Lessons Along the Path

The path from exuberant youth to dutiful adulthood is lined with part-time jobs.

In high school, Bob worked for Davenport Farms - now a client- and for Nick Carl at the Retreat Restaurant. While studying at St. Michael’s College in Winooski, VT, he honed his hospitality skills at the nearby pub, Kell & Mahoney’s. When he returned to the Hudson Valley, Bob welcomed patrons to the Sturgeon Wine Bar on lower Broadway in Kingston. And in the winter of 1984-85, Bob served the apres ski guests of The Cliff Lodge, at Utah’s Snowbird ski resort, before the fateful call from Dad.

Given this wealth of bartending experience, what’s his favorite cocktail to mix? That’s a toss up between his famous margarita or Pinch on the Rocks. “That was the evergreen request of Curtis Van Demark, the late Kingston Police Department undercover detective who favored the Sturgeon Wine Bar.”

Tending bar was more than just mixing cocktails and serving beer. It taught Bob how to get along with people and was his first taste of customer service. He also credits his past working experiences with teaching him many valuable life lessons; lessons that remain with him to this day. A strong work ethic, demonstrating respect for employees, getting along with others, and saying thank you to staff members at the end of the day are just a few of the practices he strives to emulate.