A Few Minutes With...

Water Works Pub: A Community Partner

When Peter Agostinello joined the staff of Water Works Pub in November 2001, he had a vision to bring the establishment into the 21st Century. “I started as a Friday night bartender in 2001, and in 2002 the owner, Robert Savoca, promoted me to General Manager. My first goal was to update the venue, so we made a lot of changes to the infrastructure – we gutted the walls, opened up the floor plan, and transformed the space into a lighter and brighter pub atmosphere.” In addition to these changes, Agostinello transformed the upstairs dance floor, updating the sound and lighting systems, and adding state-of-the-art laser lights, giving the venue a more modern and metropolitan feel.

But the changes didn’t stop there. “I wanted Water Works Pub to have a real connection to the community, and to open up the doors – literally and figuratively – to a broader base of customers.” Agostinello’s first order of business was to address the venue’s parking lot. “There was debris. There were overhanging trees. It was dark and dangerous. We had customers who were being mugged and bashed in the lot, and cars had been stolen.” Agostinello worked with the media, local law enforcement, and the City of Albany to clean up the lot, install secure fencing and better lighting, and to educate clientele on being safe and vigilant. “Now it’s much safer, much brighter,” he said. “Working with the community made me want to do more, and so we started to work with organizations like the AIDS Council to raise awareness about issues that affect our clientele and the community as a whole.”

Conversations with the AIDS Council’s Assistant Director of Prevention Services, Randy Viele, led to on-site HIV testing at Water Works Pub, which was not an immediate success. Scott Levine, the venue’s Assistant Manager, recalled, “The AIDS Council’s Project HOPE team was in for testing from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and very few people actually came in for testing. We realized the demographic that needed testing was here much later, so we encouraged the Project HOPE team to consider coming in during the late night and early morning hours.” Project HOPE worked with Water Works Pub to institute testing during “Therapy Thursdays,” and the results were significant. “There was a huge increase in the number of people getting tested,” Levine said. “Our clientele now had a place to get tested where they felt relaxed and comfortable – you can slip away for half an hour, get tested, and be in a supportive atmosphere.” Levine also said that the testing area within the venue makes a big difference: “The testing room is very private, and clientele don’t have to walk through a big crowd to get tested, so there’s no feeling of having the spotlight on you.”

Project HOPE’s testing at Water Works Pub has become a staple at the venue, with clientele calling ahead to confirm that there will be testing available. “If the testing schedule changes, clientele want to be the first to know,” said Levine. “They like having this service available to them here, so we think it’s a win-win.”

Water Works Pub has also become a major sponsor of event in the community, including the AIDS Council’s Dining Out for Life®, its Inaugural Columbia County Garden Party, and its signature fundraising event, the Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Celebration; at this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau, Water Works Pub will be the Club Beaujolais sponsor. “When we sponsor an event,” said Agostinello, “we do it right. We do it respectfully and we make sure our clientele and the community is involved. We don’t do it for the recognition – we do it for the community.”

Commitment to the community has had an impact on the business. “We have a much broader clientele base thanks to our outreach and support for the community,” said Agostinello. “Even back in 2001, 2002, we were reaching out to new customers – gay or straight, we wanted everyone to feel that they could be comfortable at Water Works Pub. This was before Glee, before Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. I’m proud that we were ahead of the curve.” Both Agostinello and Levine joke that Water Works Pub is now “a big, gay Cheers, a place where everyone knows your name and you can feel safe, comfortable, and supported.”

“Water Works Pub is a conduit to the community,” said Agostinello. “It’s very much a give-and-take relationship, and what our clientele give to us we strive to give back to causes that are meaningful to them. This starts at the top with our owner and flows through our entire staff.” Levine said that Water Works Pub’s commitment to supporting the community also includes its staff and clientele. “If anyone is having turmoil in his or her life, we will reach out to help. We have fundraisers to support individuals in need, and our clientele support what we do.”

In the past 8 years, Water Works Pub’s community involvement has also helped grow its business. “We’re one of the busiest bars in the City of Albany,” said Agostinello, “both in terms of clientele and activities in the bar and in the community. Our vendors recognize us as one of the top venues in terms of purchasing, and we attribute this growth to our loyal clients and our support from the community.” But Water Works Pub is not resting on its laurels: “We have some surprises planned for this summer and fall,” said Agostinello, including an outdoor café space on Central Avenue. Water Works Pub has also created an expanded food service area, with menu items available all day and all night and an even bigger menu on the weekends. “We also have some exciting performers booked for the coming months,” said Levine, “so it’s going to be a busy time.”

For more information about Water Works Pub, please visit www.waterworkspub.com. For information about AIDS Council’s Project HOPE testing dates, log on to www.aidscouncil.org/prevention-services/testing.

Rodney Agan, AIFD, Founding Partner, Surroundings Floral Studio

Rodney is a long-time volunteer and supporter of the AIDS Council, lending his talents as a floral designer to the agency’s annual Benefit in Saratoga – he’s been involved with the event since day one – and the Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Celebration.

What is your role at Surroundings Floral Studio? I was one of the original partners when the business opened 17 years ago – although I’ve been in the flower business for 50 years. When the studio first opened, I was working twelve to fifteen hour days, seven days a week. I’m now semi-retired – only working three days a week.

What kind of business does Surroundings Floral Studio do? Surroundings Floral Studio specializes in floral arrangements for parties and weddings – big events, really. Up until this year, we have created the floral arrangements for Mary Lou Whitney’s summer Gala. In addition to countless high-end society weddings, we have designed floral arrangements for the Sagamore in Lake George, as well as enormous holiday parties for General Electric. One of our most memorable projects was being selected by the Society of Floral Designers to create the floral arrangements for George H. W. Bush’s inauguration.

What do you like best about your work? The floral business is exciting – every day is different and things change every single day. The best part of what I do is bringing joy to people through floral design for happy occasions, as well as bringing comfort to people during sad or trying times.

When did you first get involved with the AIDS Council? More than 20 years ago, I worked with a floral designer who was one of the first people in the Capital Region to contract HIV. The experience was traumatic – he passed away about a month after he was diagnosed. Between his diagnosis and his death, he faced fear and prejudice – including his coworkers who were afraid that they would contract the disease if they shared the same restroom with him. After his death, no funeral home would bury him. Fredericks Funeral Home finally stepped up and agreed to give him an open-casket wake – their leadership helped give dignity to a life that ended to early. After watching him go through this horrific experience, I wanted to help any way I could.

What would you say to a business that was considering getting involved with the AIDS Council? Make a point of going to the AIDS Council’s office in Albany. Meet the people who are on the front lines of the fight against HIV/AIDS. When you learn about the prevention outreach that the staff performs on a daily basis, you will be overwhelmed. When I was first involved, businesses would support the agency anonymously. Now, it’s great to see corporate logos on event invitations! It’s such a difference from 20, 25 years ago…

To learn more about Surroundings Floral Studio, visit their website at www.surroundingsfloral.com.