Bartender of the Month
Tony DeRemer has been serving up drinks at Barnaby’s for the better part of a decade.
How long have you been working at Barnaby’s? Well, they’ve been open for nine years, and I’ve been here for eight of them. It’s a great place to work.
And how many bars do you have? There are seven bars, actually.
And do you work them all or do you have a designated spot? We move around—it helps to keep things fair.
Do you work days and nights? What’s your preference? I work nights, usually between two and four nights a week, depending upon the season.
Because of how the season impacts your day job, correct? Yes, I work fulltime in the athletic department at West Chester University, where I coach women’s rugby. There’s some travel involved for games, so I can’t work at Barnaby’s as much during the playing season as I can when it’s off-season. That’s one of the reasons I like it here so much. The owners and management are really flexible and supportive with that. They’re great employers.
How long have you been bartending? I worked at a place called Maddie’s in Malvern for a couple of years before coming on board here after Maddie’s closed. I was doing both for a while.
What do you like to drink when you’re out and about? I’m a Captain and Coke guy—that’s my favorite. And if I’m going to do a shot, it’s usually tequila.
Tell me about the food. We have the best wings, period. They’re fantastic. On wing nights at other bars, they sometimes swap out their regular wings for cheaper, smaller ones. Not here—Wednesday nights you get the real deal. I also really like the Chesapeake Chicken Sandwich (chicken breast topped with Crab Imperial, bacon and Jack cheese).
What do you do on your days off? That’s a good question. I’m really into sports, so my friends and I like to catch a Phillies or Eagles or Flyers game, depending on the season, obviously.
So you’re a Philly fan all the way? Some people like random teams from elsewhere, but while I’m from Carlisle, PA which is halfway between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, so some people from that area might like Pittsburgh teams—I’m a die-hard Philly fan.
What do you like most about your job? You never know what you’re going to get on a given night. And there’s such a variety of people who come in—married couples, families, college kids—you just meet a lot of people, and develop a lot of relationships.
And do you live here in town? Yes I do. I went to college at WCU, and after that I ended up buying the place where I lived while I was in school! It’s a great town, and it’s become a destination. And I love living here, because I can walk or ride my bike to my job… to both my jobs, I should say. I’m always working. But I love my jobs, both of them.
Photo: Andrew Hutchins, Interview: Kate Chadwick
