Stella Cho’s dream came true. “I always strived to work at Wet Republic ever since I moved to Vegas,” says the South Korean native.
Cho is now working as a model bartender at the longest-running dayclub in the city, Wet Republic at MGM Grand.
“The staff at Wet Republic is a tight group of very experienced hospitality veterans—getting a job here is something that is usually earned,” she says. “Which I decided to do, when I started at Liquid (Wet’s sister dayclub) and worked my way up to working at Wet Republic.” When Cho moved to Las Vegas in 2016 to work at Liquid Pool Lounge at Aria, she brought with her more than a decade of bartending and management experience. Raised in Brooklyn, she began working in the New York City nightlife industry when she became of age and then went on to bartend in Pennsylvania while she attended Penn State.
This year marks Cho’s fifth season with Wet Republic. But she’s not guaranteed the position; she needs to reapply every year. So, just how does she pull it off? “My work ethic and reliability, and I have many years of experience behind the bar in various settings,” she says.
And there is a lot of pressure at Wet Republic; the dayclub continues to dominate the daytime partying scene in Las Vegas. “It is the longest-running in the city,” Cho says. “It has not lost its allure. We continue to book A-list talent—and we are one of the pioneers of EDM daylife in Las Vegas. And, still to this day, we are four to five rows deep at the bar.”
When she’s not behind the bar, Cho is traveling the world to places like Iceland and Belgium and exploring the Vegas food scene. “I’m a huge foodie,” she says. “If anyone needs restaurant or bar recommendations, send them my way!”
Libation: Pool Bunny
Wet Republic offers a sizable menu of cocktail options from frozen, blended and skinny cocktails to shots, pitcher-size and bottle service. But Cho suggests trying one of the most popular picks, the Pool Bunny. It’s a refreshing blend of Ketel One Botanical peach and orange blossom vodka, tropical Red Bull and light lemonade. While sipping and chilling poolside catch the following DJs performing this week: DJ Pauly D (July 10), Mike Attack (July 15), Deorro (July 16) and Steve Aoki (July 17).
Benefit: Check out Sundays for the new event, Paradise City. The dayclub transforms into awesome South Beach vibes.
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