Bartending in Corvallis is one of the best ways to meet the students of Oregon State University. As Dave, a bartender at Downward Dog’s campus location recounts, “We get to meet the students and watch them grow. We usually only have them for about 2 years, and then they graduate and move on, but there’s a certain maturity that happens in those two years. It’s fun the watch.”

Now, it’s not all fun and games, and each bar has its own clientele that fits the atmosphere. The Peacock, especially upstairs is high energy and wild.  Meanwhile Downward Dog Campus Location is a place where people can have a conversation over a beer. “We get to have students come relax after class, we’ve even had professor hold class discussions here. Late nights don’t get too crazy either. We prepare them for other bars, like Impulse,” Dave explained.

However, some times there are a few people who get a little too crazy. Dave said, “The worst part of bartending is cleaning up after people. It’s usually not pretty when somebody gets sick.” Luckily for Dave, it’s not too often that Dave had to clean up after the people of Corvallis. “Most people are good, really nice. There are only a couple of bad apples that stand out every now and then.”

The good times really do outshine the bad. Dave cheerfully recounted, “[bartending] is great. We get to see people at their happiest.” Serving people their drink of choice, chatting with strangers, and connecting with the people of Corvallis is an exciting job here. At the Peacock, where sometimes there will be 50 people trying to get a drink at the same time and surrounding the bartenders, it can be stressful. However, with so many bars each atmosphere is different. At Downward Dog there can be a line out the door of people waiting for their drink of choice, or a quiet afternoon with a few groups sitting at the bar chatting with the bartender. 

So, enjoy the bars of Corvallis, legally of course. Appreciate your bartenders, get to know them, and tip the folks behind the counter pouring liquid joy for you. Stay classy and responsible Beaver Nation.

Photography sources:

Steve Allison (unsplash.com)

Patrick Schopflin (unsplash.com)