The light decorates the walls behind the bar Jordan Purkapile tends at John’s Alley Tavern. He moves quickly, but pauses briefly to engage patrons and receives compliments for his attentiveness.
David Betts | Blot
“He’s a real good bartender. He’s quick. He’s thorough and he’s a lot of fun,” said Tom Scott, co-owner of the Tavern.
Purkapile, 32, has responded to the nickname “Purk” for most of his life. He started bartending 11 years ago at a bar in his hometown of Pierre, South Dakota where learned to pour a drink from a left-handed bartender and still uses the left-handed pour.
Purkapile has been in situations that are inevitable for many experienced bartenders. He has been covered in vomit. He’s broken up fights and been swung at.
One time a patron of the bar fell off a stool and hit his head and started bleeding. The guitarist saw the blood and fainted off of the stage as Purkapile was on the phone requesting medical services. He has crowd surfed around the Tavern on a busy night encouraging others to do the same.
He started filling in at the Tavern eight years ago, when university students were on break and has since become well known at the Tavern.
Purkapile said he enjoys working as a bartender in a college town. The scene changes as students graduate and others turn 21.
“It’s a lot more fun and diverse in a college town,” Purkapile said.
While at the bar, Purkapile said he likes experimenting with new cocktails for patrons at the Tavern.
Purkapile first visited Moscow 10 years ago to spend time with his friend backpacking around The Seven Devils Mountains, rafting the North Fork Payette River and touring University of Idaho’s campus. He fell in love with the area and moved to Moscow shortly after his visit.
Purkapile started visiting the Tavern regularly when he moved to Moscow because of the live music. An idea embodied on a mural outside of the bar, said manager Jesse Stone.
Purkapile trained Stone as a bar-back and then became a bartender before he was offered the manager’s position at the Tavern. Stone said he has admired and tried to match Purkapile’s work ethic since meeting him. Purkapile’s presence contributes to the welcoming atmosphere of the Tavern.
“When you walk into a bar, you want to feel that you’re welcome and [Purkapile] always does that,” said Tammy Bennett, a patron of the Tavern.
Bennett has known Purkapile for eight years and she considers him her son.
Purkapile enjoys working full-time, co-running a department for Northwest River Supply. NRS is an employee-owned company based in Moscow that supplies water sports equipment and apparel worldwide.
He spends his free time white water rafting, canoeing and stand-up paddle boarding in the area, and bartends on the weekends. He doesn’t think he’d like bartending in a non-college town after his experiences bartending in Moscow.