Recessionary Drinking at Local Bars Holds Steady

On a recent Friday, a Blue Moon sits on the bar at Bunny’s in front of Jabari Allen as he raises an empty shot glass and calls for another. The 25-year-old South Orange resident and waiter at Papillon 25 says he has observed first-hand how tough economic times and alcohol can go hand in hand.

“I find people are drinking more, but they’re getting more appetizers instead of entrees and tipping less,” he says. “People are drinking less expensive stuff. Instead of Hennessy XO, Rémy Martin XO, they’ll get the regular.”

In South Orange bars, concerns about the recession seem to have caused many patrons to change their habits: some drink more to cope, some drink less to save, and some even choose cheaper drinks.

Caroline Buckingham, who lives in Springfield but grew up in Maplewood, said the bad economy and financial “overextension” demands she and her husband tighten their belts.

“We used to go out three or four nights a week, now we’ve cut down to two,” said Buckingham, while sipping Jägermeister at Cryan’s.

Poor fiscal outlook may also be influencing college-aged adults to drink more at home. Pre-gaming, the practice of loading up on drinks before going to a bar, is on the rise, said Daniel Churgin, a University of Kentucky law student.

“The economy has affected younger people because I think we’re a little more scared,” said Churgin, while drinking at the Gaslight. "Beyond the fact I’m living on student loans, I look at my potential earnings and see them going down.”

As businesses shift with consumer habits, some find more success than others.

Inside Cryan’s, a pink-and-yellow sign advertising Depression Specials replaced Recession Specials at the beginning of the month. Despite this seemingly pessimistic shift in language, business is actually better than usual, said owner Jim Cryan.

“People drink more,” he said. “It’s the best summer I’ve had in years.”

But Cryan has seen a drop off in food sales, and he speculates that the male heads of household may have lost work in New York City.

“The guys aren’t getting off the train from New York, so the families aren’t coming out to meet them,” he said.

Around the corner at Bunny’s, discounts have failed to buoy income, also suffering from decreased food sales. Owner Leslie Pogany estimates business has declined by as much as 25 percent.

A block away, Gaslight co-owners Dan and Tony Soboti said they haven’t seen a change in their revenue since the recession began. But, there are some signs of the times. According to Tony, more customers are paying with debit and credit cards instead of cash.