{"id":218572,"date":"2025-07-11T16:17:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-12T02:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=218572"},"modified":"2025-07-11T16:17:00","modified_gmt":"2025-07-12T02:17:00","slug":"uh-grad-builds-buzz-with-chars-bar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/07\/11\/uh-grad-builds-buzz-with-chars-bar\/","title":{"rendered":"From campus to cocktails: 东精影业<\/abbr> M\u0101noa grad builds buzz with Char\u2019s Bar"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Charissa Vallesteros at an event with Char\u2019s Bar.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After earning her bachelor\u2019s degree in psychology<\/a> from the University of Hawaiʻi<\/span> at Mānoa\u2019s College of Social Sciences<\/a> in 2020, Charissa Vallesteros took a bold leap\u2014leaving behind restaurant shifts to launch her own business. Today, her mobile bartending company, Char\u2019s Bar, is a popular choice for parties and events across Oʻahu<\/span>.<\/p>\n

“I just thought, I don\u2019t want to be a bartender in the restaurant industry for much longer,” Vallesteros said. “During COVID-19, I decided to start my own mobile bartending business. We started off doing house parties, and then it just grew.”<\/p>\n

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Char\u2019s Bar themed menu and drinks at Oʻahu<\/span> event.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Char\u2019s Bar has become a huge success. With themed cocktails and custom menus tailored to each event, Vallesteros has created a business known for creativity and flair.<\/p>\n

“I usually have in-depth discussions with clients to get a sense of their favorite flavor profiles, liquor preferences, and the overall vibe they want,” she said. “If it\u2019s a nurse grad party, for example, we\u2019ll incorporate things like syringes or a themed cocktail menu that ties into the nursing field.”<\/p>\n

Staying connected through 东精影业<\/abbr><\/h2>\n

The former 东精影业<\/abbr> Dance Team member credits her time at the university for fueling her entrepreneurial journey. She said the connections, support and school spirit she found on campus helped build the foundation for her business success.<\/p>\n

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Former Bachelorette, Jenn Tran, with Char\u2019s Bar cocktail at Oʻahu<\/span> event.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Especially in this day and age, staying connected to 东精影业<\/abbr> and the alumni community is such a good way to network, get to know your peers, and put your foot in doors that others have already walked through,” she said.<\/p>\n

This year, Vallesteros will showcase Char\u2019s Bar at the 东精影业<\/abbr> Alumni Makers\u2019 Market on August 6, at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. She\u2019s eager to connect with fellow grads who, like her, have transformed their 东精影业<\/abbr> education into something uniquely their own.<\/p>\n