James Menefee at Patrick Henry’s Pub & Grille (Photo by Jay Paul)
If you know Patrick Henry’s Pub & Grille, then — for several reasons — you probably know James Menefee. No. 1: He’s always there, behind the bar (or making rounds through the basement tables). No. 2: He knows everyone. Maybe a friend introduced you one night, or maybe he came up and did it himself, because he does that. And No. 3: He’s been in, and started, some of the most exhilarating punk bands in the city (Fun Size, Long Arms and River City High).
Richmond magazine: What’s the most important thing to get right as a bartender?
James Menefee: It’s so important to make someone feel welcome, and to do it genuinely. Whether it’s just shooting the breeze, remembering someone’s drink or picking up a conversation that you had to pause because you had to serve some food, I always feel that putting the focus on a guest or customer is what you are there to do.
RM: How did you get into this work?
Menefee: Before Patrick Henry opened, it was called Acapella. My friend Mike Sorvino was bar manager. I was spending a lot of time touring, and when the tours were a little less frequent, I needed a job with similar vibes and hours. I told Sorvino I would be working at Acapella, despite the fact I had never bartended and he wasn’t hiring. I would go in on his shifts and sit there for 10 hours and watch him work, and one day someone didn’t show up and he called me in. I’ve been working in that damn building since.
RM: What is your favorite part of the job?
Menefee: Providing a space and an environment for people to interact, to gather, to laugh, and to just relax and enjoy themselves. I’ve seen first dates that eventually blossom into marriage, and I’ve seen total strangers sit on opposite sides of the bar that I knew would get along, that I introduced to each other, and many years later they are still best friends.
RM: What’s the essence of Patrick Henry’s Pub to you?
Menefee: It is a room without pretense. It’s a great leveler. Folks of all ages can come in and feel comfortable being there. We don’t cater to one crowd, and we don’t cater to one element. The room screams vibe, and therefore it molds everyone into a more relaxed and friendly version of themselves. Partly because it’s in the middle of a neighborhood, and partly because it is the basement of a house from 1850.
