Mackenzie likes being where everybody knows your name
Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services
Inuvik (Feb 09/01) - Patti Mackenzie started bartending in 1996 and hasn't looked back.
"I don't even know why I started it," Mackenzie said. "Someone suggested it to me and I went with it. It works."
Mackenzie started working as bartender and server about four weeks ago at Frosty's Arctic Pub. She said she loves the social aspect of her line of work.
"I love meeting people," Mackenzie said.
"It's kind of like you get to go out. You're not partying but you still get to see everybody, and make money while you're doing it," she said.
"It's very enjoyable. I did take a small breather for about three months from bartending when I was down in Whitehorse, but I went back to it."
A native of Kamloops, British Columbia, Mackenzie started bartending in Dawson City. She worked there for three years and then did the same kind of work in Whitehorse before coming here.
"Everybody is so friendly and so nice here, very courteous, kind, and very accepting," Mackenzie said.
"This is a really nice town."
Mackenzie works different shifts, but only one is in the evening (starting at 6:30 p.m.). She said that aside from serving customers, the day shifts involve a lot of cleaning and preparation.
"You've got stuff to do for the night, because nights are busy and the bartenders don't have time at night to do chopping of fruit and stuff for drinks," Mackenzie said.
"Filling beer coolers all day long, there's a lot of that," she said with a laugh.
Happy hour from 4:30-6:30 p.m. is usually the busiest time of the day.
"It's usually busy straight on through then into the night," Mackenzie said.
With a laugh, she admitted that her present job is somewhat like the television show, Cheers.
"It's fun. It is a lot of fun. There's always lots of jokes and music."
