Midterms are already around the corner, and with noses buried deep in books, it’s easy for students to miss the treasures nestled right around campus.
The three Metro Light Rail stops that run north and east of the Tempe campus are surrounded by businesses with laid-back atmospheres where students can unwind.
The first stop at Dorsey Lane and Apache Boulevard is the Bartending Academy, where students can immerse themselves in the art of cocktail making.
“You should always have extra skills in your back pocket, no matter what’s going on in the economy,” said academy director Steve Shliveck
The academy has been teaching mixology for the past 11 years.
“This is no Mickey Mouse course,” Shliveck said.
The 40-hour course includes teaching students how to mix more than 150 drinks, emphasizing pouring skills, accuracy and customer service.
“We teach you how to be a responsible bartender,” he said.
While there are many college students who take the course, Shliveck said there are people ranging from artists to realtors, ages 18 to 70, looking to make extra money.
“This industry never suffers,” he said. “We’re still building bars, restaurants and hotels. People are always drinking.”
Bartending Academy allows students to repeat courses until they pass, and offers lifetime refresher courses, he said. But most students don’t want to leave the class.
“Personalities change,” Shliveck said. “Guys get behind the bar and think they’re Tom Cruise.”
When the light rail first opened in Tempe, Shliveck said that like many businesses, the academy was at first intimidated.
“We had to give people crazy directions on how to find this place,” he said. “While other businesses were hurt, we actually weren’t hurt that much.”
Bartending Academy’s reputation kept students coming through its doors, he said.
“Now it’s a gold mine,” Shliveck said. “This is a main stop.”
The next stop west along the light rail takes passengers to a popular student destination, Devil’s Advocate Bar and Grill, located near University Drive and Rural Road.
The bar, with walls adorned with ASU football photographs, shelves of books and plasma-screen TVs, is rich with the warm feel of Sun Devil history.
The ASU-themed bar opened a year and a half ago, replacing Maloney’s Tavern.
“The thing that sets us apart is just the atmosphere,” general manager Beau Hensel said, adding that the business has that local college bar feel.
With jukebox music, an inviting pool table and comfortable armchairs for seating, Devil’s Advocate is a place for ASU students to relax.
“Definitely our price points and our specials that we run are something that draws the kids that are on a budget,” Hensel said.
The bar also sees a lot of traffic from the light rail, and it especially attracts baseball fans during spring training, he said.
A third light rail stop on ASU’s Tempe campus takes passengers to Dave’s Electric Brewpub, located off the Veterans Way and College Avenue stop.
The brewpub, which opened in October 2009, is owned and operated by ASU alumni.
“We’re very well versed on the ASU campus,” said owner and ASU alumna Christina Cenzano.
Dave’s Electric Brewpub brews four beers on-site, and offers higher-quality pub food, she said.
“We’ve been rated by Phoenix Magazine, New Times and The Arizona Republic for having really great pub food,” Cenzano said.
Dave’s Electric Brewpub hosts live music every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday night.
While the restaurant attracts an ASU crowd, Cenzano said business from the light rail isn’t as dense as one would think.
“People typically get off the light rail, go to class and get back on,” she said. “ But we do get a lot of walk-by traffic.”
Reach the reporter at ktenagli@asu.edu
