From chaos to comfort: Gaby Hope finds her rhythm behind the bar

At Mugshots Grill & Bar in Starkville, the chaos of game day is in full swing. As tickets pile up and the crowd presses in, Gaby Hope pours one pitcher of Miller Lite after another. She moves effortlessly, dodging elbows and maneuvering around tables with hands full of cocktails and food. Hours pass in a blur of clinking glasses and pregame cheers.

On days like this, Hope shines behind the bar.

“I like the crowd,” Hope said. “I like the busyness. You’re bringing in your money and you’re making the time go by faster while you’re doing it.”

Though Hope has only been bartending for a year and a half, she moves with the ease of someone who has been behind the bar much longer. Her hands move in a blur, pouring, shaking and measuring drinks to near-perfect precision without giving it a second thought.

“I come in here, and I could do this with my eyes closed,” Hope said.

Hope still remembers the first drink she made behind the bar: the Island Cooler.

“It’s still my favorite drink to make,” she says. “It’s really cute.”

Aside from making the drinks, Hope’s favorite part of the job is making connections.

“You get to know a lot of the people who come in,” she said. “I have a few tables that are regulars – I know what they get every time they come in.”

When those familiar faces walk in, Hope wastes no time. She starts pouring a pitcher of Coors Light and rings up a Katies Kickin Chicken with a house salad. It’s the unspoken rhythm of regulars and routine, the kind that makes this place feel like home.

With no end to the rush in sight, Gaby doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

“I plan on staying for a while,” she said. “It just feels like home at this point.”

Island Cooler

1 ¼ oz. Captain Morgan Rum

½ oz. peach schnapps

2 oz. pineapple juice

2 oz. orange juice

½ oz. grenadine

Step 1: Combine 1 ¼ oz. Captain Morgan Rum, ½ oz. peach schnapps, 2 oz. pineapple juice  and 2 oz. orange juice into a shaker and shake with ice.

Step 2: Strain into a pint glass filled with ice.

Step 3: Float ½ oz. grenadine.

Step 4: Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.

STORY BY CADENCE HARVEY

PHOTO BY RORY DOYLE