Meet Ashley Ward, the Floor Manager at Mason Dixon Distillery. Above all, Ashley is responsible for keeping customers happy and the service running smoothly. She can be found behind the bar or out on the floor tending to customers. When she's not doing that, Ashley experiments with the distilleries spirits and comes up with ideas for future cocktails.
When Ashley Ward started working at Mason Dixon Distillery in early 2017, she had no idea what was in store for her. Having previous bartending jobs, Ashley figured this would be a job just like any other, but in the time she’s worked at the restaurant, she’s done more than she ever thought she would be doing.
At Mason Dixon Distillery, Ashley does just about everything. Officially she’s the floor manager, but she can usually be found behind the bar preparing drinks, or serving food to the customers.
“It’s very team oriented here, everyone does everything, and everything is everyone’s job for the most part,” she said.
Behind the bar, Ashley is responsible for making the high-quality drinks Mason Dixon Distillery is known for and making sure all syrups and juices are fresh. As server and floor manager, hospitality is the top priority on her mind.
“We have to make sure the customers are having a fun time and are well taken care of,” said Ashley.
In the times in between, Ashley will be experimenting with different spirits and mix-ins to create new drinks, especially when a new spirit is released.
Mason Dixon Distillery has become a popular Gettysburg hotspot since its opening.
“In the summer we get a lot of tourists who stop in. I find they come in waves, it’s all at once and then it’s done for a bit, then all at once again. We get a lot of people who come in because their hotels recommended them to us, so word of mouth brings in both the visitors and locals,” said Ashley.
Working in the Adams County tourism community, Ashley said her favorite part is being able to be an ambassador of the area and meet some “really awesome people” along the way.