Austin's Kicking off Guest Bartender Program

Have you ever been at a bar and thought, "I'd really like to try bartending?"

Now is your chance.

Austin's Saloon in Libertyville is giving local business owners and leaders the opportunity to try their hand at bartending—and raise money for charity at the same time.

The guest bartender program is set to kick off this fall, with people like Mayor Terry Weppler and former mayor Duane Laska already expressing interest, said Mark Khayat, owner of Austin's. 

Each Friday this fall, a guest bartender will be behind the bar, working alongside an experienced bartender, said Khayat. 

"They'll spend three hours behind the bar," said Khayat. "They can network, and from everything they ring up, we'll give 10 percent of it to their charity."

The first guest bartender event will take place in October, Khayat said. The name of each week's guest bartender will be shown on the restaurant's digital sign, website and weekly newsletter. 

Businesses or community leaders interested in participating in the program should contact Ryan McMahon at ryan@fuelroom.com or 847-549-1972.