Serving The City: ‘There’s Nothing I’d Rather Do’

WAITE PARK -- H.R. Pesty's in Waite Park and Maria McStott pretty much go hand-in-hand. McStott says she started working at the bar when she was 23-years-old and has been there for almost 30-years now.

With the bar closed for several weeks now with the latest shutdown, she does worry about some of her older patrons.

You worry about some of the seniors that you can't get ahold of because they are a staple here, a total staple, and you're just hoping they are okay. I'm sure they're very lonesome because they come here to get out and have conversations and fun.

And, when you've worked at the same place for nearly three decades, you tend to know when new faces walk into the bar.

If there's somebody that walks in this door and they've never been here I usually know it, because I've seen almost every face every day.

McStott says there's nothing she'd rather do for a living and says it doesn't feel like a job to her.

She says there are handfuls of people who have been working at H.R. Pesty's for 20-plus years. They didn't lose any of their staff during the first shutdown and she believes they will be able to bring everybody back again once this current shutdown ends.

She doesn't like titles but instead prefers to focus on the entire team at the bar.

I really do think it's each and every employee that makes this business.

McStott is very proud of the number of benefits and fundraisers that have been held at the bar over the years that have raised thousands of dollars for local non-profits.

She says it's difficult to go into the empty bar right now and can't wait to get back to going to work on a regular basis.

Just coming to work every day, I really miss it, I do, there's nothing I'd rather do.  I just can't wait to see all my friends that I work with and not just talk to them on the telephone but see them and be with them.

H.R. Pesty's has not offered take out or delivery in either of the two shutdowns.

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