I think Milk & Honey’s biggest influence was that it created the “bar team.” Bartenders there shared an aesthetic and a common purpose, like members of a rock band do. Before that, they were independent contractors. If they did the job right and made money for the boss, that was the most important thing. Beyond that was their own business. If they worked at a great bar, they might take pride in that, but it was more individual pride in their capabilities than a collective sense of mission. Today, one hears incessantly about the team. There are awards for it. Until Sasha, that team used to be the staff.
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