Behind the Bar: Charlie MacCrone

Behind the Bartender:  Charlie MacCrone by Emily Booth

This week, RMU would like to take a minute and highlight one of our most decorated bartenders, Charlie MacCrone.  Odds are, if you live in Breckenridge, you’ve had the pleasure of letting Charlie pour you his latest and favorite cocktail.  It’s probably been accompanied by a loud, but hospitable ‘hello,’ and a ‘decent’ joke or two. Whether he’s sporting leather pants on the 4th of July, or his go-to, vintage Budweiser sweater, he can’t be missed.

And if his boisterous personality isn’t enough to lure you in for one or two drinks, perhaps his stories are. Hailing from the panhandle region of Florida, Charlie’s first experience with adventure was via skydiving. Given that his grandfather is an inductee in the hall of fame and has logged over 3,000 jumps, it’s no surprise Charlie toyed with the sport as a kid. “And, yes,” laughs Charlie, “There is a Skydiving Hall of Fame.”

He may not have known it at the time, but skydiving would be the beginning of a theme in Charlie’s life. After high school, he joined the Air Force, which allowed him to see a world beyond the Gulf Coast. A service stint in South Korea, in particular, got the wheels turning, and it wasn’t long before he started thinking about what would come after his time in the military. He ended up in central Florida for a short time before finally making the decision to get back to great heights. This time though, the mountains would be the source of adventure.

Charlie has been in Summit County for four years now and we are happy he has found a home here at RMU. The avid snowboarder even tells us he may throw a pair of skis on this winter and see what the fuss is all about.  As glad as we are to hear about the impact we’ve had on Charlie, we’re even more stoked to hear him say he’s the happiest he’s ever been. “I’m learning a ton about craft cocktailing and I get to laugh with people all day long,” he says with a smile. “And the thing is — there’s a sense of genuine appreciation for my efforts here. And that’s so refreshing.”  Well, we’re kind of into you too, Charlie.