Club Play Nightlife’sDeshawn Speight

AKA Quajuan or Mister

By Johnny Trlica

There are many benefits to giving back to the community. The act of contributing time, skills, or financial resources to support neighbors, community organizations, and people in need lowers stress, creates a social connection, and can actually increase your life span.

Bartender Quajuan or Mister

Knowing that, look for Deshawn Speight to be around for a long time. Nine years ago, he founded Speight’s Open Hands, a nonprofit with a focus on children and food insecurity.

“For Thanksgiving, we do a canned food drive raising food and non-perishables for the community. We use it to feed places like the women’s shelter in Montrose, the Covenant House, and families that we know or whoever can use a little helping hand,” says Speight.

The organization does a toy drive show every Christmas. “The show consists of a lot of Houston’s favorite entertainers, from Chevelle Brooks, Porsche Paris, Deyjazh Optimus Mirage, Alexyeus Paris, Tamika X, and a few other who give their time and tips to donate so that we can get gifts for kids around the Houston area,” added Speight.

The Montrose Star Bartender of the Month is Deshawn Speight (Quajuan or Mister).

Name: Deshawn Speight, also known as Quajuan or simply “Mister.”

Pronouns: He/Him

Hometown: Born and raised in Chesapeake.

Relationship status:
Happily in a relationship with my partner, Jermany, for the past year and a half.

A little later, while looking for a new opportunity, I got a call from my “mother” Chevelle letting me know that Club Play was looking for bartenders. That was two years ago, and I’ve been there ever since.
Club Play is the first and only bar I’ve bartended at, but to me, bars and restaurants are very similar—it’s all about taking care of people and creating a great experience.

Drink specialty?
Yes! My signature drink is called The Unicorn. However, I also get asked to make Lemon Drops all the time.

What do you enjoy most about bartending?
One of my favorite things about bartending is
seeing guests faces light up after tasting a drink they really enjoy. I love meeting new people and hearing their stories and experiences.

Do you get hit on a lot?
(Laughs) Yes, definitely—it comes with the job. I let people flirt, smile, and I stay friendly. Most of the time, you may never see that person again, and sometimes they don’t even remember meeting you the next time around. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with harmless flirting as long as it stays respectful.

What are your biggest pet peeves?
I have a few, but my biggest one is when the club is busy and people are yelling my name, but when I finally get to them, they still haven’t figured out what they want to order. Another pet peeve is when people stand directly in front of the register area.

Craziest thing I’ve seen from behind the bar?
One of the wildest things I’ve seen was a woman dancing on the dance floor who suddenly started taking off all her clothes—including her underwear. Definitely unforgettable!

What would I be if I weren’t a bartender?
I would probably go back into restaurant management or focus full-time on nonprofit work.

Something that might surprise people about me:
Many people are surprised to learn that I’ve owned and operated my nonprofit organization, Speight’s Open Hands, for the past nine years. I also co-own and operate a catering business called Mister’s Café with my better half.

What does Juneteenth mean to me?
To me, Juneteenth represents freedom, but it also serves as a reminder that freedom is never free. With everything happening in our country today, it reminds us that we still have a long way to go in the pursuit of true equality and freedom for everyone.

On Social media, find me at:
FB: Deshawn Speight; Instagram: @juan1349

What Superhero would I be?
I’d have to go with Professor X. If you know anything about the X-Men, then you probably already understand why.

Where can we catch you bartending?
You can find me behind the bar at Club Play every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and every first Friday. Come out and see everyone’s favorite “Throat Wetter!”

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