If this year’s Alma Mater Society executive team becomes the sixth in a row to preside over a dismal financial year for Alfie’s—the student-run bar in the JDUC basement—at least they’ll go down fighting.
New plush couches have taken the place of desks and chairs in the basement bar. Light shines blue through a wall of Bombay Gin bottles behind the bar. New paintings depict less than subtle references to Molson products—the company struck a deal with the AMS making Molson the only beer on tap at Alfie’s.
The $27,000 renovation is the latest decorative overhaul the bar has seen in the past few years. A $300,000 overhaul in 2001 did little to make the pub profitable, and in fact only served to compound the losses incurred by Alfie’s. But, AMS Vice President of operations Kelly Steele said student safety played a more important role than profitability when it came to deciding what should be done with Alfie’s.
“We wanted to push for a venue that can accommodate a lot of people,” Steele said, citing the bar’s capacity of 337 people, double that of the Queen’s Pub.
“It’s not about profit, it’s about giving students a space on campus where we have Queen’s First Aid, StuCons, security,” she said. “We have no control over what goes on in the Cocamo.”
Still, finance did play a role in the executive’s decision—had Alfie’s simply shut down for the year, they say, the bar would have still incurred a loss of about $150,000 in depreciation, rent and utilities, something the team says is unacceptable.
Even if the bar lost that much money, it would still be a $30,000 improvement over last year’s loss.
AMS President Tyler Turnbull said the salaries of two managers who were paid—even as the bar remained closed—compounded the $180,000 loss incurred last year.
In the same year, the QP lost more than $50,000.
With the renovated interior comes a new management scheme. Six managers and assistant managers, along with a staff of about 46, run both Alfie’s and the QP.
Steele and Turnbull said the managers worked long hours over the summer helping renovate Alfie’s.
“The management team did this,” Turnbull said, “They painted this place for six weeks.”
A few events have already been held in the revamped bar, and Steele and Turnbull both say has been positive.
The grand opening is set for Friday, September 17, and the bar is already booked for about two dozen events, including 11 corporate recruiting sessions and five frosh week events. Students can book events—and Student Constables—at Alfie’s for free.
The AMS makes money purely from food and beverage sales. The bar’s food menu is slim, but varied, made up of six items from the QP menu, ranging from Bavarian sausage to a healthy platter.
The executive team has set their criteria for success with the new Alfie’s: consistent event bookings throughout the year, an increase in students staying on campus, and a staff that’s as energized and enthusiastic at the end of the school year as they are now. Given the bar’s dismal financial record, profitability isn’t high on the goals list.
“We’re hoping for an improvement,” Turnbull said, “but we’re not expecting a $500,000 profit.”
If Alfie’s ends up losing as much, or more, money than last year, this year’s executive may well be criticised for following in the footsteps of past executive teams who continued to spend money on what many consider a financial black hole.
“We do understand the repercussions if this place fails,” Steele said. “But given what we’re trying to do here, it’s a risk we’re willing to take.”
Turnbull agreed.
“We’re hoping to switch the brutal aura surrounding Alfie’s,” he said.
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