On November 2nd, 2023, the Grand Strand School of Bartending had the honor of not only being a sponsor of the BBB: Big Blue Bash, but also showcasing our work to the community! It was a delight to connect with fellow businesses of the Grand Strand while doing what we do best- bartending! In addition to myself, our instructor Anna, and a recent graduate of the class, Caleb, were in attendance and represented the school well. We even had a signature virgin cocktail, the blue lagoon! The refreshing, electric blue drink helpd us showcase our skills while celebrating the Big Blue Bash. The Grand Strand School of Bartending is affiliated with the Better Business Bureau- just another reason to trust the integrity of what we have to offer. With the busy summer season just around the corner, give yourself the opporutnity to try a new career and check out our site to see when our next bartending and TIPS classes are being held and sign up today!

New legislation that has already passed the Senate is currently being considered by the House of Representatives and may bring alcohol server certification to South Carolina.  In an effort to reduce fatalities from DUIs Senator Luke Rankin has sponsored a bill that would require servers of alcohol to obtain certification and complete training programs for responsible service within 60 days of hire.

The Grand Strand School of Bartending proudly offers TIPS certification courses that educate students on the responsible service, sale and consumption of alcohol in efforts to decrease intoxication, underage drinking and drunk driving.  We are eager to partner with local business owners and establishments to ensure safety in our community.

For more information about the pending legislation, visit ​http://www.wmbfnews.com/story/38163149/bill-would-require-servers-to-undergo-alcohol-training  

Grand Strand School of Bartending had a great time at Coastal Carolina University’s Spring Career Fair this month!  We want to thank everyone who stopped by our booth and a big thank you to Coastal for this awesome opportunity to meet CCU students with a passion in bartending!  We were asked a lot of questions about how old you have to be to attend a bartending class at Grand Strand School of Bartending.  We would like to remind everyone that there is no age limit to attend one of our bartending courses.  With that being said, we would like to encourage anyone who has an interest in bartending to go ahead and enroll in one of our classes.  This will give you an advantage once you are employed at an establishment.  Also, we discuss the different laws and warning signs that a bartender should look out for in consumers which are key to being a successful bartender.  Completion of this course looks great to employers!  If you missed us at the career fair or would like additional information, be sure to check out our classes and registration tabs on our website for information about the courses we offer and available classes!  We are looking forward to our next career fair!

With 2015 coming to an end, we would like to thank everyone who helped The Grand Strand School of Bartending! We had an amazing year with many changes!  Our growth has helped us accomplish many marketing efforts including our ad in the Grand Strand Magazine.  The Grand Strand School of Bartending is also excited to announce that we will have ads running on digital billboards around the Grand Strand!  Please be sure to keep your eye out for one of our ads and let us know where you saw it! 

Elizabeth Craddock is our current 2014 Marketing intern. Originally from Upstate South Carolina, Elizabeth came to Myrtle Beach to attend Coastal Carolina University in 2010. She recently graduated with a BS degree in marketing. She loves the outdoors and spending time with her 7 year old Catahoula Leopard Dog named Diesel. Elizabeth is helping out with our marketing efforts. We are very pleased to have another Coastal Carolina Intern this summer and look forward to the new interns to come!

TIPS® (Training for Intervention ProcedureS) is a dynamic, skills-based training program designed to prevent intoxication, drunk driving and underage drinking by enhancing the fundamental "people skills" of servers, sellers and consumers of alcohol.  It is a recognized industry standard for competency and professionalism in bartending over and above the basics of serving and drink building.  Beyond that, it offers several benefits to the bartender and business owner that make TIPS Certification a worthwhile investment.  

TIPS training reduces the sale of alcohol to minors by teaching best practices for safe, responsible service.  It also prepares bartenders to recognize the signs of intoxication and teaches professional approaches for limiting consumption and diffusing potentially unsafe scenarios.  TIPS Certification is the "ace up your sleeve" that minimizes server liability and improves customer service (and, therefore, monetary tips) across the board.

TIPS Certification is also attractive to business owners for several reasons.  Costs related to property damage and penalties for alcohol violations are ameliorated by trained servers.  Insurance discounts are often provided to establishments that require TIPS training for bartenders.  Further, legal protection is afforded by TIPS Certification in the instance of third-party lawsuits.  Even more importantly, the community, as a whole, benefits from TIPS Certified servers with the consequent reduction in human tragedy caused by drunkenness and drunk driving.

If these points haven't convinced you that TIPS Certification is a valuable asset for the career bartender, consider the state regulation that all establishments in Myrtle Beach serving after 2 a.m. are required by law to have TIPS Certified bartenders.  All things considered, bartending without TIPS Certification is putting yourself at a disadvantage for employment success.  Certification classes at the Grand Strand School of Bartending will become available next month (March 2013).  We hope to see you soon!

The Grand Strand School of Bartending has so much to be thankful for with 2013 coming to a close.  This past year has been one of growth, networking and FUN!  We have been blessed in building relationships with local professionals in hospitality that have allowed us to not only give back to our community, but also offer premier externship opportunities to our students and build awareness about our school.  Just some of the highlights from 2013 include the summertime Salt Games, hosted by Native Sons, Oktoberfest at Market Common and the annual Chililympics benefit for the Surfrider Foundation (see below).  We are very thankful to everyone - staff, students and community partners - who have contributed to making 2013 such a successful year!

Looking ahead into 2014, we hope to be an even greater presence in the community, offering responsible service at events like the Myrtle Beach Marathon and St. Patrick's Day festivities.  Our first major event of the year will be the 2014 Member-to-Member Business Expo with the Chamber of Commerce.  Stop by our booth on January 23rd at the Convention Center and say "hello!"  Details for the Expo are here:  http://www.myrtlebeachareachamber.com/special_events/restaurant_business_expo.html

If you have not yet attended the Oktoberfest event at Market Common, have no fear: there's one day left!  Grand Strand School of Bartending has been a presence at this year's event to promote the school, and we've been having a fabulous time doing it.  There's been great music, seasonal beers and wonderful company (human and canine alike)!  

Interestingly enough, there was an unusual member of the crowd this afternoon (pictured left) that inspired us to share a drink recipe with which you might not be familiar.  The Praying Mantis cocktail is 1.5 oz. of Tequila, 2 tsp. Lime juice, and
1 tsp. Lemon juice shaken and strained into a highball glass filled with ice, topped with cola and served with a lime wedge garnish.  While it's a departure from the usual seasonal flavors, we hope you'll enjoy it all the same.

Oktoberfest continues Sunday, October 6th at 12:00pm and the weekend event comes to a close at 5:00pm.  We hope to spot some more curious characters before it's all over.  Stop by and see us!

What a blast!  Graduates of the Grand Strand School of Bartending represented our school at the 2013 Salt Games, hosted by Native Sons.  And it couldn't have been more fun!  Athletic competitions, lifeguards, live music, and cold beer made for a fantastic Sunday in downtown Myrtle Beach.  If you missed it, you can check out the photo gallery on our Facebook page.  Whether you caught it in person or not, we can't resist sharing one of our favorite activities from the event.  Check out our videos of The Salt Shaker below.

We're sending a special "Thank You" to Amanda Kinseth and WPDE News Channel 15 for visiting our school and featuring us on Good Morning Carolinas!