Joanasie Eegeesiak
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Apr 05/99) - The best way to describe the Tulugak Bar in Iqaluit is to take the movie Cocktail, the movie Roadhouse and the Jerry Springer show and put them all together.

"And you got the Tulugak Bar. That's why we're the number one night spot in the Eastern Arctic," said Bill Strickland, manager of the bar that's been nicknamed the Zoo.

The bar has been open for about 25 years now. It used to be known as the Cabus Cave, but it was changed to the Tulugak Bar about 10 or 12 years ago.

Strickland started working for the bar in December, 1993. He was offered the manager's position, but declined and offered to work the floor with fellow employee Meesa Nooveya, with the understanding that Strickland would move to bartending as soon as the spot was available.

Eventually promoted to the role of manager, Strickland is now responsible for the patrons, the cash, the staff, the inventory and for keeping the log. This means he has to keep records for people coming and going from the bar, when people get asked for identification and reports of what happens each night.

"We had 235 patrons come in the facility, 41 were asked to leave after we thought they had enough to drink, 10 were refused entry because we thought they had enough to drink when they showed up."

On a usual Friday night, Strickland said he had to deal with about 200 people in a three-hour time period and that while it was busy, it was his job.

"My job as a manager is to get people to come, get them to stay and get them to come back," said Strickland.

And while they're in his bar, he does everything he can to make sure the patrons give something back to the community.

"We set up fund-raising events for different organizations, not so much for businesses but for non-profit organizations. Each patron that comes to the bar, although it's only a $3-cover charge, they put something back into the community."

Strickland said he tries to concentrate on helping out children or elders.

"From last January until now, the bar raised about $6,000 for different organizations in Iqaluit," he said.

Strickland said the best thing that ever happened to him is his relationship with the Nooveya family.

"I named my child after Meesa. That shows how much respect I have for him. He did the same thing with his son and named him after me."

But it's not always fun and games at the Tulugak.

"The most dangerous thing that ever happened to the staff or me is there was a guy standing outside with a rifle one night. I don't want to talk about it," said Strickland, who added that calling the RCMP on a Friday night is a usual occurrence.

Once the bar closes at 1:30 a.m. on Friday nights, patrons often hang around outside, but Strickland said that so far, everyone had made it home safely.

"I've been working for the past six years and no one has frozen to death. I hope it will never happen."