A stadium beer vendor shares his encounter with Muhammad Ali, building relationships with customers, the life of a vendor, the closing of Memorial Stadium, lightning round questions about the vending world, and the fear of secret shoppers.
27:49
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Quick takeaways
Developing relationships with regular customers brings joy and a sense of community for stadium beer vendors.
Working high-profile events like the Kentucky Derby and witnessing historic moments is a highlight for stadium beer vendors.
Deep dives
Building Relationships with Customers
Howard Hart, a stadium beer vendor, emphasizes the importance of developing relationships with regular customers. He highlights that cultivating these connections not only enhanced his vending experience but also brought joy and a sense of community. Howard shares heartening anecdotes about maintaining relationships with season ticket holders and receiving heartfelt notes from long-time customers. He believes that the familiar faces in the stands were one of the greatest rewards of his job.
Event Highlights and Excitement
Howard recounts some of the most exhilarating events he had the opportunity to work as a beer vendor. He mentions working the Kentucky Derby, World Series, and the Olympics. However, the event that stood out the most to him was when Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig's consecutive games played streak. Howard was there for the entire events of Ripken's career and felt privileged to witness such a historic moment. He recalls the atmosphere and the excitement surrounding that particular game.
The Job's Challenges and Ethical Responsibility
Howard reflects on the challenges and ethical dilemmas he faced as a stadium beer vendor. One such challenge was dealing with intoxicated customers and recognizing the fine line between serving responsibly and enabling harmful behavior. Howard shares a poignant story about a regular customer who would become belligerent when drunk, prompting Howard to establish boundaries by limiting the number of beers he sold to the individual. He also emphasizes his commitment to never knowingly selling alcohol to someone who was already intoxicated.
Meeting Muhammad Ali, handling fans who are alcoholics, pouring with no foam, and dreaming about one last game with Howard Hart, who spent three decades as a stadium beer vendor.
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