Naswa

[jrc]

Originally Posted by KonaChick

... What is it (besides the babes in kini's) that keeps people going back? ....

Isn't that enough? The Naswa is a nightclub/singles bar with sand. It's a place to see and be seen. It's not my speed, I'm old, fat and married but if you're young, trim and single, where else would you go?

It's in NH so they have to serve food, it doesn't have to be good food.

[KonaChick]

The several couples we know who love it there are all pretty much old and married ( I'm not going to comment on the girth size ). They always ask us to come along and we politely refuse...so it's not like it's all young people all the time. I still don't get it.

[Waterbaby]

Originally Posted by KonaChick

The several couples we know who love it there are all pretty much old and married ( I'm not going to comment on the girth size ). They always ask us to come along and we politely refuse...so it's not like it's all young people all the time. I still don't get it.

My husband and I love it there, have for going on years now, and so do some other "pretty much old and married" friends we have who frequent the place. Yup, drinks are expensive and yup, food isn't that great (though I like the buffalo chicken fingers, but a definite pass now on the burgers!). My take on it is where else can you dock your boat, walk barefooted and swimsuited up the dock for drinks, have the kid in the water and have a good time with friends? (Talking Lake Winni here.......) There are weekends we don't and won't go there anymore (Bike Weekend, Bikini Contest weekend, etc.) when it gets out of control, but with those exceptions it's our destination late afternoon. Guess it's one of those things, you love it or hate it! It's all a matter of personal preference, I guess!

[jetskier]

I agree that the atmosphere is very unique and the NASWA is a wonderful place to cool the jets during the summer. Ultimately, this all becomes a revenue issue for them. In the past, you would sit down and run up a bill of $200 on drinks and food. Now, you might run up a bill of $50. Personally, I won't order much/any food and stick to nonalchoholic drinks. So, even with my wife and daughter, the bill does not run what it did in the past.

I have been to the NASWA about four times this summer and my impression is that it is not as busy as in past years. I don't know whether this is due to lighter boat traffic or something else. If it were my business, I would improve the quality of the food, even if it meant charging a bit more. I suspect that the NASWA still makes money hand over fist.

Jetskier

[Airwaves]

SikSukr got it right, it's a great place to people watch.

We go there with a friend who lives on the lake, usually only stay an hour or so, to listen to whatever they are passing off as live entertainment and people watch. It is a unique place on the lake, I really can't think of another like it.

At OOB I used to go to the Krazy Klam for the same reason (they are gone this year but the Klam's owner tells me they'll be back next season)

Would I go there to bring my boss out to eat and impress him? No WAY, but it's got a nice little Honky Tonk atmosphere.

For the record, I don't know the owner of NASWA personally, but the folks I do know that know her personally say she is not a particularly nice person.

[mcdude]

NASWA Owner denies racism charge. See article in LACONIA CITIZEN (registration required)

[fatlazyless]

Many times raising the discrimination red flag is very similar to screamin 'whip lash' or 'oh my back, my back' after a tiny weenie automobile fender bender. Is it possible a disgruntled employee may yell discrimination? You bet it is!

Do business or personal liability policies cover for discrimination? Usually, they do not. Are lawyers expensive? Yes, they are.


Having run that NASWA business so well for so long, I think probably the management goes out of their way to be very very fair to all their employees.

[SAMIAM]

I think these guys have been watching too many Al Sharpton news clips.The folks at the Naswa don't have a racist bone in their bodies......they've been providing jobs for Jamaicans for years.
We also employ and house summer employees under the student/work program but,being from mostly European countries,they don't call you a racist if you have to correct them over some small detail.

[gravy boat]

Wholeheartedly agree with Fat and Sam!

While not a fan of the establishment, I'm guessing that the owners know what they're doing regarding equal opportunity.

[Waterbaby]

Originally Posted by SAMIAM

I think these guys have been watching too many Al Sharpton news clips.The folks at the Naswa don't have a racist bone in their bodies......they've been providing jobs for Jamaicans for years.
We also employ and house summer employees under the student/work program but,being from mostly European countries,they don't call you a racist if you have to correct them over some small detail.

For years, Cindy and Vicky employed many, many Irish gals here on some type of sponsorship program....... Not sure how many years they've employed Jamaicans, I think this is a relatively new program for them, but I know the Makris's have been very good at participating in giving opportunities to those "less fortunate" from other countries.

[Pepper]

For the past five years we have also employed a good number of foreign students - many of whom were also employed at the Naswa. They worked part time for us, and full-time for the Naswa, where they also resided. Over they years we've employed students from: Bulgaria, Russia, Romania, Turkmenistan, Poland, South Africa and The former Czech Republic. All of these employees have worked hard for us, several have returned for second or third summers, and all have earned a very special place in our hearts.

In late April of this year, four students arriving for work at the Naswa came to us well after closing one night. They'd just arrived in town and were really hungry! We fixed them some cold subs, and enjoyed chatting with them for about an hour. After they left we all remarked on what nice young folks they were! A few days later, they came in looking for second jobs. Having great experience with this relationship of working with the Naswa and their schedules, we readily agreed to hire all four students. Here's what happened ...

One never showed up for work.

One worked for two weeks and told us he had too much work and couldn't continue with us.

One lasted about a month before he started failing to show up for scheduled shifts - and as for a courtesy phone call? Forget it! We simply figured that by the time an hour into the shift had passed, he wasn't coming. After four such incidents I advised him that we no longer required his services.

Finally, about three weeks ago the last one simply vanished! Apparently she simply packed her bags and moved out of her housing without so much as a by-your-leave to anyone. Rumor has it she moved to some other state to look for work. No one knows for sure.

So, I started this season with four Jamaican students on my payroll. None of them are still employed with us. Does that make me a racist? Absolutely not. Could someone fabricate stories about why I no longer have any "persons of color" working in my restaurant? You betcha! Would that make it true? Not a chance. But ya just never know what people are capable of sometimes!

Fortunately, this behavior is NOT the norm for visiting students! Most are truly hard-working, enthusiastic young people who enrich the workplace with their various cultures, and who serve to remind their American counterparts just how lucky they are to be American!

Sadly, there will sometimes be exceptions to the rule.

We are deeply saddened to learn that our neighbor is experiencing such an issue, and especially during the busiest time of the season. Their former employee's statements are absolute HOGWASH, and that's the truth! We hope no further issues arise for them, and that they are successful in quickly moving beyond this nonsense.