Full Transcript: George Cvetanobski on 7 Brothers Bar
George: Well I have a choice to open a bar or something else, something else like I said from the beginning you know. I went to Los Angeles, I didn’t make it. Actually I wanted to open small shoe place over there to make custom shoes, but I didn’t make it. I spent a lot of money over there, I spent a lot of time, not a long of time around two months. But didn’t fit me anything and I come back here. I was thinking what I’m going to do, what I’m going to do. I was thinking I don’t want to do this, I don’t want to do that you know, you have to do something. [Laughs] I decide my brother says open a bar next to him. Actually I was thinking for a long time to open or not. What I’m going to do with a bar? You know what I mean? Somebody give me idea, well you’re going to own this that. You own a business and after that you can get another business, no problem. And I didn’t mean it to stay that long, but it happened. And I met these people, actors. That was 17, 18 years ago and they are very good people. I was going to sell it and some of the person, you know, who is now famous, who’s in a picture, Michael Keegan Key and Larry Joe Campbell and Eric Black, you know three guys they come from Second City. They were looking for a space to hanging around, you know. And I was behind the bar, they come says hi and we start talking. Are you shooting darts I says yes, are you shooting pool I says yes. We start to talking up down, everything. Kind of they start to like me. They says we are actors from Second City. We looking for a place to hanging around. I says, you got it. That’s it, I says, anything you want. And then they start to come.
George: It’s very nice atmosphere, very friendly, we got Juke Box you know, you can play anything you want, we got pool table. And we have dart game, that’s good. It has a good reputation from police, fire department, city.
Interviewer: Before the actors started coming, who would come to the bar?
George: I started to work with more with European people. Bosniaks, at that time was Yugoslavian, you know all Yugoslavian, mixed people, Macedonians, Serbian-Croatians, Albanians, Bosnians all mixed I used to know. Almost for, you know 15 years, from beginning yes. And after that we change somehow the customer. You know inside the different atmosphere somebody doesn’t like, you know there you go. But to me that fit me, because I like— I’m not— I got no skill to be actor but I like acting to watch it.
My brothers they all help me, everyone you know. They come, they get behind the bar, I go somewhere, another brother comes behind the bar. We didn’t use any help, nothing, no. Long period, they give me hand a lot, I can’t complain for that.
Interviewer: And you know how to mix drinks and do everything?
George: Oh yes, we have a book over there and I have somebody mixing, I have a book, you know and I make it. Actually that time they didn’t go too much for a mix drink, mostly was beer and shots you know something like that. But no matter, if somebody comes want a mix, “how you make it,” you know, somebody tell you, they know and then you make it, and you learning, you know. You open the book and you will see it. As soon as I open the bar I quit to go in any bar. I was all the time from open to close, I open I close. And all day sometimes 12 hours, sometimes 16 hours. But never less than 12. Because we used to open 9 o’clock in the morning till 2:30. When you go home you say oh my gosh I come in morning and now it’s night time, what’s going on? Well actually my life is a night life, night life all my life. That’s when I was in the old country, when I was in Australia, mostly my life is a night life. No matter when I go home, when I was in the old country, if I go 5 o’clock in the morning home I’m 7 o’clock in a job. That’s me. No matter over there if I stayed from open to close next day I am opening again.
Interviewer: When you would open the bar at 9am, were people coming in that early in the morning?
George: Well yes, yeah, yeah. Like I says, a lot of Macedonians around. They coming, they working afternoon, they coming over they got one beer or two, you know, then they go to work.
I have a good pool shot. They used to come my friends from Windsor Canada, or west side you know, they played for me. And maybe I was shooting a game pool, if I say twenty games is nothing, probably around 40-50 a day, all the time. Yes, all the time shooting, Because I am behind the bar and I am shooting the game. You know? The day go fast. I’m not worried if I lose or I win, I’m just shooting the game. And I go to serve, you know, all the time, oh my gosh. The bar is not short, it is a long bar, you have to go the one side and serving the other side. You have to run all the way down.
I’m not very open person to talk all the time, but when I was drinking, I’m talking. I’m not troublemaker, I’m just, I wanted to talk. I’m drinking, I will be happy, you know. Always I control, not to be out of the mind or drunk drunk, no.
I was thinking what kind of name I’m going to give my place, what kind, what kind. In my mind, you know. And I think, well 7 Brothers is good, why not? It’s a good name, original name. Some of my brothers they says, “oh now you owe me some money.” I says “why.” “You using my part of name.” I says “ok. Ok,” I says, “I’ll make check, don’t worry. Just wait for that, you’ll get it.”
Bar business is a very hard business. First of all with the help. You know, you have to have good help. Secondly, if you don’t have help from the family, it’s very hard. Like me, you know. My brothers they was help me everything until I build up and after that I have to work with a different people, you know? You have to trust in the people. Everyday running it a wrong way you’re losing money, it’s very hard. Plus you have to deal with all kind of people. Now, when I said it because I work with these people here, I have no problem. You know even something wrong, you know, they clean up. But never be any problems, you know, never. And that’s what took me too long, otherwise I want to keep it. But now I was thinking, how long more I’m going to do? You know? I wanted to change my lifestyle too, to go out, to be free, to don’t think, oh I have to go over there what they doing, you know? I wanted to be free. Otherwise, many women they don’t like you when own a bar because always you going to be at the bar, you know, how is the bar you know, anybody coming and jealousy, this, that.
This people they good! They all artist, musician, artist and actors, they good people. They good people. And I think I treat them fair, nice, and they like. Always I was— sometimes you can make mistakes, something, you know? But always I was careful I don’t want to be insult anybody, this that, I wanted to treat them good and they liked it. I was always in a time open they want area to open, I open earlier. Two days ago it was people from Los Angeles they was shooting something. And we open early and that was good. They call me and said, “George would you open for us?” I says “anytime you want.” They says, “4, 4:30, 5 o’clock.” I say, “no problem it’s going to be open.” Lately we’re not open days. I couldn’t handle it, that’s so many hours.
Hamtramck is changeable all the time. One generation coming, they goes, and after that another generation come. To me, in my business, it’s a little bit different, because people who is coming now doesn’t go in the bars. You know, that’s different. When European people used to be here, everybody was going in bars. So many, but now how many left? Jean’s Bar close, I close, you know? Swing City close a long time ago. You know, same spot here so many bars they close. I don’t think so we got more than twenty bars now, depends on the people. That was question a long time ago, a long time ago, to bars to be open to 4 o’clock. I’m talking years and years. And they make it to 4 o’clock. And in the morning is not many people who goes to drink in the morning if you open 7, 8 o’clock in the morning. Not many people goes to drink. Mostly that time older people they drink, younger people they want to have a night life. That’s what we’re going now, sometimes till 11 o’clock we don’t have any people, they come in after 11. And that’s three, four hours. That’s three hours, 12, 1, 2. That’s it. You know time is changing. Time changing, people changing. It’s a little bit hard. But I decided to close, that’s it. Now I can’t change my mind.
Oh my gosh. When it was smoking at the bar, that was horrible. Horrible. Go see the doctor, you are smoking! I say no I am not smoking. Yeah but you are smoking. And it finally comes in my mind because I am in a smoking area.
You know what, if I have a somebody who wanted from the family, I won’t sell the place, because the place is good. But my brothers, they don’t want it, they all retired. My niece they don’t want it they all got education, they got the jobs. My nephews everybody got the jobs where they all like it. And that’s why I was pushing a little bit more, a little bit more. And, like I said, my closest friends is the theater people, and I am glad because they are going to take over. Still is going to be 7 Brothers over there, the sign, you know the pictures, the bar, behind the bar, is going to be over there. And I am very glad for that. I will be very welcome over there to go. And with respect, and they like me to be there! And I like to go there too. Because the theater is a very good and a good success. Improv on Mondays, they have full house, you know 70 people, it’s good. It’s too small what they got now. They bought the place, it’s very good. They fix it, it’s going to be nice. And next to the theater is a restaurant. And I think it’s a good idea. And I’ll be part of that, not in a business, I’ve got nothing to do with the business, nothing. I’m just free, no more obligation, no more anything, I don’t want to worry about bills, this, that. I’ll be out completely.
When I open a bar I was so happy, you know. Everything in a bar was in a space, clean, who takes over, I says, look it now, how is it clean now? When you finish job, you have to do it like that, otherwise, no chance. That was my goal to make people welcome and to get good name. It’s not only to make money, I wanted people to be happy, I wanted to be people when they come over there to be safe. And no matter who is behind the bar, always I is around, like bodyguard. Anything goes a little bit wrong I try to prevent it, to stop it. And that was little bit rough. From beginning, was little bit rough. But I was younger and I could handle it, I could handle anything.
I didn’t let to have fights. That’s the main thing. I didn’t let to have a fight. Always I was right in a place to stop anything. I never called police, never. My record is I never I call the police for help, never. Not 39 years, never. My friends they help me. I don’t know how long was ago, maybe 4,5 years ago, there was party or New Years Ever or something, you know, nice, all actors inside. But bar is open for the public, anyone can come. Big guy, very tall, he comes and I look at him like that. Big guy. And he start from the one girl to another girl, to bother the girls. And I am watching him like that. I said, this is no good. And one guy from the actors, he jump, he says, “what are you doing here, why you bother the people?” He says, “you’re out!” The guy, he says, “well try me.” And I stand between, and I says to my friend, I says, “just stay on the side.” I says, “you know what? You see how many people is here? You are big guy, but you are one. If they get you, they going to mop the floor with you.” You know how is a mop like that? “And after that I cannot help anything. I’m telling you, leave the place.” He was watching me like that. And I did what I had, like that. And then he left. The guy that jumped before me, he says “what did you tell him!” [Laughs] I said what I’m telling you, I told it to everyone. Everybody was laughing. I say come on guys, and I lock the door. Now, nobody come in. Someone we know we say I’m going to open if I know him, otherwise I don’t open. There’s some moments like that.
I know everybody in Hamtramck before I open it. ’71 I come to ’77 I was going around to bars and I never make any trouble, even if I see trouble I go out, it’s not for me. And when I opened that’s what I didn’t want, no trouble.
Yeah I was drinking, I was drinking. I was drinking, I was smoking, working behind the bar. But not drunk, like I says, you know, when I’m drinking I’m happy, make me on happy side and it make me on talking side. Not bad side talking, good side talking. Maybe that survived me. I don’t get angry, you know like some people they get a few shots they get angry at me. Not me, make me happy.
George: It’s very nice atmosphere, very friendly, we got Juke Box you know, you can play anything you want, we got pool table. And we have dart game, that’s good. It has a good reputation from police, fire department, city.
Interviewer: Before the actors started coming, who would come to the bar?
George: I started to work with more with European people. Bosniaks, at that time was Yugoslavian, you know all Yugoslavian, mixed people, Macedonians, Serbian-Croatians, Albanians, Bosnians all mixed I used to know. Almost for, you know 15 years, from beginning yes. And after that we change somehow the customer. You know inside the different atmosphere somebody doesn’t like, you know there you go. But to me that fit me, because I like— I’m not— I got no skill to be actor but I like acting to watch it.
My brothers they all help me, everyone you know. They come, they get behind the bar, I go somewhere, another brother comes behind the bar. We didn’t use any help, nothing, no. Long period, they give me hand a lot, I can’t complain for that.
Interviewer: And you know how to mix drinks and do everything?
George: Oh yes, we have a book over there and I have somebody mixing, I have a book, you know and I make it. Actually that time they didn’t go too much for a mix drink, mostly was beer and shots you know something like that. But no matter, if somebody comes want a mix, “how you make it,” you know, somebody tell you, they know and then you make it, and you learning, you know. You open the book and you will see it. As soon as I open the bar I quit to go in any bar. I was all the time from open to close, I open I close. And all day sometimes 12 hours, sometimes 16 hours. But never less than 12. Because we used to open 9 o’clock in the morning till 2:30. When you go home you say oh my gosh I come in morning and now it’s night time, what’s going on? Well actually my life is a night life, night life all my life. That’s when I was in the old country, when I was in Australia, mostly my life is a night life. No matter when I go home, when I was in the old country, if I go 5 o’clock in the morning home I’m 7 o’clock in a job. That’s me. No matter over there if I stayed from open to close next day I am opening again.
Interviewer: When you would open the bar at 9am, were people coming in that early in the morning?
George: Well yes, yeah, yeah. Like I says, a lot of Macedonians around. They coming, they working afternoon, they coming over they got one beer or two, you know, then they go to work.
I have a good pool shot. They used to come my friends from Windsor Canada, or west side you know, they played for me. And maybe I was shooting a game pool, if I say twenty games is nothing, probably around 40-50 a day, all the time. Yes, all the time shooting, Because I am behind the bar and I am shooting the game. You know? The day go fast. I’m not worried if I lose or I win, I’m just shooting the game. And I go to serve, you know, all the time, oh my gosh. The bar is not short, it is a long bar, you have to go the one side and serving the other side. You have to run all the way down.
I’m not very open person to talk all the time, but when I was drinking, I’m talking. I’m not troublemaker, I’m just, I wanted to talk. I’m drinking, I will be happy, you know. Always I control, not to be out of the mind or drunk drunk, no.
I was thinking what kind of name I’m going to give my place, what kind, what kind. In my mind, you know. And I think, well 7 Brothers is good, why not? It’s a good name, original name. Some of my brothers they says, “oh now you owe me some money.” I says “why.” “You using my part of name.” I says “ok. Ok,” I says, “I’ll make check, don’t worry. Just wait for that, you’ll get it.”
Bar business is a very hard business. First of all with the help. You know, you have to have good help. Secondly, if you don’t have help from the family, it’s very hard. Like me, you know. My brothers they was help me everything until I build up and after that I have to work with a different people, you know? You have to trust in the people. Everyday running it a wrong way you’re losing money, it’s very hard. Plus you have to deal with all kind of people. Now, when I said it because I work with these people here, I have no problem. You know even something wrong, you know, they clean up. But never be any problems, you know, never. And that’s what took me too long, otherwise I want to keep it. But now I was thinking, how long more I’m going to do? You know? I wanted to change my lifestyle too, to go out, to be free, to don’t think, oh I have to go over there what they doing, you know? I wanted to be free. Otherwise, many women they don’t like you when own a bar because always you going to be at the bar, you know, how is the bar you know, anybody coming and jealousy, this, that.
This people they good! They all artist, musician, artist and actors, they good people. They good people. And I think I treat them fair, nice, and they like. Always I was— sometimes you can make mistakes, something, you know? But always I was careful I don’t want to be insult anybody, this that, I wanted to treat them good and they liked it. I was always in a time open they want area to open, I open earlier. Two days ago it was people from Los Angeles they was shooting something. And we open early and that was good. They call me and said, “George would you open for us?” I says “anytime you want.” They says, “4, 4:30, 5 o’clock.” I say, “no problem it’s going to be open.” Lately we’re not open days. I couldn’t handle it, that’s so many hours.
Hamtramck is changeable all the time. One generation coming, they goes, and after that another generation come. To me, in my business, it’s a little bit different, because people who is coming now doesn’t go in the bars. You know, that’s different. When European people used to be here, everybody was going in bars. So many, but now how many left? Jean’s Bar close, I close, you know? Swing City close a long time ago. You know, same spot here so many bars they close. I don’t think so we got more than twenty bars now, depends on the people. That was question a long time ago, a long time ago, to bars to be open to 4 o’clock. I’m talking years and years. And they make it to 4 o’clock. And in the morning is not many people who goes to drink in the morning if you open 7, 8 o’clock in the morning. Not many people goes to drink. Mostly that time older people they drink, younger people they want to have a night life. That’s what we’re going now, sometimes till 11 o’clock we don’t have any people, they come in after 11. And that’s three, four hours. That’s three hours, 12, 1, 2. That’s it. You know time is changing. Time changing, people changing. It’s a little bit hard. But I decided to close, that’s it. Now I can’t change my mind.
Oh my gosh. When it was smoking at the bar, that was horrible. Horrible. Go see the doctor, you are smoking! I say no I am not smoking. Yeah but you are smoking. And it finally comes in my mind because I am in a smoking area.
You know what, if I have a somebody who wanted from the family, I won’t sell the place, because the place is good. But my brothers, they don’t want it, they all retired. My niece they don’t want it they all got education, they got the jobs. My nephews everybody got the jobs where they all like it. And that’s why I was pushing a little bit more, a little bit more. And, like I said, my closest friends is the theater people, and I am glad because they are going to take over. Still is going to be 7 Brothers over there, the sign, you know the pictures, the bar, behind the bar, is going to be over there. And I am very glad for that. I will be very welcome over there to go. And with respect, and they like me to be there! And I like to go there too. Because the theater is a very good and a good success. Improv on Mondays, they have full house, you know 70 people, it’s good. It’s too small what they got now. They bought the place, it’s very good. They fix it, it’s going to be nice. And next to the theater is a restaurant. And I think it’s a good idea. And I’ll be part of that, not in a business, I’ve got nothing to do with the business, nothing. I’m just free, no more obligation, no more anything, I don’t want to worry about bills, this, that. I’ll be out completely.
When I open a bar I was so happy, you know. Everything in a bar was in a space, clean, who takes over, I says, look it now, how is it clean now? When you finish job, you have to do it like that, otherwise, no chance. That was my goal to make people welcome and to get good name. It’s not only to make money, I wanted people to be happy, I wanted to be people when they come over there to be safe. And no matter who is behind the bar, always I is around, like bodyguard. Anything goes a little bit wrong I try to prevent it, to stop it. And that was little bit rough. From beginning, was little bit rough. But I was younger and I could handle it, I could handle anything.
I didn’t let to have fights. That’s the main thing. I didn’t let to have a fight. Always I was right in a place to stop anything. I never called police, never. My record is I never I call the police for help, never. Not 39 years, never. My friends they help me. I don’t know how long was ago, maybe 4,5 years ago, there was party or New Years Ever or something, you know, nice, all actors inside. But bar is open for the public, anyone can come. Big guy, very tall, he comes and I look at him like that. Big guy. And he start from the one girl to another girl, to bother the girls. And I am watching him like that. I said, this is no good. And one guy from the actors, he jump, he says, “what are you doing here, why you bother the people?” He says, “you’re out!” The guy, he says, “well try me.” And I stand between, and I says to my friend, I says, “just stay on the side.” I says, “you know what? You see how many people is here? You are big guy, but you are one. If they get you, they going to mop the floor with you.” You know how is a mop like that? “And after that I cannot help anything. I’m telling you, leave the place.” He was watching me like that. And I did what I had, like that. And then he left. The guy that jumped before me, he says “what did you tell him!” [Laughs] I said what I’m telling you, I told it to everyone. Everybody was laughing. I say come on guys, and I lock the door. Now, nobody come in. Someone we know we say I’m going to open if I know him, otherwise I don’t open. There’s some moments like that.
I know everybody in Hamtramck before I open it. ’71 I come to ’77 I was going around to bars and I never make any trouble, even if I see trouble I go out, it’s not for me. And when I opened that’s what I didn’t want, no trouble.
Yeah I was drinking, I was drinking. I was drinking, I was smoking, working behind the bar. But not drunk, like I says, you know, when I’m drinking I’m happy, make me on happy side and it make me on talking side. Not bad side talking, good side talking. Maybe that survived me. I don’t get angry, you know like some people they get a few shots they get angry at me. Not me, make me happy.