Chef Mike Jurusz was just days away from reopening the dining room at Chef Mike’s Atlantic Bar and Grill on the Jersey Shore when Gov. Phil Murphy decided against lifting restrictions. Jurusz had a walk-in full of provisions to support a 25 percent capacity dining room and decided to take a chance on a downstairs area previously utilized as a driveway.

Using hanging lights, beach décor and island music, Jurusz transformed a parking space into Mike’s ABG Sunset Bar. Originally planned as a place to provide cocktails and an area for guests waiting to be seated, the Sunset Bar was an instant hit and quickly became a requested seating area. Jurusz immediately turned to his Cambro distributor for help.

“We expanded so fast that I needed something that was in stock and ready to go. “I said, ‘I need [a CamBar] now, let’s get it going,’ and we had it within a week,” said Jurusz. “The moment we got that new [Cambro] equipment in…our sales just went through the roof. It went from $1,000 to $3,000 or $4,000 in a day. It jumped up that much. That was huge getting it here.”

Jurusz selected CamBar 730, the largest model equipped with a 7-bottle speed rail and an 80-pound (36,3 kg) capacity ice sink with cover for easy access.

“My bartending staff in the Sunset Bar loves the new [CamBar]…loves the deeper ice bin that lasts forever,” said Jurusz. “It’s so well insulated, you can put a whole thing of ice and it will last the whole entire day and we’re in 90-degree weather. That is incredible for us.”

In addition to the new CamBar, Jurusz also purchased a CamKiosk® Hand Sink Cart to support both his employees and their drink menu.

“We wouldn’t be able to do the numbers we’re doing without that bigger bar or the sink because now we’re using blenders, they can wash out the blenders in the sink and it’s all sanitized. We wouldn’t be able to do the blender stuff if we didn’t have a sink down there. Now that we have the products to execute, we can expand our menu,” said Jurusz.

In addition to the bar and sink, Jurusz utilizes the Versa Work Table Ultra Series to keep mixers and cans cold during service. The Versa Work Table is the perfect companion to any CamBar, both of which are made with waterproof plastic won’t crack, dent, bubble, rust or chip. Jurusz can testify to the superior durability of Cambro CamBars, he’s been using the same one in his upstairs Tiki Bar since 2013.

“The true testament is here because we’re out in the elements. We’re on the beach with the salt air and the sand and this stuff takes a beating. Not only with the weather, but with everything that’s going on and it still looks brand new,” said Jurusz.

Thanks to the continued support and interest in the Sunset Bar, Jurusz said he plans to keep it going even after indoor dining is reinstated. Restaurants can create similar success by creating a fun atmosphere and equipping their operation with the right products to support both their staff and menu. Jurusz used his Sunset Bar to eliminate FOMO (the Fear of Missing Out) in order to create a place customers wanted to go rather than being a somewhere they were forced to sit. Click here to see three more ways to use CamBars to serve up drinks safely.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ADRIANA DESIDERIO IS THE DIGITAL CONTENT MANAGER AT CAMBRO.