Geena Levine ‘21
Staff Writer
If you are 21, and are interested in finding a fun place on-campus for you and your friends to hang out on a Saturday Night, Augie’s Pub is the place for you.
Augie’s Pub is open for two time slots, which are 8:30 to 10:00pm and 10:30 to 12:00am, and students can register for these time slots through the flyer in the Weekender that is emailed on Thursdays. The 30 minute lull between slots allows Sodexo workers to clean and sanitize for the next group of students.
The Beacon met with Kathy Wilcox, who is a bartender at Augie’s, to get some insight about what happens behind-the-scenes.
The Beacon: “What behind the scenes aspects went into allowing Augie’s to run this semester?”
Wilcox: “A lot of time and planning went into making it happen. The responsibility for opening safely and by CDC guidelines was no easy task. Augies is a bar format which needed to be operated as a pub/restaurant. Reservations need to be made to control capacity. There is no computer program in place for this so someone has to manually go in and manage them. Food has to be ordered so they have to have a kitchen staff come in to make the food on a Saturday night. There was a bit of trial and error in the beginning. There is a lot of legwork to make Augies happen.”
The Beacon: “What do you think will make Augie’s successful, given the current state we are in?”
Wilcox: “These are unprecedented times so Augies being able to try opening is already one in the win column. All the staff can do is follow the safety guideline to keep Augie’s open and available to students. Like anywhere else a night out is what you make it. Ultimately it is up to the patrons to follow the rules while having fun!”
There have been many changes to the way that Augie’s was run in the past. Previously, Augie’s was run as a bar where you went up to the bar and ordered your drink, and people were able to walk around and socialize. This year, Augie’s runs with more of a restaurant feel and does not allow standing at the bar.
Students need to make a reservation before coming in and only a limited number of students are allowed in. Students are also required to put in your food order in advance of their reservation, and food is able to be ordered using your MackBucks. Augie’s has a select drink menu, but employees are open to making other drinks if asked and they have what is in the drink.
Merrimack has put a lot of work and effort into being able to open Augie’s Pub and to allow students a safe and fun way to spend their Saturday nights. They are always open to feedback and recommendations by reaching out to Merrimack Dining.
