Despite cramped space on Court Street, some establishments think patios are a "must have."
As the weather gets warmer, the patios on Athens’ bars get busier.
Jonathan Holmberg, who has been a bartender for Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery for 18 years, said bigger cities don’t have space or money to have a patio, and that causes customers to go elsewhere. In Athens, although Court Street space is limited, some have managed to work in the space to have an outside seating area.
Jackie O’s previous owner put the patio in during 1995 because he “saw the future coming” for a need of bar patios, Holmberg said.
"I think people really appreciate it, it’s a nice atmosphere. You can come with your family or your kids,” Holmberg said. “And people who are smoking out there, (are smoking) tobacco; we monitor what goes on and everything."
He added that due to laws that prohibit smoking inside, the patio can become a safe haven for those seeking a smoke break.
“There’s a lot of people who really do enjoy smoking and drinking at the same time – they kind of go together,” Holmberg said.
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However, the patio allows non-smoking customers room enough to stand away from smoking customers.
"We went out of our way to make it as private and as nice for customers as possible,” he said. “It brings (Jackie O’s) considerable amount of extra business – we fit over 100 people on it."
The patio is frequently used from March through October and has two doormen, and cameras monitoring the area at all times.
Maria Bradford, a senior studying public health, said she enjoys sitting outside having a beer rather than being inside with a crowd.
“When its warm outside its important to have a patio,” she said. “After a cold winter it’s nice to be able to just stand outside and not have to be clustered inside of a building.”
Kaci Kniceley, a bartender at Courtside Pizza, said the patio is slowly starting to be used more now that the weather is beginning to warm up.
“It definitely brings in more people having that option,” she said. “To sit outside, eat and drink is a huge attraction.”
Kniceley said there is a back bar and a big window that bartenders can look through to monitor for safety purposes. They usually don’t have any problems, she said.
Laura Tobar, a bartender for the Smiling Skull Saloon, said it’s the bartenders’ responsibility to maintain order on the patio.
“The bartenders go up and check periodically,” she said. “People like bringing their own beer up there … Some guy was pissing in the ashtray (one time).”
The Skull recently built a new bar on its patio and will be serving drinks up there soon, Tobar said.
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