Deke Dunne moved to Washington DC in 2008 to pursue politics, working as a legislative aide while engaging in the vibrant local bar culture. He later shifted to a bartending career, recognizing the need for neutrality in a politically divided city. Despite the tradition of avoiding political discussions in bars, heightened tensions during Donald Trump's presidency strained bartenders' roles. Dunne notes that maintaining a welcoming atmosphere is crucial in his current position, reflecting on the increasing challenges faced in hospitality amidst partisan conflicts.
It's always been an accepted truth in DC that every four to eight years, you get a whole new swath of people in from a different political ideology and if you want to have a strong, viable business, you don't talk politics.
Today, Dunne is one of DC's most influential mixologists, having abandoned politics almost a decade ago for a hospitality career. Serving drinks in a city that is more ideologically divided than ever, Dunne says he exercises more diplomacy behind the bar now than he ever did working in politics.
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