Keeping Them Coming Back

Hey, its Josh from Calders Coffee writing my first blog on here. Since I understand we will be working on milk and latte art at the next jam, I thought I would take this moment to express a few things I have noticed over my six month course of being a Denver Barista.

Stephen, my cruel and unusual boss, and I have had many discussions on latte art and keeping customers coming back. It's crazy how handing off a good drink with art and handing off a drink without art will taste different to the average customer. Maybe they think it's made with extra "love" or maybe they just appreciate having a picture of a t-rex on top of their large half-caf-nonfat-zebra-mocha-latte-to-go. Either way, I realize that presentation is everything in this business.

Despite all of the previous, as a barista, it is hard to produce a beautiful piece of art on every drink that comes off the bar. I usually save my best work for the cute girl that I would much rather talk to than the 50 year old man who is holding up a conversation about how back in his day, coffee was coffee flavored and thats it. Although putting a heart atop a latte that the cute girl gets is pretty satisfying, I think we should all focus on every customer, even the ones we would rather see being strapped in the iron maiden (run for the hills).

Other things I notice at coffee houses around the Denver area is the lack of conversation between baristas and customers. I spend a good chunk of my week drinking coffee, not just with Stephen at Calders, but at other various places. It kind of shocks baristas when I decide not to sit down and plug in a laptop, but rather stand at the bar and talk to them. Why is this so surprising? I always welcome conversation at our bar at Calders, even when its the guy talking about coffee flavored coffee. Yes, I have had some bad conversations, but I can say that I know more than half of my customers and can at least describe what they do. So come on Denver baristas, we are supposed to be the laid back cool guys that sip down coffee all day, why wouldn't you want to talk to me? Maybe I resemble the Frankenstein monster? I don't know, but at least give me a 3 minute conversation. I talk with this crazy lady about her stand-up comedy routine that she is too afraid to tryout, and she drags on forever, but you know, I got used to her, and I don't mind her madness as much as I used to.

Thanks for listening Denver
Stay Caffinated