'Popular' students hired to promote local bar

Lee Jacobs has been spending more time at MarBar lately -- for free.

The College sophomore, along with three other Penn students, receives cash and other forms of compensation -- such as bar tabs and free meals -- to help MarBar increase its popularity in the Penn community.

Jacobs struck up a summer friendship with Marathon Grill and MarBar owner Cary Borish, who later offered him a job.

"They wanted to ... make it a little more accessible for students," said Jacobs, who hand-picked three of his friends to help him.

Jacobs said his diverse group of friends qualifies him for this position. Being from Philadelphia also helps, he said, since many students are from the area.

"You have to be likable and you have to be social," Jacobs said. You have to have to be "people that know the market, know the going-out scene at Penn."

The going-out scene at Penn has not necessarily adjusted well to MarBar, one of the newest late-night spots on campus.

"A lot of the people who came interpreted us as being ... not student-friendly," Borish said, adding that he wants students to be comfortable "dancing on the tables" at MarBar.

Jacobs said Borish also felt disconnected from the scene at Penn.

"Cary [Borish] has told me that he doesn't understand the mind of a college kid as well as he used to," Jacobs said, adding that the owner is rarely on campus.

So, in an effort to attract more students and keep them coming back, Borish turned to Jacobs and his friends -- College sophomore Jon Kurland, and College seniors Martin Lehr and Paul Massey.

As part of their job, the students promote the bar "on a very organic level," sending out e-mails and telling their friends about changes such as reduced cover charges, new drink specials and appetizers, as well as themed nights.

Jacobs and Massey are involved in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Kappa Sigma fraternities respectively, which they say broadens their social networks.

Lehr, also from Philadelphia, said that the four students are outgoing and responsible, important qualities because "you are in charge of getting people there but the goal is to get money from those people to make the bar successful ... and to not make it seem like you're using them."

Borish said that as far as he knows, Jacobs and Kurland, both underage, do not drink at the bar. While they attend on nights when the age requirement is 18, they focus on campus promotions.

Neither Borish nor the four students would comment further on compensation issues.

As of now, it is unclear whether the bar's efforts to attract more students will succeed.

"You don't feel at home there anymore," said Engineering and Wharton sophomore Hyder Mumtaz, adding that the staff is constantly changing. He added, however, that the themed nights and the new appetizers are good ideas.

College senior Spencer Schrage thinks the changes Borish is trying to combat have had a negative impact on the bar's atmosphere.

"I used to live there on weekend nights because I thought it was a more sophisticated, urban alternative to traditional fraternity parties and the other campus bars," said Schrage, highlighting the music and dancing.

Now, however, he said that the bar has lost its "vibrancy" and is not attracting the Penn community as much.

College sophomore Alex King has not even stepped into MarBar at all this year because of how unimpressed he was with the bar last year.

"I think MarBar really sells itself off as a high-class, trendy place, and it's just not," he said.

He added, however, that he would give the bar another chance after hearing about the new initiatives.

Other bars in the area do not feel the need to take similar measures.

Blarney Stone owner Kevin Kearney said he does not need to hire students to promote his bar because his employees, of which about 90 percent are Penn students, keep him up to date.

"Our specials are pretty much formed from what they want," Kearney said.

Smokey Joe's owner Paul Ryan also said promoters are unnecessary because of the number of students he employs at his bar.

Ryan said he can gather a decent understanding of his clientele's needs.

"I'm around them all the time, so I can figure out what they want," he said.

Nevertheless, Jacobs and Borish feel the promotions for MarBar have paid off.

"It's been really great the last few weeks," Jacobs said, adding that a number of people have approached him with praise for the revamped MarBar.

"In the long run, I think MarBar is going to be a viable competitor to Smokes' and Blarney's," he said.

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