Running a brewpub isn’t easy- it’s a lot of work, a lot of sweat and the occasional tears.

There are a lot of good, earnest people working behind the scenes, who put in a great deal of effort, round-the-clock, to ensure that everything you love about Toit stays that way.

And these people are none other than our never-tiring, ever-inspiring staff.

Our very own Toit Army- a battalion dedicated to the cause of good beer!

Meet the man who analyses data quality by day, and customer quality by night—say hello to our Bouncer, Leo Arvind.

When did you join?

I joined Toit in the year 2016, in the month of February.

It’s been 22 months since I have been with Toit.

And I had no previous experience of working as a Bouncer before joining here.

My friend was here, and he told me to come here. Initially I was working here through an agency, then after 12 months I quit that agency and took a break for about 5-6 months.

And then they called me back, and I came back in the month of September last year.

Why did you leave in between?

I had a project in my office, and I needed to travel to Chennai and Hyderabad for that. So I took a break for five months, and then I came back. 

When I joined back, we decided that I would work directly with Toit and not under any agency.

I come here only in the evening, to work as a bouncer.

What is your day job, then?

During the day I work as a Senior Quality Analyst.

How did you decide to do these two very different jobs?

I have some commitments that I need to overcome, so I decided to work in the evening as a bouncer. 

Initially yes, I had a tough time. But later I got through.

When I was looking for a part-time job to meet those commitments, nothing seemed to be working out for me. Most of the jobs, I had to be in front of the system.

Already I was sitting in front of a system the entire day with my other job.

If I had to sit in front of a system in the evening, I would have been too stressed.

So I thought I would do something more physically demanding. That’s why chose to take up the role of a Bouncer.

You’re saying being a Bouncer is less stressful than a desk job?

Compared to other pubs, Toit is much better!

What is the most memorable event/incident that has taken place?

I’ve been here for the last two years for New Year’s Eve is always memorable!

Recently, there was a lady who broke the front door.

She actually had a fight with another customer, and I had already taken him out. But she came out and kicked the door, and the entire glass collapsed.

Later on, one of the guests told me that they really appreciated the way in which I had handled the situation by taking that man out, but I couldn’t have predicted that this lady would come and kick the door out of frustration at him. It was very unexpected, and I’ll never forget it!

How many Bouncers are here?

I’m the only one!

Toit is a really crowded place, especially the weekend. How do you manage the situation, as the sole Bouncer? Are there any guidelines that you follow?

I don’t know how to answer that. Everything just falls in place for me.

Usually, I will be standing outside and I see all the people walking in. If I see any people that seem like they could be problematic, then I will have my radar on them.
I will go for rounds, at least thrice every hour, and just keep an eye on them, and check if everything else is fine. Mainly, I see if the girls are ok and no guy is bothering them.

Say, if two ladies are sitting and some unknown guy goes and talks to them, I will go and check with the ladies if they are comfortable with it.
If they are not, I will politely and discreetly tell the guy to let them be, because if he continues, I will have to ask him to leave.

It is a priority for us that women feel safe here.

How do people react when you say something like that to them?

I don’t embarrass them. I don’t raise my voice or anything. I tell them very politely and when you do that, they listen.

Is it a stressful job?

I don’t feel the stress.

I take control of the crowds, and make sure everyone is moving to where they need to be.

I don’t like seeing crowds of people gathered around women, making them uncomfortable, and along with the rest of the staff, I make sure everything is under control.

The staff members also help out a lot by keeping an eye out.

It can get stressful, yes. But I’m able to manage it. 

What do you do on your off day?

I am into fitness! I have always been into it.

I have to workout for a minimum of 45 minutes everyday, that is my routine. If I can’t make it to the gym for any reason, then I workout at home.

Basically, I used to be a football player. I represented Karnataka in the Under-16 team. From that time, fitness has always been a part of my life.

On Saturday, I am off during the day, so I use that time to finish all personal work and spend time with my wife. Then by 8pm I am at Toit.

Sunday is my proper off, it is a special request I took to have that day as my off, because then I go to church with my wife and family. I play football after, which is also the time when I get to meet all of my friends. And pretty much the rest of the evening I spend with my family.

Since you’ve been doing this for close to two years now, can you tell me the best thing about the experience?

I have a very good rapport with the customers here—because somehow I end up meeting the guests somewhere in Indiranagar or Domlur, and they talk to me as a friend. They don’t see me as a bouncer or a staff member. 

The experience has made me interact more with people. Earlier I didn’t have this skill, and I wouldn’t talk to people too much. For me, getting to know people and spending time with them is very difficult, and takes a lot of time.

After coming to Toit, I’ve started interacting a lot with the customers and the staff. Right from the valet people, to the rest of the staff—I make sure I build a rapport with them.

And if there are any guests who are known to me, then I make sure I go and talk to them.

During the day I do a job where my mind is working, and here, I have to do more physical work. So there is a good balance in my day.

Is this something you look forward to doing for some more time?

Yes, maybe a couple of more years. Depends on if I can fulfil my commitments. If those get extended, then I will have to extend my role as a Bouncer also.

But I am enjoying it! Because I feel no stress, I am surrounded by good people, and I get to learn so much about different people everyday. It is great to learn from their experiences.