12/04/2020
Recent news- the statewide mask mandate is being challenged
Please support the state mandate. It HELPS; our staff should not be engaging in arguments around the efficacy of face-coverings. Pitting facts against blind faith is nearly always in vain; it’s as pointless as arguing over whether or not rabbits exist. It’s far more productive for our team to simply cite state guidelines; their focus should remain on 1- safety, 2- you, and 3- great coffee.
Remember? A decade or 2 ago, we saw the same issue with smokers in restaurants (and airplanes, shopping malls etc.). It’s anyone’s call to jeopardize their own health, but that ‘right’ abruptly ends when it harms others. The wave of compassionate public opinion reached majority at some point, and we saw FAR more patrons supporting the law and protecting each other, than the handful of folks sputtering on about their perceived ‘constitutional right’.
I get it; it’s an addiction. Been there, done that. But today? Light up in a restaurant - you’re equally likely to be confronted by a crowd of concerned customers, as you are by an employee. Good luck finishing that cig, cowboy.
We’re not there yet with masks, and it can’t be soon enough- but I’m optimistic that we’re all rapidly moving in that direction. We’ve of course met all government guidelines, as well as stricter recommendations from expert scientists & epidemiologists. And exceeded requirements- shuttered operations for 2 months. We’ve required staff AND customer face-coverings since the outset. Accept only credit/debit/gift cards in order to avoid cash-handling touch points. We haven’t hosted dine-in patrons since March. (And btw, we really, truly miss that part- which is one of the many reasons we want everyone to come out on the other side of this.)
So many of you have supported us in this. A few others? We’ve been yelled at. Called Nazis, fascists, assholes, snowflakes and so on. ‘Uh yes sir, so that was almond milk, extra dry with two shots of espresso, right?’ This is a COLLEGE KID, simply making ends meet to cover rent, food, books… and SHOWING UP. And yet, still- a small price to pay if it helps prevent Grandma from slowly suffocating on her own mucous. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but COVID’s killing loved ones.
As a biz owner, it’s my responsibility to keep staff and customers safe & comfortable, to avoid unnecessary (not to mention ‘explosive’) confrontation. We encourage our staff to simply shrug and say ‘sorry you’re upset, I just work here and it’s company policy’. They’re here serving the community at their own risk, doing their JOB (and doing it well); not passing judgment or making a proverbial statement. I don’t want, or expect them to attempt to educate those who refuse to learn.
I’ve seen an increasing number of my colleagues do the same; I have faith. Fewer and fewer customers are comfortable walking into a public establishment where customers and staff are lax about separation, face-coverings, improperly wearing masks as ‘chin-diapers’ etc. If compassion for humankind isn’t enough, it just makes good business sense to help maintain the population count.
We’ll all get there, one way or another. Far too slowly, with far too much effort and a STAGGERING number of deaths and casualties along the way. But I believe- as with public indoor smoking- that community outcry, intolerance of needless endangerment, and most of all compassion… will pick up where self-serving government leaves off. I hope (and perhaps naively believe) that this will only accelerate. Please; you too- keep the faith.
If you’re able to gently compel someone to keep others in their vicinity safe, more power to you- thank you. As consumers, our primary responsibility is not to invite conflict, confront angry ‘freedom fighters’; rather, our first line of defense is to avoid establishments that don’t have their shit together / don’t put public safety first. It’s hard as HELL for most small biz to remain viable in these times, so at a minimum- ostracizing the growing number of responsible customers, and killing the rest - well, it’s simply not good business practice.
DON’T PATRONIZE ESTABLISHMENTS THAT ARE NOT COMMITTED TO GUARDING YOUR SAFETY. For you, your neighbor, your mom, your children. And for me, for our staff, our livelihoods. Capitalism and demand will take care of the rest. Meantime, keep making noise, friends, a lot of it; think globally, act locally. Purple is super pretty, just not ON A MAP.
Our thousands of little ponds will connect to form an ocean. Thanks for supporting local. Thanks for everything. And for god’s sake, stay safe.
Much love,
-Michael .