“Any time I ask you to do the worm, you do the worm!” The Infamous Bartenders of Hogs – Gia’s Story

Gia’s Story!

So, you wanna know about my back story eh?

Well… I hail from rural Western New York, land of the chicken wings and Buffalo Bills, population of 7,500, the ONLY city in the United States to be located on an American Indian Reservation, governed by the Seneca Nation, a city called Salamanca.

I come from a very large Italian family, hence the name Gia Maria Arena (say that sh t 10 times fast and I might buy you a drink). My family has always been in the restaurant and bar industry, so there’s really no surprise that I would land a career in the industry, myself. I started my bartending career in the absolute diviest of all dive bars, hole in the wall, The Pyramid INN. A fella named David Siafakas asked why he should hire me. My response was, “Well my tits are small, but I’ve got a great ass and I have almost all of my teeth.” HIRED ON THE SPOT. I spent most of my shifts entertaining the karaoke crowd, singing and dancing on the bar, partying with everyone in the surrounding trailer parks. Shortly after, I moved onto The Clinton in Salamanca, bartending with a bit more responsibility and a lot more shenanigans. Dancing on that bar is much more difficult, with shorter ceilings and a ceiling fan to dodge, but its still do-able. Working the day shift into happy hour, keeping the party going every karaoke night, or ladies night, it was a blast. I had no idea at that time how working there would shape my career.     

I decided to pack everything up, and move to Las Vegas on a whim. I moved across the country to be a bartender. I had no connections in Vegas and little to no money, but what I’ve always had was the loving family and friends that still to this day, provide constant support. I knew without a doubt I was moving out west to make it, and that I fucking did. My previous employer David, is what we at Hogs like to call “traveling regular.” He visits Vegas to come party at Hogs and Heifers multiple times a year, in-fact, his hat hangs in our Flag Bar in honor, as he is an Assistant Fire Chief and Vietnam Veteran. Upon my “quest for the west,” Dave suggested I work at a biker bar called Hogs & Heifers. He said “That’s where you belong, G, that’s where all the crazy bitches belong.” He couldn’t be more right. That’s exactly where I belong.    

I fell in love with the atmosphere as soon as I walked in. My favorite tunes blasting on the jukebox, raunchy, silly, joking bartenders who got me drinkin’ QUICK. I remember our security guard Richard constantly checking in with me and making sure I felt safe, knowing I came in alone. I had a riot. Music from the 50s, 60s, 70s, & 80s, blasting loud, f ck yeah. I said to Ashlee D “I want to work here” and she said, “Well let’s see you dance!” without hesitation I flopped on the filthy bar floor and did “the worm” (my signature dance move). She said, “NO dumbass, dance on the bar!!!” So I danced to “Honky Tonk Women” by The Rolling Stones. Dancing on the bar to ‘The Stones’ was nothing new to me, as I’ve been known to dance on the bar at the Ellicottville Depot (A Rolling Stones Themed Bar) during “The Glimmer Twins” tribute band. It came natural. I got an application, filled it out, and waited to hear back. I didn’t hear back, so I came back auditioning again the next week, and the week after that, thinking “Christ, HIRE ME ALREADY!”

Filling out another application at the end of the bar, I started shooting the sh t about the music with this VERY tall, VERY big, intimidating biker looking dude, talking about concerts, bands, songs, telling him that I’ve tried and tried to get hired, and that I’m gonna come back next week and try again.. and before I knew it, he gave me a business card with his number on it. The card said “F CK AROUND AND FIND OUT.” AR, General Manager. He said he’d be in contact with me soon. Finally the he reached out and told me about the upcoming “cattle call” and not to miss it.    

I did my research and studied Hogs, names, dates, and became fascinated in the history of the bar. When it came down to meeting Michelle, I almost blew it. If you didn’t know, one of Michelle’s favorite band of all time is The Rolling Stones, and I knew, being a Shidoobee (Stones fanatic) myself, I’d nail this interview. Well, “Shake Yo Hips” came on, and she asked me “Who sings this?”.. and if you have heard the song, it starts out very similar to “La Grange” and without hesitation, I blurted “ZZTOP DUH!” her eyebrows raised and head shook as I heard Mick Jagger’s voice come on the speakers. “F CK” I thought, as the heat from embarrassment raised from my cowboy boots to my ears. (later on after my interview I immediately ran home to my vinyl collection, pulled out my Exile on Main Street Album, and took a picture to prove I wasn’t just some “new age poser” sporting a Keith Richard’s skull ring…    

“Ive gotta think of something to make up for this” I thought. During the cattle call, multiple girls got called back for private interviews. I wasn’t one of them. It started getting very late, like 2 am, and finally, Tiffany came to call me back. (Good thing too, because I wasn’t fucking leaving without a job this time!) During the interview, I asked if they “wanted to see something cool?” and flopped my body on the floor once again, and did the worm, (in hopes of being entertaining and random.)  It worked!! Tiffany and Michelle laughed, and I remember Michelle saying, “Any time I ask you to do the worm, you do the worm.” “YES MA’AM.” Sure enough, weeks into the job, Michelle comes out and tells me to get on the bar and do the worm, drops the music, and drops the jaws of security (since women aren’t allowed to kneel or sit on the bar) and the crowd goes nuts, as she introduces me as her new hire!    

Looking back, I’ll be honest when I say I was a little scared to join this absolute rowdy, wild, crazy, pack of misfits, but I couldn’t be any more proud to be a part of my Hogs Family. There are so many more shenanigans to be made, so make sure you get your ass down to 201 N. 3rd Street, Las Vegas, NV 89101 and party with me!!! 

The History of Hogs & Heifers Saloon

The idea for opening a bar and calling it Hogs & Heifers was conceived in, of all places, a bar. Allan Dell was a self-proclaimed functioning alcoholic and figured he spent enough time sitting at a bar and that he might as well make some money while he sat there. Allan’s two friends and drinking buddies were a Master Carpenter and a Graphic Design Artist and he talked them into helping him build a bar. They would all drink for free and get laid regularly and for three broke guys in their early to mid twenties, who could ask for anything more. Allan’s father agreed to finance his project if he could find an experienced bar owner to “father” him in the business. Enter Tom McNeil, legend in the Dive Bar business. McNeil owned the Village Idiot in Manhattan’s East Side, which was the Boys’ favorite watering hole, where they could sit for hours drinking ice cold Pabst Blue Ribbon for a $1.75 a can. Allan knew that he wanted to open a bar that had to do with motorcycles and women and the original logo did, in fact, include an illustration of a chopper. The Boys were trying to come up with a name, while sitting in the Village Idiot one afternoon…”Hogs & something”. On the wall above the bar was a sign for a Heifer Auction, and a heifer being a cow that has not yet been bred, is essentially a virgin cow. The name Hogs & Heifers was born. The fact that the bar ended up being in a real meat market was simply due to the affordable rent at the time, but it was a perfect match and had a great deal to do with the success of the business.

Hogs & Heifers Saloon was to be an all American classic country and southern rock-n-roll dive bar. Allan knew he wanted it to have the look and feel of a gin mill and that he wanted to hang “stuff” all over the walls. Other than that, there was little else that he had thought about. He had a lot of friends who liked to drink and planned on throwing a party for them every night. Allan may never have imagined that it would turn into the famous bar it is today, but it was absolutely his pride and joy and he considered it his greatest achievement and reveled in its quick success.

Having entered the picture prior to its opening, Michelle Dell was the first bartender to be hired. The routine performed and style of dress worn by the bartenders behind the bar, which has made Hogs & Heifers famous, was born from Michelle’s heart. Hogs & Heifers opened in November of 1992 during an unseasonably cold winter. There was literally no heat source of any kind in the bar and it was so cold you could often see your own breath. Both Allan and Michelle believed in the notion of less is more when it came to dressing behind the bar and it was always freezing; did we mention the bar had no heat? Finally, Allan bought these little space heaters that did next to nothing to provide heat and with Necessity being the Mother of all Invention, Michelle began dancing on the bar–in the empty bar–as a means to keep warm. She would throw a few dollars in the jukebox and just get up on the bar and dance. Little did she know it would become the trademark theme of Hogs & Heifers and lead to countless celebrities dancing on the bar and donating their bras. The Julia Roberts photo was seen around the world and her bra still hangs there today, albeit hidden beneath some 18,000 bras! Michelle’s famous routine has inspired a Major Motion Picture and a league of copy cat Bars.

Essentially, Allan and Michelle, and their friends, were just a bunch of kids with nothing to lose and they threw a party that they enjoyed. They were fortunate and blessed that so many others would love to come to their party and would do so repeatedly.  The  two were married in Reno, Nevada, on November 16th, 1993. Allan Dell passed away on June 7, 1997. Hogs & Heifers continues to be run by Michelle Dell who was the sole proprietor of the New York City location.  She now lives in Las Vegas, close to her favorite saloon!

CLICK HERE FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE ORIGINAL NEW YORK CITY LOCATION