Mount Pleasant bar employees see wide range of drunken antics

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It has become routine for Sterling Heights senior and bouncer Jim Mitchell to escort unruly drinkers from Wayside Central, 2000 S. Mission St.

Mitchell, who has been bouncing at Wayside since 2009, said he also prevents underage drinking and breaks up fights, but he’s still caught off guard every now and then.

Last Friday, an upset guest who was escorted out hurled a Rockstar energy drink can at Mitchell, forcing his eye to swell shut.

“You always have to expect the unexpected,” Mitchell said.

In a college town where thousands of students are fueled by alcohol every weekend, the bar scene has remained prominent. Many bar employees in Mount Pleasant have witnessed some of the most interesting, or frustrating, moments of drunken stupor by many of the young college drinkers in town.

Ben Breidenstein, co-owner of The Bird Bar & Grill, 223 S. Main St., said he has seen it all in 10 years of work at his bar.

Breidenstein said he has witnessed many outrageous acts by intoxicated patrons, including an individual who punched through the front window and a man who fled from the cops, later attempting to hide under Breidenstein’s truck.

“It’s a little frustrating sometimes, but afterward, it’s always a good laugh,” Breidenstein said.

Breidenstein said individuals passing out in bathrooms or puking in the bar are occasions that he unfortunately has to handle every now and then. He said because Mount Pleasant has many students who have recently turned 21, he often sees young adults who tend to overdo their drinking.

“A lot of the students come in when they first turn 21, and I think they sometimes don’t really know how to drink,” Breidenstein said. “I think in a college town, you’re definitely going to see a lot more behavior like that.”

Mount Pleasant resident Terese Fortino has been employed at Marty’s Bar, 123 S. Main St., for three years. Fortino said although rowdy bar patrons can be aggravating while working, it makes the job much more interesting.

“We try to keep it under control so that we don’t let people get that drunk to the point where they’re throwing up,” Fortino said. “But we’ve definitely had people pass out behind the dumpster out back and had to get them up.”

Mitchell said bouncing would be a nightmare if he couldn’t stop to laugh at work every now and then. He said humor is vital for his job and has diffused situations before by joking with guests.

“The two things you need to work at Wayside are humor and patience,” Mitchell said. “You just have to look out for the guests and know that many of them are drunk and not in their normal state.”

Mitchell also emphasized the importance of being patient with guests, whether they follow the bar’s rules or not.

“When we kick people out for underage drinking or breaking the rules, we always make sure guests have a safe ride home,” Mitchell said. “We won’t let them walk off or get in trouble with the cops. We just want everyone to get home safe.”