How Do Third Shifters Unwind in Shelby, Utica?

There is a small set of folks who like to have a good time that are oft overlooked. They are our third-shift folks--those who work overnight and punch out of work while most of us are clocking in.

There are a few watering holes in the Utica and Shelby area that still cater to this hearty crew, so we put ourselves in their work boots and gave "hangin' like a third shifter" a try.

Our first stop was . We have heard a lot of good things about Coachman's and the prices and atmosphere did not disappoint. We scored a breakfast sandwich of bacon, egg and cheese on lightly toasted bread for a mere 99 cents and a 22-ounce Coors Light for $2.25. Not a bad way to kick back after a long night's work, and easy on the pocket book, too.

The bartender schooled us about the joint and their early clientele. 

"We open at 7 a.m., and you just missed the rush. We do a lot of business between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., we pack the place," Sherry said. "We have a lot of folks from Beaumont, the plants around here ... it's a nice mix."

Coachman's serves a lot of beer during the early morning hours, and they are known for their iconic "Warm Beer and Lousy Food" sign outside.

Next we hit up where Keno was king. Everyone was playing it with a zeal, but were winning zero. A bit on the quiet side, Busters had some pretty good deals for those not willing to go home and sleep after their night shift. We scored an ice-cold Bud Light bottle for $1.75 and jumbo soft tacos for 99 cents each.

We also ran across this sweet deal: on Fridays the bar is doing a Daytime Customer Appreciation deal and folks are going to get half off their bills! We were starting to think that our graveyard imbibers had a good thing going with these crazy cheap specials.

Finally, we visited , the area's oldest operating bar. From 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. their domestic bottle beer and well drinks are only $2.25, and they run different food specials every day. "John" came in specifically to bring his luck up and he knew it was Rueben Tuesday. My friend had a Patty Melt and she said it was the best one she'd ever had. Complete with an order of shoestring fries, our gullets were gorged.

Hats off to those who keep Utica and Shelby running while we're asleep. Enjoy those specials—you've earned them.