Thursday night comes around again, and there is no place to find Monte Bowman other than behind the bar telling a funny joke and serving another person one of their favorite drinks at Monte B’s bar. That’s what he does every Thursday night, serves drinks and talks and gets to know the huge crowd of college students that come cramming in to their favorite place in Ashland, Ohio.

Ashland students see Bowman not as a bartender but as a friend; someone students can talk to and will look out for them as much as he can.

“I would go to Monte B’s over any other bar in Ashland or any bars in surrounding areas, purely based on Monte himself being there,” said Jessica Mann, an Ashland student. “He wants us all to have a great time and is a college student at heart.”

Everyone knows Bowman as Ashland’s favorite bartender, but for many people, that is all they know about him.

He was born on May 9, 1943 in Chicago, Illinois but grew up here in Ashland, Ohio.

“Besides bartending at the bar I enjoy drag racing; I am really big into that,” says Bowman. He even has his own drag racing car with his name on it.

Bowman used to be at the bar all the time; especially every night on the weekends. This past school year however, he has only been at the bar on Thursday nights for college night. That is because about one year ago, Bowman was diagnosed with diabetes. He said he had never known he was diabetic, but he is continuing to get better each day.

Back to what Bowman is famously known for around here; bartending. He has been bartending for the past 40 years at many different bars all over the city.

One of the first places that Bowman has bartended at in Ashland is Lucy’s, which is now BW3’s. After leaving that bar he went to a bar called Players where he met a man by the name of Jeff Vermillion. Eventually the two turned Players into Monte B’s and became co-owners together.

Monte B’s started off a little slow when it first opened but once the students found out that the bar was right on the corner, business picked up quickly. Students were excited not only because it was close to campus, but also because everyone that worked there was so friendly. Almost instantly, it became the hottest spot in Ashland. This October will be the fourth successful year that Monte B’s has been open.

The bar is open daily and hosts two special events that occur every Wednesday and Thursday night. Wednesday nights, Monte B’s hosts Jazz Night, where the band Wingnuts performs some of Ashland’s finest jazz. Every Thursday night is College Night, when col- lege students can come to dance and start the weekend off a little early.

“Monte is the man because he provides us with fun- filled Thursday activities after a grueling college school week,” said Anthony Siciliano, AU student.

One thing that he really likes about bartending is to see the way things have changed over time. Accord- ing to Bowman, back in the day, you could never have the students and the townies in the same place because a fight would always occur. There would be guns and knives out every weekend, but that never happens now.

In fact Bowman can only recall one incident that happened last year between the students and local residents. Besides that there has been nothing out of the ordinary and Bowman really loves seeing local resi- dents and students getting along.

Over all, Bowman just really enjoys the students and having them come to the bar on the weekends. He thinks the students are great because they do not take advantage of him or the other workers.

“The bar survives because of the college and how great the students are,” said Bowman. “We treat them well, and they treat us well.”

Besides serving drinks and playing great music to dance to, Bowman and Vermillion are doing even more for the community this coming fall. In mid November Monte B’s will be sponsoring a Polar Bear Plunge for the Special Olympics right outside the bar.

Instead of using a body of water, they will be providing an above ground pool for everyone to pay money to jump in. This is a new event in the Ashland community this fall that Bowman and Vermillion are really excited about it and would love for the University to get involved with.

Whether it is helping out with the community, serving adults drinks, or having conversations and getting to know all of the students, Monte Bowman does it all. Not only does Bowman provide a place for the people of Ashland to go out to and have a good time, but he also listens to his customers and watches out for all of the students.

Bowman is more than just a bartender or friend to everyone in the community. He is more like a legend in Ashland, and many feel the town would not be the same without him.