It is about health, but for bartender Lucy Cuccia it’s also about paying the bills. Like a lot of service people, Cuccia makes money mostly on tips.

No customers, no tips.

No tips, no rent money.

“I’m down at least a third,” said Cuccia, who works at Tail Gators, near the corner of East Washington and Stoughton Road, and at the Locker Room, located in the parking lot of Oscar Mayer’s. Cuccia’s boss at the two bars, Dale Beck, has already laid off six night bartenders and the day cook, after seeing his business plunge 60 percent.

Joe Klinzing, who owns South Towne Lounge, showed me figures indicating his sales are down 33 percent compared to July 2004. That’s bad for Klinzing, and bad for his bartender, Stephanie Hall.

“They wanted to look out for my health,” she said. “I wonder if they’ll pay my rent?”

It’s also bad for the beer saleswoman who stopped by while I talked to Klinzing. He told her he couldn’t reorder. She didn’t want to give me her full name but said she’s been to some Madison bars that haven’t ordered liquor or beer since mid-June.

No beer, no commission for her.

Source: Wisconsin State Journal. Link Expired.

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