Head Bartender & Beverage Program Lead

About us

CoolVines is an independent wine and spirits retailer that has served New Jersey for 20 years, with two stores in Jersey City and one in Newark. Butler Cafe, our espresso, cold brew, matcha and tea bar, operates inside our Powerhouse store. Our sister business, Maxwell Alley, is a fine-dining restaurant and event space at 12 Coles Street.

We are converting Butler Cafe into Jersey City's first dedicated adult non-alcoholic (NA) beverage bar: spritzes, NA cocktails and seasonal, forest-inspired drinks built from the bottles on our shelves, alongside our coffee and tea program and a small bites menu prepped by the Maxwell Alley kitchen.

The role

We are hiring one person to build, launch and run the program, and to be its lead bartender, barista and server. This is a hands-on role, with most of the week spent behind the bar.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on bartender or barista who wants to own a concept from the ground up. He or she will shape the menu, train a small team, run events, and measure whether the program sells bottles off our shelves. This is an opportunity to grow into a manager role as the program grows.

Responsibilities

Build the program

• Finalize the drink menu from our draft: NA spritzes, NA cocktails, coffee and tea drinks, and seasonal forest-inspired drinks
• Develop and test recipes, batch specs and house syrups, working with the Maxwell Alley kitchen
• Cost every drink and recommend prices
• Source and evaluate NA products and local/regional suppliers
• Lead the rebranding of the café, including its name, logo, visual identity and voice, working with management and outside designers as needed
• Design and produce the menu board and printed menus, and keep them current as drinks and bites rotate
• Set up bar stations, glassware, tools and workflow in a compact footprint
• Recommend and lead implementation of changes to café fixture and equipment configuration
• Build menu items, modifiers and bundles in our Toast POS

Launch it

• Write recipe cards, prep guides and service standards
• Train cafe and store staff on drinks, bites and how to recommend NA bottles
• Plan and run launch events, tastings and seasonal moments such as Dry January
• Create signage and shelf tags that link each drink to the bottles it uses

Run it

• Manage ordering, inventory, par levels and waste for drinks and bites
• Coordinate bites deliveries and prep with Maxwell Alley
• Schedule cafe staff and run shifts, including the Thursday-to-Saturday aperitivo hour
• Track weekly results: drink sales, bites sales, NA bottle sales and the share of drink customers who buy a bottle
• Report results to management and recommend menu changes
• Keep the bar compliant with health department and food safety requirements

Behind the bar (most of the week)

• Make espresso, cold brew, matcha and tea drinks to a high standard
• Mix and serve NA cocktails, spritzes and flights
• Finish and serve bites using a convection oven, hot plate and sandwich press
• Guide guests through NA options and walk them to the shelf to buy what they liked
• Open and close the cafe, handle cash and keep the station clean

Qualifications

Required

• 3 or more years as a bartender or barista in a quality-focused cafe, bar or restaurant
• Strong espresso skills and solid cocktail technique
• At least 1 year leading a shift, training staff, or running a bar or cafe program
• Comfort with basic food service: reheating and finishing prepped food safely
• Working knowledge of drink costing, ordering and inventory
• Comfort with a POS system (Toast preferred) and with Excel or Google Sheets
• Warm, confident guest service and the ability to recommend and sell
• Availability for afternoon, evening and weekend shifts
• Food handler certification, or willingness to obtain it before starting

Preferred

• Experience with NA spirits, aperitifs and NA cocktails
• Experience building or launching a menu or bar program
• A strong eye for design, with experience in branding or menu design and tools such as Canva or Adobe
• Retail selling experience, especially wine, spirits or specialty food
• Experience planning and hosting events or tastings
• Interest in seasonal, local and foraged ingredients
• Social media and content skills

Schedule, reporting and pay

Location CoolVines Powerhouse, Jersey City, NJ

Status Full-time, about 40 hours per week

Schedule Mostly afternoons and evenings, including Thursday to Saturday aperitivo hours and weekends; some mornings during build and launch

Time split About 75% behind the bar; about 25% planning, branding, ordering, training and reporting

Reports to VP Retail Operations, CoolVines

Works with CoolVines store team; Maxwell Alley kitchen and events team

Pay $18 to $22 per hour, plus tips, with pay increases as the program hits its targets

Incentive Quarterly bonus tied to NA drink sales and NA bottle sales

Benefits Company health insurance plan with employer-paid supplement; 2 weeks PTO; 401(k); employee discounts

How to apply

Email your resume to [email protected] with the subject line "Head Bartender & Beverage Program Lead." Include a short note on a drink or bar program you built or improved, and one NA drink you would put on our menu.

Finalists will complete a paid working interview behind the bar, making a few espresso drinks and NA cocktails.

CoolVines is an equal opportunity employer.

Pay: $18.00 - $22.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Work Location: In person