Mechanical bull, $3 Fireball heat up Five Points
It is hard to imagine the Moosehead Saloon in Five Points without crowds of people filling it and lines of people impatiently waiting to get in. But a visit to the Five Points pub in the early evening on a Tuesday reveals a lot more about the up-and-coming bar. The country-themed bar, complete with a mechanical bull, is now managed by Theresa Giglotti and has been doing well since it opened in early July, she said.
Walking into Moosehead’s and talking to Giglotti is like being welcomed into a good friend’s house. She explains everything, from what the daily specials are to the unique types of whiskey she’s found at different locations, making sure guests are comfortable every step of the way. Giglotti is full of personality and fire, and it’s clear that’s what she looks for in the girls she employs to work behind the bar.
Each girl is trained personally by Giglotti, and even if they have had no previous experience working behind the bar, they are all trained on how to greet customers, talk about daily specials, smile and make sure customers have a good time.
Giglotti has been working with Matt Schmansky, the owner of Moosehead’s, on and off for about eight years. After working an array of bar jobs, trying everything from rooftop bars to martini bars, she was on her way to move to Florida when Schmansky called her and made her an offer she couldn’t refuse, she said. Since then, she said she’s seen so much progress at the bar from herself and her staff.
“People that have been in the business for years have said that they’re amazed we have such a close staff and environment,” she said.
Though the college crowd is a large portion of Moosehead’s’ customers, Giglotti prides herself on the fact that it is not their only demographic. She’s gotten customers that, as she says, “are two to three times my age, which is great … we have variety for everyone.”
Giglotti normally bartends after already coming into the bar two to three times per day to get her orders in, check schedules and make sure everything is set for the upcoming night. She manages mostly at the beginning of the weekend and bartends on the weekends, confessing that even though she loves working Saturdays, Thursday is really her favorite night to work.
“We have $3 Fireball. I love Fireball,” she said. “The girls try to match; we all wear our Fireball tanks Thursday nights, then our Jack Daniels shirts Friday nights, where we nicknamed it Black Jack Fridays, and then we wear our favorite team top on Saturdays, along with the jean shorts and the cowboy boots, too.”
Giglotti added that the girls will often get up on the bar and do a line dance, inviting others to join them. If others want to learn, the girls will teach them, too.
It’s clear that Giglotti loves the environment she works in. Her eyes light up as she talks about how much fun the staff has together and the things they’ve made personal at the bar, such as the mechanical bull that is a great draw for most customers.
“His name is El Diablo, because when he’s running his eyes light up bright red,” she said. “And our operator is named Moose, coincidentally, and sometimes when there’s no one riding him he’ll make the bull dance to different songs.”
The bull also brings up some funny stories that she’s witnessed when patrons climb up.
“We saw a guy back flip onto it one time,” Giglotti said. “I wouldn’t believe it until my other manager showed me pictures!”
Though many bars have come and go in that same spot, “Moosehead’s is here to stay,” Giglotti said, smiling.