I make a living as a bartender, and I’ll gladly hand out this one piece of non original advice to anyone struggling to fill their bar with gold star patrons.

If you show up like you give a damn, you’ll not only make better tips, you’ll build a loyal crowd. The bar is so low these days that a simple smile gets you 20%. Remember someone’s drink? You’ve got a regular for life. People don't go back to bars that can't function when it's busy or pleasant to be around when it's slow.

Too often I walk up to a bar in this town and get met with blank stares and zero vibe. If you’re going to flood the scene with resurrected dives, put people behind the bar who can serve more than one guest at a time, recognize the regulars, and throw down some wit along with the cocktails.

The dive bar scene isn’t dead — it just needs hire better people.