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35 years old
- General Manager at The Accord
- Wife, sister, daughter, friend
- Free time: read magazines, watch Roku (Chelsea Handler, Transparent), eat at Golden Harbor
- Signature drink: Old Fashioned
- What she drinks: Jameson, neat
- Hates when customers: “ask me ‘What are you?'”
Homma grew up in Highland Park, Illinois, and wanted to be an english professor when she grew up. She went to University of Wisconsin-Madison for college, majoring in Art History and French. She came to Champaign to be near to her father and 95 year old grandmother who lives in Villa Grove.
Formerly employed at bacaro, she is now the GM at The Accord. “I’m excited about this new adventure. Bacaro was a great way to get to know people. I feel lucky. I didn’t expect to build all of these great relationships here. I am excited for whats to come.”
1. New Yorker and New York Magazine: “I am a magazine addict. I used to have 20 subscriptions, but I’ve narrowed down to these because they are the favorites. I really like the content and the layout. The New York Magazine has best crossword puzzles. I try and do crossword puzzles every day. I haven’t read these yet.”
2. Keys: “Since I’ve inherited The Accord, my key life has become significantly more complicated. Five are for The Accord related buildings, one is my house key, and the last is my moms old house key. She has since moved! I also have a Weiskamp bottle opener and some membership cards. The only one I use is CVS. I like Walgreens better, but CVS is close to my house.”
3. iPhone 6: “My background is a photo of five Fornasetti plates. Fornasetti is an Italian artist. These were my uncles. I don’t display them. I just take them out and look at them once in a while. My last song played was from the Mos Def album Black on Both Sides via Spotify. I’ve been with AT&T since my first cellphone in 1999. The last photo I took is of my cat, Foof” [pictured below]
4. Composition Notebook: “It’s not a diary — I use it for notes. I’ve tried Evernote and other electronic note taking apps, but I just keep coming back to paper.”
5. Cosmetics: “This (larger jar with brown lid) is cuticle balm. My best freind and fellow bartender Tim made it. It is lemon grass scented. Our hands get wrecked from washing dishes and general wear and tear from opening bottles. Carmex reminds me of my mom who always used this brand. She also always ate Altoids and thats probably why I do, too; This [small blue container] is new lip balm Tim introduced me to. I like it but I keep going back to my Carmex.”
6. Sunglasses: “I buy them from Target. One pair about every six months. They always break on me. I wears sunglasses mostly when it is overcast. Sunshine doesn’t bother me at all.”
7. Folder of documents: “Work related items, we have a manager’s meeting today, notes for myself; I’m studying up on CUPHD event planning for future projects.”
8. Golden Harbor receipt: “I eat there four times a week — it revolves around tofu bok choi; egg tofu bok choi; hot and sour soup, soup dumpling. I’m not Chinese, but half Japanese. I would go with family to eat dim sum growing up in Highland Park. Golden Harbor is closest thing I’ve had to that type Chinatown/Chicago 18th Street. Sophie is the best — she’s sweet as pie.”
9. Copy of buzz Magazine: “I have it for the crossword puzzle — which is unfinished. I picked it up here [at The Accord].”
10. Wallet: “It’s Michael Kohrs, but that doesn’t matter. I got it at TJ Maxx. I like long pockets and the zip pocket. I wear a lot of black, so that may be because of the industry — but also like it.”
10. Fingerless gloves: “These are LL Bean,” she cut fingers off because she can’t use phone with fingered gloves. “No gloves fit hands quite right because I have small hands.”
11. Sharpies: “I love Sharpies — a good black sharpie can change life; I like to label things: cut fruit, juices, containers, take notes; I like the chiseled tip the best because I used to do calligraphy when I was a child. I did a couple of bar mitzvah invitations. I’m Jewish, but didn’t have a bar mitzvah — being Jewish is more cultural than religious.”
12. Crumber: “This is literally for sweeping crumbs off of table cloths, from my bacaro days.”
13. Wine key: “This is my favorite, I’ve had it for five years. It was a distributor gift.”
14. Red lighter: “It changes and varies, but I do like red. I’m assuming this is a borrowed lighter, I cant remember the last time bought a lighter.”
15. Rings: Wedding ring; married 3 years; “R” right, first initial, “it was $5, I never take it off,” She’s not big on jewelry, but likes this.
16. Paperclips: “I find them everywhere, bunching money — they’re handy in a pinch if I don’t have a hair tie.”
17. Hair ties: “I always have three or four on my wrist, I go through them like crazy. My hair is half short — I shaved my head once when I was 18, and I didn’t want to shave whole head again, but feels good to have it half shaved [in the back]. I go to Kane and Company, John cuts my hair.”
18. Earbuds: “These aren’t my ear buds, Sean left them in my purse.”
19. Gummy bear: “I went to see The Witch at Savoy 16.” Gummy candies are her favorite.
20. Prince: Her husband, Sean, planted this in her bag. “My favorite Prince songs are “Raspberry Beret” and “Kiss”.
21. Business cards for The Accord
22. Pads of paper
23. Cosmetic bag: Lens solution, tooth brush and paste, eye lash curler, mascera makes eyes look brighter, lip gloss matte finish never wears it if want to look fancier but never does so its not going to get used, hair clip good for 80s night situation, gives good volume, sometimes comes in wet
24. Loose cash: Change from Golden Harbor, quarters are helpful for the market, and she drives a white Ford Ranger, “I always wanted a truck.” She shares it with her husband, it comes in handy.
Smile Politely: What makes a bar awesome?
Rose Homma: Bartenders.
They set the tone. When the bartenders are great, that makes the bar great. I came here to The Accord with a focus on hiring a quality staff, and I think we’re doing a pretty good job of that right now.
Smile Politely: What makes a bar suck?
Homma: Bartenders.
Like I said, a bartender sets the whole mood of the bar. If they are sullen, disengaged, or noticably in a bad mood — then that really effects the experience. Subtleties in a person’s actions are very powerful and totally change the experience for the customer.
SP: Where do you go to drink?
Homma: The Accord, Quality, and Jupiter’s.
I like to get pepperoni pizza at Jup’s. I also like the sausage, green pepper, and black olive.
SP: What would make our nightlife scene stronger?
Homma: I have to copy Terry [Boyer] — there is a great sense of community in this town, but there is a disconnect sometimes between bars and bar staff. Of course, competition is natural, but it would be nicer for staff, customers, and the community if we could do things together, jointly. I wonder, though, how easy or difficult it would be — how much red tape there is to cut. A great example is how Cowboy Monkey and The Blind Pig Brewery collaborated this summer in the beer garden. I think summer will bring many more opportunity to work together.
SP: Fill in the blank: It is so annoying when costumers…
Homma: Ask me what I am.
I am a human being, a person. I wouldn’t be so upset if they asked about my ethnicity, but that still is pretty annoying.
About Sam Logan:
Sam Logan is the Smile Politely photo editor and head photographer. Find him (and his photos) on social media or by emailing him directly.
