WORKING

Eva Scholtz

HE IS

Keeping everyone jolly.

“WHO’S MIKE?”

That is the first question asked of Lee O’Brien, the 26-year-old manager

of Mike’s Liquor and Deli.

The “Mike” in the name O’Brien’s 75-year-old grandfather, who owned and

operated Mike’s Liquor and Deli for over 20 years.

Mike O’Brien started his business in Temple City, and moved the location

to Huntington Beach 24 years ago. He is now retired, and lives in

Huntington Harbour.

O’Brien’s father Carl is now the owner.

O’Brien is the full-time manager, or “booze consultant extraordinaire,”

as he likes to call himself.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

At one time “Grandpa Mike’s” children, Carl, Les and Elizabeth, all

worked at the store at 4941 Warner Ave.

Today, Les, Elizabeth and their spouses, run “Sail-In Liquor” at Adams

Avenue and Huntington Street. O’Brien, who has worked at Mike’s Liquor

since he was a kid, and who has been known to work 122 days in a row, is

well known and well liked by his customers.

“I’ve gotten to know these people so well, and they’ve been coming here

so long, we’ve got the feel here of a general store somewhere out in the

Midwest,” said the Huntington Beach resident.

“I try to remember as many jokes as I can because I love to make people

smile. There’s always someone out there who has a frown on his face and

if you can make him smile once, he will smile each time he sees you.”

O’Brien said that even though the average time of a customer’s visit is

not more than 60 seconds, he wants them to be happy with their

experience.

SELLING SPIRITS

The store, which has just about every beer, wine and mixed drink

ingredient imaginable, also has plenty of food, household items and even

... Pokemon cards.

The store is strewn with the assorted milk crates, empty boxes that once

contained Yellowstone Pale Ale, and other sundries associated with a

liquor and deli.

There is also a jersey of O’Brien’s friend, Tony Gonzalez of the Kansas

City Chiefs, proudly hanging on the wall. “That’s one of my prized

possessions,” O’Brien said, beaming. “Second only to my two little

sisters,” he added with a smile.

Each time a customer comes into the store, O’Brien hops up to help and

say hello, even when there is an another clerk at the counter.

Whether he’s chatting about someone’s son’s football season or selling a

Lotto ticket, most of these folks, who are on a first name basis with

O’Brien, are truly happy to see him.

WELL-ROUNDED

In his spare time, O’Brien spends most of his time on the computer,

either buying or selling items on Ebay, or playing computer games.

A science fiction buff, O’Brien said his greatest extravagance was

“Waiting in line for nine days to see Star Wars Episode 1.”

O’Brien counts among his heroes “Grandpa, Dad and ... Chewbacca.”

O’Brien said he gets along well with nearby businesses and hopes that

someday there can be the same sort of community involvement that the

Fourth of July parade in Downtown Huntington Beach brings... Maybe a St.

Patrick’s Day Parade on Warner Avenue.

His plans for the future?

“I’m always on the lookout for new stores, and I’m ready to expand,” he

said.

The motto on the store’s T-shirts quotes Benjamin Franklin, and says it

all about their philosophy: “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us

to be happy.”