On the Job With … Angie Heitz

This pro bartender and club manager is a service industry "lifer" by choice

By Dana Raidt
Published: August 3rd, 2010 | 12:00am

When Angie Heitz first started working at Minneapolis’ Club Jäger, she remembers Saturday nights with “one bartender, no bouncer, no bar back, nobody.” A few years later, things couldn’t be more different. Not only are there now bouncers and kitchen staff, but the bar is packed. In fact, we can barely hear each other during our conversation—and it’s a Wednesday afternoon.

“I think I’m okay at what I do,” she says, smiling.

Heitz dispels the stereotype that being a service industry “lifer” is for the unambitious or is something that only happens by accident. She’s been working in bars, restaurants, and coffee shops on and off for the past 15 years, starting out bussing dishes and working her way into bartending, booking, and now management. She says she knew almost immediately that it was what she wanted to do.

“I fell in love with the [service] industry,” she says. “I’m a lifer and I’m totally cool with it. Nothing gives me more pleasure than when people come here and have the best time ever. That’s why I do it.”

Spending 40-plus hours every week in a bar might sound easy, but Heitz has a lot of responsibilities. In addition to managing staff (including her husband), she has input on menus and wine lists, handles money, takes care of ordering and inventory, and is the go-to person when any problems arise. Like any good manager, she still does her fair share of bussing tables and slinging drinks—and gets to experience firsthand the stereotypes and assumptions some people have about servers and bartenders.

“I’ve had people ask me, as a manager, ‘What are you going to school for?’" says Heitz. “It’s like, ‘I’m 36. I have two kids and I run this bar!’ And it’s always old dudes [who ask it]. I’ve always said bartending is as close to stripping as I will ever get, just because of the amount of crap you have to put up with.”

“Angie knows how to manage every situation and make the best of it,” says Jake Rudh, founder and DJ of Club Jäger’s weekly Transmission dance night. “When people drink and turn into a-holes, she knows how to diffuse the situation." But, luckily for those old dudes, Rudh notes, “she’s also extremely fair.”

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Angie Heitz

The Job: General Manager, Club Jäger

Education: Heitz, who is a math whiz and was a “high school honor-roll nerd,” dropped out of community college after discovering it was “like 13^th grade.”

Résumé: She started in the service industry at age 21, but left during the time she had her children to work in the mortgage and title industry. But even as a 9-to-5er, Heitz was moonlighting as a bartender, eventually deciding to come back full time.

Mission: To create an enjoyable environment for patrons and employees and to be a part of a community of like-minded ladies. Heitz says that her staff, including the chef, is about 50 percent female, and she describes the women of the Minneapolis music, arts, and fashion scenes as her “allies.” And while she wants her customers to feel at home, there is one whim she won’t cater to: TVs in the bar (“Not as long as I’m running this place.”)

Why it works: Heitz says the job embodies three of her strong suits: customer service, math, and management. Rudh also points out that she knows how to make all types of people feel at home.

“You have indie hipsters, the retro scene, goths all coming in,” explains Rudh. “Outside Jäger’s doors they probably wouldn’t even talk to each other.”

Advice: For those wishing to make a career out of a service industry job, Heitz advises beginning at a club, venue, café, or bar you like—even if that means bussing tables to start like she did. And take it from a service industry vet: experience counts above all else. “I would never tell anyone to go to bartender school,” she says. “That’s the first thing that I will tell you not to do.”

For More Information on Club Jäger, click here

On The Job With … is a monthly column that explores interesting women with interesting jobs. We get the scoop on each lady’s working process, what makes her want to get up every day, and get advice for others looking to break into her field. The column is written by Dana Raidt who is a regular contributor for Venus Zine.

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EmpressGina1 (about 1 year)
Great introduction to Angie's work and perspective. I have seen Angie at the club and I was wondering why it was my favorite club to hang in (energy wise) in Minneapolis...and now I have a good idea why! :)