Good news! Mother Nature has blessed the Sierra with early snow, filling our heads with dreams of Thanksgiving on the slopes.
The not-so-good news: “Over the river and through the woods” is looking more like “Out of your bed and onto the couch”. Even Friendsgiving, the consolation prize for those of us with distant (geographically or otherwise) family, seems destined to meet a Zoomy fate.
Even as we face the strangest Thanksgiving of our lives, the Coffeebar family has a lot to be thankful for. Our company has weathered an economic cataclysm, something we weren’t sure would even happen after the shutdowns this spring. To our surprise, we’ve emerged reinvigorated, stronger, and more certain than ever about what’s truly important: Kindness. Belonging. Connection. Excellence. All of which happen to be ingredients in our secret sauce (or syrup, if you will).
We’re filled with gratitude for our amazing team, the people who’ve dedicated themselves to creating a little oasis of delight in your tough day, or a jump start when your energy is sagging. Our baristas, bakers, chefs, roasters and behind-the-scenes folks are all grappling with the same challenges as the rest of the world, but as hospitalians, we show up every day...to make other people happy. (True confessions: it makes us happy, too.)
If the secret highlight of your morning is a work of art in your microfoam, we’re going to make sure that latte is a masterpiece. And we will leave no scone unturned in our quest to deliver a moment of transporting deliciousness.
Whatever is going on in our wild world, it’s no excuse for anything less than the highest standards. There is no “Coffeebar Lite”. Our team has kept the bar high, and done it with the spirit of sprezzatura, the Italian word for the ability to make something difficult look easy, and one of our hospitality touchstones. (“Effortlessness” is usually the result of lots of hard work.)
We’re also grateful for our suppliers--or rather, the people that supply us with everything we need to make the magic happen in our stores. We’re thankful for the farmers in Thailand, Guatemala and Ethiopia who grow our coffee beans and the importers who’ve built long-term relationships with us. And we’re thankful to the local folks who show up daily to make the deliveries. We don’t think of this as our “supply chain” but as our extended family.
And finally, we are all grateful for you, our guests, and this community. At the heart of Coffeebar is the belief that community is the family you choose. And you’ve chosen us, over and over, during this crazy year.
Thank you for making us part of your life, and keeping us close. You will never have to sit at the Kid’s Table here.
The hospitalians of Coffeebar are ready to help you embrace whatever the holiday weekend brings. We’d love to brighten the mood with your favorite drink. Get you fueled up for your first freeride of the year, and warm you up after. Or just see your smiling face. (Even your “I’m totally bummed about missing Mom’s stuffing” face.)
Though a lot may be missing from your day compared to Thanksgivings past, you can definitely count on us to bring the beans. Cheers!
By Peggy Wynne Borgman
