More than serving drinks, Cherry talks about the skills and personality traits that make bartenders memorable and turn occasional customers into regulars.
(Note: This article appears in the March 2026 issue of ED Magazine.)
As the story goes for most career bartenders, Cherry never considered working behind the bar until the opportunity landed in her lap. Having a resume lined with five years of experience at a frame mill, operating various machines that produced structural skeletons for upholstered furniture, and a brief stint in retail management, it wasn’t exactly an obvious transition. But when Cherry found herself between jobs during a casual night out at The Pony in Starkville, Mississippi, it took just one conversation to pivot her plans.
“I was talking to one of the dancers, and she mentioned they were hiring,” Cherry shares with me in her thick Southern accent. “So, I put in my application, and they gave me the job that same night.”
When walking into the club for her first shift the next day, Cherry had no prior bar experience. However, she quickly learned that bartending in an adult nightclub requires a skill set beyond simply serving drinks. One aspect of the job she didn’t expect was the level of attentiveness required.
“You have to pay close attention to your customers,” she explains. “We don’t want people trying to spike drinks and stuff like that, so we have to pay close attention to what’s going on in our surroundings.”
In adult venues, bartenders often serve as informal safety monitors for entertainers as well as guests. Cherry says watching over dancers’ drinks is part of the job.
“Looking out for dancers is definitely a critical part of the job.”
— Cherry, Bartender at The Pony, Starkville
“Looking out for dancers is definitely a critical part of the job,” she continues. “They don’t pay attention to their surroundings as much as they should. If they leave a drink sitting around, you go pick that up and make sure they don’t drink from it again, because you don’t know if somebody walked by and threw something in it. You just never know what could happen.”
Part of looking out for entertainers is making sure they don’t feel pressured to accept when a customer offers to buy them a drink. Turning it down can make the customer feel rejected or kill the party vibe, so when dancers at The Pony don’t feel like getting intoxicated or are sober, they can order a “dancer drink.” These nonalcoholic options look like the average fruity cocktail, and the customer is none the wiser.
“Customers think that they’re drinking and they’re not,” Cherry explains. “It definitely keeps a safer environment for the girls.”
The same applies to Cherry and other bartenders at The Pony when a guest offers to buy them a drink.
“I get offered drinks all the time,” she explains. “I usually tell them they can either buy me one for after my shift, or they can buy me a nonalcoholic drink.”
Safety, however, is only part of the bartender’s role.
“You have to have a great personality and go that extra mile to make sure everybody has a memorable experience,” Cherry says. “These are the bartenders who leave an impact on the club by boosting morale and making sure customers leave with a smile on their face.”
Behind every positive club experience is a bartender who goes above and beyond, which translates into longer stays, repeat guests and higher spending. At the end of the day, though, bartending remains a customer-service role built on connection. For Cherry, her personality and compassion for her customers help her build connections that make her so memorable behind the bar.
“I definitely try to go the extra mile,” she shares. “I have a lot of love for my customers and my co-workers.”
Of course, working in clubs also leads to the occasional unusual interaction. When asked about her favorite, Cherry laughs about one customer whose fascination with her knees became an unexpected running joke. Handling strange or awkward interactions with humor and professionalism, she notes, is part of maintaining a comfortable atmosphere for guests without escalating situations.
For club owners and managers, Cherry’s experience highlights a valuable lesson: investing in strong bartenders doesn’t just improve bar service. It enhances safety, strengthens team culture and creates the kind of customer experience that keeps guests coming back.
For more information, visit www.starkvillepony.com.
