The Pillar of the House

Who is the genius behind The Hobbit House?

A bar that has received international acclaim, which has been visited by famous artists like Ed Sheeran to our very own commander-in-chief, Noynoy Aquino, and has also been featured in several international news channels such as CNN and the like.

The Hobbit House is a bar located at 1212 Arquiza Trade Center M.H. Del Pilar St, Ermita, Manila. Former Ex-Peace Corps Volunteer Jim Turner found the bar, and gave an interesting concept by basing the bar on J.R.R Tolkien’s book, The Lord of The Rings which he read when he was a boy. He started the bar to help little people, but now the bar has become more.

The Hobbit House, one of the best bars in Manila, has quickly reached the top of the standings. The manager, Mary Ann Crisostomo, perhaps is the person mainly responsible for this, her leadership, strategy and wisdom may be the key to help other establishments succeed.

“Ability is what’s important, height doesn’t matter,” she proudly says. Some of the staff of The Hobbit House has been rejected by other establishments due to the fact that they are short; even though they possess the same credentials as others like a college degree, experience, etc.  Mary Ann gave them a place to work, for she believes that one’s ability to do things is the only thing that matters. Because of this, the staff of the bar also considers this their second home like her.

But, how did she rise to the heavy position which she is in now? Her story, like most, has a humble beginning. It began when she started working for The Hobbit House at the tender age of eighteen and was her very first job, now working for the bar for nearly thirty years now. “The bar represents more than just a place of work for me, but a second home,” she says. Her father and mother also worked at the bar making The Hobbit House very close to her heart. Her love and loyalty to the bar is well within her roots.

Mary Ann loves working at The Hobbit House. She states, “The ambience that the bar gives and talking with the staff and the customers is what I love most about the bar.” By engaging with the different customers who enter the bar, The Hobbit House has developed a homey and hospitable atmosphere which reflects a classic Filipino home, which is known to the entire world. Her caring and kind-hearted nature serves as a shining example to all the members of the bar to emulate the same type of caring and kind-hearted nature that Mary Ann has to everyone who enters The Hobbit House.

Mary Ann Crisostomo wishes to see The Hobbit House to grow and expand. The branch of the bar in Boracay is a testament to this. The branch of The Hobbit House in Boracay, which is based on the original one in Manila, is just one of the many branches that she dreams to rise. In the next ten years, she hopes to see more branches of the bar rise all across the Philippines.

With the success that The Hobbit House has earned, this dream is certainly possible. “The concept of the bar is what sets it apart from other bars in Manila,” she modestly says. Indeed the concept of The Hobbit House is distinct since no other bar in the world has this motif. It undeniably deserves its name on one of the tourist spots in the Philippines. Different celebrities and international figures have frolicked into The Hobbit House and they will surely continue to visit. The colourful design, unique concept and irreplaceable hospitality that the bar offers makes it one of the best establishments in the world.

With this in mind, The Hobbit House has excellent and even five star reviews. However, that is not the only case. The reviews and critiques that people have made across the web are inconclusive, their ratings range from horrible to excellent. Although most of the reviews have one similarity, all of them found the service and the overall atmosphere of the bar to be excellent, without a doubt, one of the factors is Mary Ann.

The world is brimming with different types of leaders, bosses, and managers. Some let their employees do the task needed to be done and not supervise at all. Others make their decisions alone and do not request the input of their subordinate. However, Mary Ann Crisostomo is not like every other leader, boss or manager in the world. She chooses to lead by example, showing the staff how to engage the patrons how to do the job well, instead of telling them how. Her devotion, compassion, and determination are definitely something other leaders, bosses, and managers should try to mirror. Because of her, The Hobbit House is full of little people with giant hearts.