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Honolulu After Dark: Pipeline Cafe

by Cindy Paliracio

KAKAAKO (KHNL): During the day, Honolulu is famous for its beaches and aloha spirit. But when the sun goes down, Honolulu is every bit as vibrant. Pipeline Café located in the heart of Kakaako must be doing something right. It's been on top of its game for seven years. Well before the music's plays and the doors open bar back Phil Cassalia is setting up.

"We stock the bar, make sure its alright for the night," says Cassalia.

Phil is one of Pipeline Cafe's 100 employees. He job? Fill the ice, salt the rings, stock straws, napkins and glasses and count the till.

"Nightclubs are kind of fast paced. You have 2,000 people in here who want drinks and you gotta give them drinks," says Cassalia.

Basically, he has to make sure everything is stocked and set up for the bartender.

"Great bartenders have great clienteles, good regular clienteles, says club owner Chip Jewitt.

The bartender turned club owner knows that drinks bring in the dough.

"Being a bartender is one of the most stressful jobs. it definitely can be on a busy night. You can have five people ordering from you all expecting you to each pour their drink each one of them and to bring it in," says bartender Leina Okuhara.

A great personality and a good memory doesn't hurt either.

So when you add alcohol to music, the crowd really begins to loosen up.

"Music is important because it creates the atmosphere of the night club," says music director DJ Mike.

"They want to have a good time an escape from reality a little bit," says Jewitt.

There's no secret to success. "The club business, the big clubs, its really tough," says Jewitt. It's hit or miss. "Sometimes you'll just hit a night that it hit, why it's a big night. and then all of a sudden it'll drop off for no exact reason, no clue, says Jewitt.

Like any successful business, a successful club has satisfied workers and customers. Talk about success! A really good bartender can make up to $1000 a night.