Sheldon Moore is a man of many hats.
Literally.
Not only can you nearly always catch him wearing one of his many signature hats while behind the bar at Zola, but he's doing much more than bartending on any given night.
Though he might appear in over his head while expertly making drinks for Zola customers, Moore is never too busy to cheer on the local musicians gracing the stage. He often dons the band or artists' merch from behind the bar and stops everything to clap and yell for the performances.
Between sets, he's a makeshift DJ, blasting local tunes and deep cuts of his favorite groups alike. And, of course, he's singing along to every word and shredding on air guitar.
Moore began working at Zola in 2018 after a friend told him about an opening on the bartending team. He's been an energetic staple of the lively music hub and restaurant ever since.
"When you come to Zola you're like family," Moore says. "Like 95% of the time, someone will walk through the door, and I know their name, what they're drinking, and I give 'em a handshake when they're walking in and out."
Other customers can often hear enthusiastic regulars shouting "Shelly!" when entering or exiting the bar — a sign that good drinks are flowing and vibes are sky-high.
After seven years at Zola, Moore says interacting with guests, whether regulars or first-timers, is the best part of his job. Whipping up new creations from scratch when someone doesn't know what to drink is another highlight of any night.
"I have so much fun doing my job," he says. "I have a blast back here and get to hang out with all of my friends every single night and jam to the best bands in town."
As if on cue, local soul singer Allen Stone strolls by Zola's front windows. Moore swings open the patio doors, gives him a bear hug, and both walk away beaming.
"And you never know who will stop by!" Moore says with a laugh. "You won't find that anywhere else in town but Zola."
Moore is so integral to Zola's well-oiled nightlife machine that he even has his own signature drink on the menu: The Shelly Limeade. It's a concoction of Luxardo cherry juice and limeade that Moore dreamed up when he stopped drinking a little over two years ago.
"I love a tart nonalcoholic drink," he says. "I like having the ability to have a nonalcoholic drink on the menu that's just as good as a boozy cocktail."
The Shelly Limeade may be tart, but life is sweet for Moore, who's welcoming a baby boy into the world with his girlfriend in just a few short months and couldn't be more thrilled to be recognized for honing his bartending abilities in the past few years.
"It's so nice to be recognized and seen by the community," he says. "Life is so good right now."
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