I don’t really drink much but befriending a local bartender has made me much more social than I am on my own. I moved to this town without knowing anyone. My bartender friend grew up here and knows damn near everyone in town. I am now on friendly terms with a lot of people around town. I might not remember all of their names but a friendly face is a friendly face.

I find breaking the ice to be difficult but feel much less iced out with a friend who is warm with everyone.

I should add that I became a regular at his bar for the most antisocial reason to be honest. I worked second shift and lived alone at the time. I would stop by after work about an hour(sometimes less) before closing to get food if the kitchen was open. I went there for food more than drinks but food didn’t always work out. I did this on Mondays because I figured Monday was the least busy day a bar would have. At that hour it was usually pretty quiet. Over time we became friends because he’s a friendly guy.