Bar changes hours, offers third-shift workers place to relax

ly Joe's bar is now open during morning hours to offer third-shift workers a place to relax after punching the time clock when most are just arriving at work.\nWilly Joe's began opening at 7:30 a.m. Monday through Friday on Oct. 2 -- closing up before lunch at 11 a.m. At 5 p.m. the bar re-opens for its traditional evening hours. It's the only bar in Bloomington open during these hours, said owner Taine Watkins. \n"We're trying to create a comfortable atmosphere," she said, "if people want to come here and have a cup of coffee and watch the morning news and socialize with their co-workers."\nOnce referred to as "New Wimmin's Bar," Willy Joe's opened in May 2005 as a lesbian bar. But Watkins said she wants to spread the word that Willy Joe's is a diverse bar open to everyone. \nThat diversity now includes those who work the night shift.\nThird-shifters, like clean-up crew workers and hospital personnel, typically work during regular bar hours. Watkins said she wanted to accommodate those customers' need for a place to socialize after work. In past years, a few bars were open for third-shift workers but have since closed or changed their hours.\n"There are just no bars in town that do this anymore," Watkins said.\nLegal hours for dispensing alcohol are 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Sunday, according to the Indiana State Excise Police Web site.\nAs a former third-shift worker herself, Willy Joe's bar manager Dolly Levato said she understands the need for a third-shift bar in Bloomington.\n"I used to work third shift, and I'd get off work, and I'd want a beer," she said.\nBut despite the atmosphere, the bar's new hours aren't just for drinking.\n"You don't have to come here to drink beer," Watkins said. "It's a place for socializing and networking, not necessarily drinking all day."\nWilly Joe's sells microwavable and already prepared foods. Although it isn't currently selling breakfast foods, Watkins said it will if there's a demand for it.\nWatkins said she hopes the new hours, along with services like wireless Internet access, will attract IU students as well.\n"If students want something off the mainstream, I think this would be a nice place," she said. "We've got the patio. It's quiet -- it's a different atmosphere than a typical restaurant or cafe."\nSo far the new hours haven't drawn a huge crowd, but Watkins said it will take about a month for word to get around. She was already approached by one third-shifter who said she felt "out of the loop" because of the lack of places open before noon.\n"It's a good place to unwind before going home," Levato said. "It's a good place to sit down and have one part of your day stop and another part of your day start"