While it seems like the Craic Irish Pub has been around forever, in reality it has only been a year since they first opened their doors starting this month. While many of us have passed through their doors more times than can be counted, many of us may not be as familiar with the people behind the magic. So, in an effort to better get to know this mainstay of the Xi’an scene, we sat down with the staff of the Craic to find out more about them.
Where are you from?
I’m originally from Johore, Malaysia. It’s not a very modern city, but it is right near Singapore. I left to travel by working in bars in different places.
What did you do before coming to Xi’an?
I’ve worked in bars in different countries for a long time. After some time in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, I spent 3 years working in bars in Shanghai. Then I took a vacation to Europe to see the bars there, and while in Germany, I volunteered one night to help at an Irish bar that was shorthanded. They offered me a job and I ended up working in Germany for 3 years, first in Bottingen, then in Frankfurt. But I always felt like I wanted to come back to China. After my work visa ended in Germany, I went back to China, to Chengdu, to work at the Shamrock Irish Pub. Then I was back in Shanghai, working for Lapis Thai. That company sent me to Xi’an when they were opening a franchise there, which would eventually break with the franchise and become Thai flavors. They offered me a job to stay and so I did.
What made you want to open the Craic?
I’ve worked in many Irish Pubs and I always wanted to open one. For me, Irish pubs represent a small community, close relationships between the staff and the customers, and are a great atmosphere to work and be in. When Thai Flavors closed due to COVID, that was the time to give it a try.
You host a lot of parties, what were some of your favorites?
My favorites were probably St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween and New Year’s Eve. That was exactly the kind of atmosphere I wanted when opening the Craic. Everyone together, celebrating, being happy. A whole community of people. I also enjoy the Jam Sessions, where people play music and sing. They are always great nights.
What are your plans for the next year?
We are looking at maybe opening another location, possibly in Chongqing or somewhere close. We would like to franchise out the brand. We personally will still be staying in Xi’an though. We love it here.
Where are you from?
I am a local here in Xi’an.
What did you do before?
I spent 7 years in Ireland, mostly studying hotel management, as that was something that my parents wanted me to study. After returning to Xi’an, I spent some time in the Gaoxin Shangri-la as Supervisor/assistant manager in the F&B department. Then I worked as a sales rep for Budweiser, which is how I met Irwan. Then I worked for a while as a manager at Lenbach in Gaoxin.
What made you want to open the Craic?
Irwan and I both love Irish pubs, him from his previous work experience and me from my time in Ireland. There were a lot of changes since COVID. Both of us were laid off, and while we were walking during that time we saw the empty building and thought that it had some potential as a bar. So, we decided to open the Craic.
You host a lot of parties, what were some of your favorites?
I’ve really enjoyed all of them. Seeing people being happy is the best feeling you can get in this industry. As far as which one was the most important to me, it would have to be St. Patrick’s Day. As an Irish pub, our first St. Patrick’s Day was going to be the benchmark for how well we were doing; how well we could do. It went better than we could have expected and we were very happy that day.
What are your plans for the next year?
I would like to keep improving the bar. We get lots of feedback from our customers, and we try to address all of them as quickly as we can. So, whatever feedback is welcome.
Where are you from?
I am from Xi’an.
What did you do before coming to Xi’an?
I was a nurse at a hospital in Daxingxinqu for 3 years. It was kind of a family business, as many of my family members worked in the same hospital. I wanted to save money for studying abroad, so I started to work part-time at Lapis Thai, which was not far from the hospital.
Why did you decide to come to work at the Craic?
While working part time at Lapis Thai, Irwan had talked about it opening an Irish Bar. I was not so sure initially, but eventually I came around. It was exciting to help open a bar and we really enjoyed working together.
You host a lot of parties, what were some of your favorites?
The opening party and the New Year’s Parties were very good. It was a lot of work and we were super busy. Almost flying, we were going so fast. But even though we worked and were on our feet for 12 hours we didn’t feel tired. It was less like work and more like having fun with friends.
What are your plans for the next year?
I plan to still be working here as long as Irwan doesn’t piss me off.