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Thursday, July 17, 2008
Service Industry in Summer 08
by Tim O'Donovan
So you work in the service industry huh? The weekend is over, and it’s time for a few well deserved adult beverages. You service industry folks have a reputation of being a thirsty bunch, and lately it seems like an abundance of establishments are courting your week night business. In a great big dark sky of bars hosting service industry nights, here are the shining stars...
 On a Monday night, arguably the biggest and most raucous service industry party is at Envy. This party built its reputation years ago at the now defunct Fahrenheit, and continues full steam ahead at Envy, with much of the same staff and the same ownership. The large, but always busy front room features hip hop music, while the back room is usually electronic music of some sort. Solid drink specials for service industry employees have been known to keep the often star-studded and diverse crowd partying like rock-stars until two o’clock in the morning. In my experience, Envy is always a great time on Monday nights. Want to guzzle cocktails like a Kennedy and party like its Saturday on a Monday night? Envy is always a safe bet.
If the club scene isn’t really your scene, try Bar Abilene: This long standing Monday industry night is a great, laid back night out. Abilene's solid tap selection is dirt cheap, and so is a variety of tequila. I’d suggest getting there early if you want a table in the bar area, because it tends to be busy. The tableside guacamole is amazing, and in this writer’s opinion, a solid base on which to stack lots of beer and tequila. When the leaves start to turn, abundant T.V.’s also make Bar Abilene a decent place to watch Monday Night Football. Make sure you have your paycheck stub with you though, because you have to have it to take advantage of the drink specials. The scene is lively, but fairly laid back, and historically very popular with uptown’s numerous service industry residents.
Tuesday nights at Imperial Room, a liquored up, good time is usually had by all. One of the better drink specials that I know of, this Tuesday night party is always packed. The lounge area upstairs has a deejay playing old school hip hop, while the main level is more of a traditional bar atmosphere. The staff is friendly, the music is good, and the drinks are strong and cheap. What more could you ask for? A stone’s throw away from Bar Abilene, find The Independent. Located in the upper level of Calhoun Square, this hip uptown nightspot has long been a favorite of the service industry crowd. Specials vary nightly, and if you’re looking for a busy, upscale place to enjoy a few week-night cocktails, you can’t go wrong with The Independent. Added bonus: The Independents' kitchen is open until 2 a.m. every night. Looking to soak up a bit of the evening’s booze? You have a wide variety of options. The wontons are a personal favorite of mine, but everything I’ve eaten ( and drank for that matter) at this establishment has been excellent.
On the other side of the Hennepin Ave Bridge, find one of my favorite additions to the Nordeast Minneapolis bar scene, Mac’s Industrial Sports Bar. The drink specials are excellent throughout the week, but especially tempting on week nights. The tap beer selection is huge, and Mac’s is home to some of the better bar food in Minneapolis. The French dip and Reuben are addictive on a level usually requiring in-patient rehab, as are the wings. The pizzas are also delicious and available until close. Pool, darts, and the new Big Buck Hunter Safari are available for your entertainment options. Always a big service industry hangout, it’s hard to beat Mac’s.
On a side note, what happened to Drink? Why did Monday nights cease to exist? I have many fond and admittedly hazy memories of those Monday nights. Those of you who were there know what I’m talking about: A variety of house music from Minneapolis’ top deejays, ridiculously cheap drink specials, and a packed house. This was perhaps my favorite week-night party, and I was sad to see it go. Drink’s management was unavailable for comment, but the rumor mill has definitely been running regarding the return of Drink Mondays. I hope the rumors are true, though my liver does not concur.
That’s it ladies and gentlemen, the best of the best when it comes to service industry nights. Bottoms up!
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