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Bellying up with …
On Fridays, we’ll spotlight the men and women serving up cold ones and conversation in our neck of the woods. Let us know about your favorite bartender by emailing ltaylor@news-gazette.com.
People often joke about bartenders acting as therapists. For Sue Holmes, who serves up drinks at Bevo’s in Mt. Zion, that’s true to life — and she doesn’t mind.
“I enjoy hearing a lot of things, especially with the younger kids. They want some advice on life, and someone to listen,” Holmes said. “People feel like with bartenders, they can just open up for some reason. I like hearing people’s stories.”
She first did some bartending in college, and then picked it back up when Bevo’s opened in 2024 for fun.
Holmes works from home full-time, so she said that having a second job at the bar helps her get out and socialize.
Bevo’s seems to be the place to do it; she said she enjoys when folks come in to play live music, or when the place gets crowded for Illini football and basketball games.
“It is a great small-town neighborhood bar … Everybody that comes in there, from the age of 21 through 81, is always friendly and welcoming,” Holmes said.
Outside of work, Holmes said she enjoys hanging out with her two daughters and, soon, a new granddaughter.
