157Lounge.
The owner of the bar is a pair of two brothers, alumni of Kent State, who are trying to add a different vibe for college students. The bar is known for its music, sushi, and high energy club environment.In the past seven years that they have been open they have hosted numerous fundraising events for multiple organizations as well as hosting Kent Fashion Week for The Fashion School. The bar is also known for staying open later than any of the other bars for an extra thirty minutes on weekends. By doing this they are attracting everyone who is still looking to stay out and enjoy the nightlife. By being the only bar still open past two, this marketing tactic has allowed the bar to bring in any last minute profits for the night. In addition to this, another marketing tactic that the bar has established is hiring girls who are involved in multiple organizations on campus.
Bartenders who know a lot of people, or who are heavily involved in multiple organizations will bring in their friends or other connections into the bar. It creates a diverse audience and will broaden the networking for the bar. However, 157Lounge is not just a bar but also a sushi restaurant at night as well. By being a restaurant during the days they attract the locals and older crowd for sushi and a light beverage, while at night they will attract the younger college students.
However, being a bartender in a college town is nothing short of being easy. The late night hours can be exhausting as well as dealing with over intoxicated individuals. The bar moves fast pace resulting in the bartenders always having to be on their toes and knowing not only the price for each beverage but the ingredients as well. Being a bartender part time through college has its perks, but challenges as well. The perks are working in a fun and fast pace environment where while at work they can run into their friends at night as well. The downfall however, is the late night hours and constantly being on their feet and of course dealing with an intoxicated crowd.
It’s a tough job to say the least but definitely pays well and something many college students should consider as a part time job while being in college. If they are up for the task.