Brenda Hamill at the Bears Den
Brenda Hamill is the manager of the Bears Den Restaurant located at the Coast Penticton Hotel.
She has worked there for 16 years — coming over from the Summerland Golf Club where she was a bartender — first as a waitress and then as GM for the past 13 years. A mother of three and grandmother of seven, she moved to Penticton 25 years ago.
Although born in Montreal, she doesn’t speak French.
Hamill spoke with Herald editor James Miller, Tuesday, about her job.
HERALD: What was your first job and what did it pay?
HAMILL: You’re dating me. It was McDonald’s and I was 14-years-old and don’t remember what it paid.
HERALD: Where did they come up with the name Bears Den?
HAMILL: Art and Inga Elholm, who owned the Travelodge at the time, came up with it and I have no idea from where. I think it had something to do with Sleepy Bear, who was the hotel’s mascot.
HERALD: What do you enjoy about your job?
HAMILL: The customers, I absolutely love them. We have so many regulars and they’ve always been so supportive of me and our staff. I also love working for the Agurs (family), they are great people to work for. My staff is great, Charlotte has been here for 12 years and Suzy for 11 years. I also enjoy the tourists, the hockey teams especially. Someone recently gave us a great review on Trip Advisor for how good we are with teams.
HERALD: Do you cook as well as waitress?
HAMILL: Definitely. When something needs to be done, if it’s help in the kitchen I will go on the line. HERALD: How about at home? HAMILL: No, my husband does the cooking.
HERALD: Who is the most famous person you ever served?
HAMILL: (NHL coach) Pat Quinn, and for four days in a row. He was in Penticton for the hockey school. The band, Romeo, also came in here. They were staying across the street at the Sandman.
HERALD: What’s your biggest seller on the menu?
HAMILL: The “low carb” (breakfast) and liver and onions, which is by far our biggest seller. In the morning when I drive in from Summerland I always stop at Blossoms Fruit Stand to buy fresh fruit for our waffles.
HERALD: What’s tougher — bartending or waitressing?
HAMILL: Waitressing for sure. Most of the customers are great but some can be hard to please, no matter how hard you try. With bartending, everybody’s happy because they’re drinking.
HERALD: What is your favourite pastime?
HAMILL: Fly-fishing, all catch and release and I use barbless hooks so the fish aren’t hurt. HERALD: Do you enjoy music? HAMILL: I love music. My entire family was musical. My sister had an all-girl band at Expo 67. I wasn’t in it, but when I was this high (she makes a hand gesture to indicate a short person) my parents said ‘become a go-go dancer’ and I’d dress up in these high, white boots like Nancy Sinatra. Musically I played saxophone and the organ.
HERALD: What’s your favourite band or singer of all-time?
HAMILL: Queen, definitely. I love everything they did. I never saw them in concert but wish I did. I saw Eric Church over here at the SOEC and he was phenomenal.