‘World’s Greatest Bartender’ cannot be ‘Lenored’

Lenore Sullivan, of Monroe, drove a school bus for her hometown, before applying for a job as a cocktail waitress at the old Holiday Inn on Lafayette Boulevard in Bridgeport decades ago. She was soon promoted to tend bar.

“I didn’t know anything about liquor, because I didn’t drink,” she recalled. “I don’t know if I made the right drinks, but nobody complained.”

Known for her heavy pour, Sullivan went on to embark on a 55-year-career as a bartender. She has worked at the former Bailey’s Bar & Grille, 477 Main St. in Monroe, before it became Señor Pancho’s — bartending in the building for 18 years.

Sullivan also tended bar at other town venues, including 707 on Main and Vazzy’s Osteria, before coming to Jennie’s Pizzeria, 380 Monroe Turnpike, four years ago.

“When she’s here, it’s standing room only at the bar,” said Regina DeSimone, whose family owns the restaurant.

DeSimone and Sullivan’s sister were neighbors growing up and used to take their children to the beach together.

“I’ve known Lenore for over 40 years,” DeSimone said. “She’s kind. She remembers everything about everybody. She doesn’t share people’s confidences. She calls people to check on them. She has everyone’s number in her phone.”

Her outgoing personality, hugs and chocolates earned her a loyal following of patrons. Last Thursday night, they organized a surprise party in the wine room of Jennie’s for Sullivan’s 83rd birthday.

Carolyn Scali, of Shelton, who first met Sullivan at a happy hour with her co-workers years ago, was among the organizers of the party. She also baked the cake.

“This idea came from her being amazing to everybody,” Scali said. “Her birthday comes and goes every year and the regulars say, ‘happy birthday’ to her. We wanted to celebrate her at a time that she wouldn’t expect. She’s just the nicest person no matter what bar you go to, everyone knows Lenore.”

“Lenore has a very heavy hand,” Scali said. “You’ll be talking and you say, ‘I’m done.’ Then you turn around and your wine glass is filled again! She does that to everybody. The next day, we always say, ‘we got Lenored again.'”

Black T-shirts with the phrase “I got Lenored” were worn by everyone at the surprise party. It features a smiley face that appears to be a little tipsy. Judeneick Florian designed it and Paul Lodice, of Shelton, printed the shirts.

The two men were among the 55 guests at Thursday’s party.

Lodice first met Sullivan when he stopped in for something to eat at 707 on Main restaurant around 20 years ago. “I talked to her. Then she went to Vazzy’s and here,” he recalled. “She doesn’t know your name, but she knows what everybody drinks.”

“I don’t get drunk. I get Lenored,” Lodice said with a chuckle.

“Nobody leaves without a hug and a kiss and two Dove chocolates,” Scali added.

The tables inside Jennie’s wine room were adorned with balloons and small bags of Dove chocolates were at each place setting.

“This is a ‘Cheers’ bar, where everybody comes in and knows everybody,” Alex Shook, a Monroe resident of 43-years, said, while referring to the popular 1980’s TV show. “It’s the most family-oriented restaurant you would ever see in your life.”

Of Sullivan, Shook said, “she’s a friend to everybody. She’s been doing this a longtime.”

“She’s great. She’s fantastic — the best,” said Al DeSimone, who owns Jennies with his brother, Richard. “We’ve known Lenore for 40 years. She’s good people, honest, hard working and people love her as you can see.”

‘Am I being tricked?’

Sullivan’s husband, Joe, and two sons, Mark and Keith attended the party. But the Sullivans’ daughter, Dawn, who was out-of-state, could not make it.

The Sullivans, who have lived in Monroe since the ’60s, have five grandchildren, one great grandchild and another on the way.

It was Keith’s job to make sure his mother got to the surprise. He told her he would pick her up and take her to a restaurant in Newtown to celebrate her birthday.

“Getting her here was tough,” Keith said. “She said, ‘I’ll drive myself.’ I had to lie. I told her I had something in the trunk. Then I told her we had to stop here, ‘because Regina wants to have a drink with you for your birthday.'”

“She said, what’s happening?'” Mark recalled. “I said, ‘I think we’re supposed to meet you tonight.'”

Mark pulled out his cellphone and showed a text from his mother that said, “Am I being tricked?”

“She doesn’t like surprises,” he said with a grin.

Marie Pires, of Bridgeport, who worked with Sullivan and was a customer of hers, walked by.

“I want to be like her when I grow up,” Pires said of Sullivan. “She never complains. She’s always happy. She’s an inspiration to everyone.”

Endrina Sullivan, Mark’s wife, marveled at her mother-in-law’s boundless energy.

“She’s truly an amazing human being,” she said. “She works a double shift here, comes home at midnight, then does all of her housework. Then in the morning she gets up and does her gardening and the laundry. She’s unbreakable — she’s almost not human!”

‘I almost cried’

A cloud of anticipation hung over the bar crowd at Jennie’s Pizzeria at 6 p.m., as some repeatedly urged everyone to quiet down. Keith and Lenore were walking from the parking lot, while on their way to the wine room entrance.

“Surprise” everyone called out as Sullivan’s eyes widened and she placed her left hand on her chest in shock. She turned away from the guests and covered her face. When she turned back around, she wore a beaming smile from ear-to-ear.

Lodice approached and gave her a hug amid cheers.

“You guys really got me,” Sullivan said.

Hugs, kisses and toasts ensued as revelers ate slices of pizza from the variety of pies Al DeSimone prepared, and shared stories and laughs for the rest of the night.

“It’s truly heartwarming to see so many friends and relatives,” Joe said of the crowd coming out for her his wife.

“In a way they’re like her extended family,” Mark said of his mother’s regular patrons. “It’s more than a business relationship.”

“They’re precious to her,” Endrina said.

“That’s her social outlet,” Mark said of bartending. “She says, ‘I love my job. I’m not whole without it.’ Even though she doesn’t like surprises and parties, she’ll never forget this one, because this is her family basically.”

“I think it’s fantastic,” Keith said of the party. “It’s awesome — the support, the people coming out. She knows everyone in Monroe.”

While making a toast, Lodice said, “this is unbelievable. There are other bartenders here, but there is only one who’s number one.”

“She’s the best bartender in the world,” Dolores Palmisano, a hostess at Jennie’s, said while kissing Sullivan on the cheek. “She’s the hostess with the mostess and everybody loves her.”

“I think it’s because I give them candy,” Sullivan said, deflecting the praise.

Of the surprise, she said, “I almost cried. It was really hard not to, because they’re so wonderful. It was just weird that my son wanted to drive. I knew something was up, but nothing like this. This is unbelievable.”

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