As we enter mid-June 2024, we’ve officially begun our first full summer on the rooftop. It’s incredibly hot—about a billion degrees—and it seems as though we’ve leapt directly from winter into summer in two minutes. Last summer, we debuted around this time and plunged straight into full-blown madness. This year, we’ve managed to prepare better, although adjusting from accommodating around 60 people to nearly 200 is still an adjustment. The improvements we made have, so far, proven to be very productive.
Behind the scenes updates
My primary focus has been optimizing the setup behind the rooftop bar. Although unseen by customers, these changes significantly enhance our service speed. We’ve added an extra well with more soda guns and an additional station to expedite drink service. We installed a new cooler, moved our tap system, and added more shelves. These details are streamlining the bar and making it more efficient.
We’ve also introduced our Food Stand, situated across from the bar. This allows guests to order all their food from a separate location, preventing food orders from congesting the bar area. These changes alone have already alleviated many of the issues we faced last year. That’s not to say we won’t face more challenges, but hey, that’s for another day.
Cooling down
To combat the heat, we’re installing fans and misters on the roof, as it seems the high temperatures are here to stay. I plan to install them myself, so let’s see how that turns out. Hopefully, by the time you’re reading this, they are in place and functioning perfectly. If not, let’s pretend you never read this.
I often take on various projects around the building myself, such as hanging shelves(and fans, apparently), working on equipment, and handling plumbing tasks. I do this because it’s significantly cheaper, faster than waiting for outside help, and it provides me with a thorough understanding of the building, which is extremely useful. I love the hands-on approach. Could someone else do it better than me? Maybe, but I have to try first at least.
Anyway, it’s summer, and yes, it’s sweltering, but the rooftop is the place to be. Whether you’re drinking, eating, socializing, or simply escaping your troubles, we hope you enjoy your time. While you are up there, hopefully, you notice some of the new things we’ve done, and it makes your experience that much better!
— Michele