06/24/2026
Some days are harder than others. Some days you wonder how much more you can take before you break and close up shop and go get a job as a greeter at Walmart.
Then you have days like today where it started with a new associate filling our space with delicious scents of her homemade stovetop Chai tea and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies while your volunteers and associates organize kindness project donations. Then a little fella you have watched grow up comes in for a hello and some catching up and he’s wearing his favorite hoodie which happens to be Barista Jake merch.
Then the day ends with walking back into the shop after a couple hour break to a room full of unfamiliar faces (and some returning) that have selected to join us on our little 10x10 community stage for our all ability open mic. Dallas Malone been hosting this free last Wednesday of the month event for 5 years now and as he just told all our new friends “It’s become a really beautiful thing”.
It’s all about perspective and while this line of work will not ever fill our pockets with gold, it’s fills our cups with purpose and hope.
