Staff Spotlight: Jana Harbour
Bartender • Artist • Secret Homebody
If you’ve pulled up a stool at Alcove Social in the past year, there’s a good chance you’ve been greeted with a confident smile and a perfect Ranch Water from bartender Jana Harbour.
Jana first got into the service industry as a server at the Hotel Saint George in Marfa and gradually worked her way up to bartender. When a friend told her about a new spot opening in Alpine called Alcove Social, she sent in her résumé and started the next week. “I loved not having to drive to Marfa anymore,” she says.
By Spring of 2024, she had unofficially stepped in to support bar management. While Alcove still doesn’t have an official bar manager (yes, they’re looking!), the team has created a strong rhythm together, and Jana is a key part of that flow.
Despite the fast-paced nature of bartending, Jana considers herself a homebody. “People think bartenders are all about partying, but I really love sitting on the couch with my cats.” When she’s not behind the bar, you might find her creating acrylic paintings or handmade jewelry—her artwork is actually on display and for sale at the Alcove. “Whether you’re a cook or a bartender, you’re an artist,” she says. “There’s the presentation, the creativity. I’m thankful I have a place to put my art up.”
Her drink of choice— off the clock—is a Ranch Water. It’s simple, clean, and refreshing. Her least favorite? “An Old Fashioned,” she says with a laugh. “It’s such an art piece and people always want it customized—it’s a time-suck when we’re busy.”
Bartending, she explains, is a constant balance of multitasking, memorization, and people skills. “You have to manage priorities—who's next, who’s waiting, what they had, what they want—and still be social and engaging. Sometimes people just want to watch, so it feels like hosting a cooking show.”
She loves making espresso martinis and the signature Purple Sage Bloom. Her ideal customers? “The ones who know what they want. Don't ask me to recreate a mystery drink from a vacation you had five years ago when it's packed in here,” she laughs. “Good directions are the best.”
After a shift, she winds down by playing her own Spotify mix while she cleans, then grabbing a bite at Santana’s (“they have great rice”), and heading home to unwind with her cats and favorite shows.
One standout memory? “When a former bartender convinced Benjamin to let us paint the walls. We closed for three days, listened to music, painted, and even refinished some of the tables. It was fun to bond and be creative.”
If she could invent a cocktail, it’d be a decadent twist on a cosmopolitan, made with house-made raspberry syrup. It’s deep red and bold—just like its namesake. “I’d call it Texas Red, after the character in the Marty Robbins song.”
Her dream vacation? “A beach bar in the Caribbean.”
Her backup career? “Bank teller,” she says. “It’s actually a lot like bartending—you’ve got rushes and you’ve gotta multitask.”
And her final words of wisdom?
“Be nice—and tip the bartender.”
From Supporting Act to Center Stage: The Story of Alcove Social
A year ago, Alcove Social was little more than an afterthought. A cozy beverage bar tucked alongside the Granada Theatre, it operated primarily as a supplement to the theatre’s events. With one bartender covering the entire operation, seven nights a week, there was no food and no live music. It was just drinks and the occasional catered event. Trivia night was the only regular activity.
Fast forward to today, and the picture looks dramatically different.
This Spring, 2025, Alcove Social employs a team of 14: five bartenders, four cooks, and five servers, with more positions still waiting to be filled. What began as a small supporting role has grown into a vibrant, standalone destination in its own right.
The Moment Everything Changed
The shift in strategy wasn’t just a slow evolution, it had a defining moment. On December 29, 2024, in that week between Christmas and New Year’s, Alcove had no Granada events to rely on, no concerts or crowds to draw from. Yet the bar posted its fourth-highest sales day of the year. Four people were working, and the place was bustling without the help of a headlining act. That day became a clear signal: Alcove Social could thrive on its own.
“That’s the moment I realized the bar could itself be a standalone business,” said Benjamin Garcia, owner. “It changed how I thought about the future of Alcove Social. We no longer had to rely on the Granada’s event calendar to bring people in. We could build something more than what I had originally thought. That moment shaped our entire strategy for 2025.”
Growth by Design
The decision to expand didn’t happen by accident. Live music on Friday nights was added in May 2024. By September, the kitchen opened its doors, filling a long-overdue need. Before food was available, guests would often walk in, ask if they served food, and head right back out when the answer was no. The kitchen changed that story.
The menu itself has roots in collaboration. Alcove teamed up with James Smith, formerly of Chateau Wright Winery, adopting the menu from the food truck that once operated there, including popular items like the hummus plate with grapes. Some displaced food truck staffers came on board to help launch the kitchen at Alcove, but jumping from serving 7 plates a night at the winery to 40 plates a night at Alcove proved to be challenging, requiring a turnover in kitchen staff. (That number has since more than doubled as on busy nights, they now serve over 100 plates.)
Investing in People
From the beginning,Garcia wanted to build a team that sticks around. He wanted a place where good people stay because they’re treated well. That meant competitive pay and a zero-tolerance approach to drama and nonsense. The result? A strong crew with a great attitude, committed to offering guests not just good food and drinks, but an overall positive experience.
Guest expectations here are simple: a comfortable atmosphere, high-quality offerings, and consistency. Everything that comes out of the kitchen is good. The place is reliably open every day until 10 p.m., exactly when the sign says it will be.
The Cinderella Hours
One of the things that sets Alcove apart is the care the staff puts into the space itself. Cleanliness isn’t an afterthought, it’s a core value. The team runs what they call “Cinderella hours,” a rotating shift where staff members take turns doing deep cleaning and sprucing up the bar and restaurant. But here’s the twist: each staffer chooses their own task, tackling whatever they feel needs attention. There’s no checklist, no micromanagement; just autonomy and pride in ownership.
What’s Next
Growth brings new challenges, like managing alcohol inventory, which requires significant upfront investment (wine and beer are typically bought by the case, paid out of pocket before a single glass is poured). But it also opens the door for new opportunities.
In early February, Alcove introduced The Loft, adding another layer to the experience and expanding the ways the space can be used. As 2025 unfolds, the bar continues to lean into its new identity, not just as Granada's sidekick, but as a place that’s thriving all on its own.
That sense of independence doesn’t stop with the business itself. Garcia has also made it a priority to give back, regularly offering the Granada Theatre space, which is typically the bigger-ticket venue, to local nonprofits, community groups, and city organizations either free of charge or at a steep discount. It’s part of a bigger belief that the space should serve the town, not just the bottom line.
“It’s important to me that this place adds something good to the town, not just for the folks who come out to eat and drink, but for the people doing the work to make the community stronger,” Garcia said.
Behind the Scenes with Mr. 5-Star
When Christian Froman moved from southeast Colorado to Alpine this past January, he wasn’t planning on becoming a cook. But life had other ideas. With a young family to support and making a fresh start in a new town (chosen in part because his partner had family here and a village is better than not), Christian found himself stepping into the kitchen at The Alcove.
“I’m not a professional cook,” he says with a laugh, “but I’m a quick learner.” Thanks to a solid connection during his interview with owner Benjamin Garcia and the promise of competitive pay, he jumped in, learned the ropes, and now holds down the grill like a pro.
Though the menu is intentionally simple, Christian has a couple of favorites to make. “It’s a toss-up between the Diablo Burger and the loaded fries,” he says. The burger is fun to master; I’m “getting it down to a science”. And when it’s finished, “once the skewer goes in, it’s picture-worthy.” We eat with our eyes, after all. The fries? “They just look pretty.”
His personal favorite to eat from the Alcove menu? The flat-iron cheeseburger with bacon, avocado, and mozzarella.
Christian’s “secret ingredient,” whether at work or at home, is simple: love. And while there’s a friendly internal competition around earning five-star reviews, he focuses on standing out through customer connection. “I like talking to people, checking in about their experience, how long they waited, that kind of thing. I thought that would be a different thing for this place. It’s all about making a good experience.”
His favorite compliment? One customer declared: “Christian is an angel sent from heaven to make burgers.”
If he could cook for anyone living or dead, it’d be Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, preferably on a cheat day. “He likes pancakes. A lot. I’d make him a big ol’ pancake stack.”
When he’s off the clock, his comfort food of choice is tamales.
What keeps him happy at The Alcove? “The environment,” Christian says without hesitation. “There’s no drama, no bad vibes. It’s easygoing, and we’re all pretty close in that sense. It helps to be appreciative.”
His best kitchen hack? Patience. “When it gets hectic, just remember — people have to eat regardless. That helps me stay calm, cool, and collected.”
And if he ever opens his own spot? You’ll know it by the name: Burgers Are Flying.