Culture Editor
Towards the end of my junior year, I was hired at the Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Company. I assumed the job would be a once, maybe twice a week commitment where I could earn a little spending money. However, the sense of community that has blossomed from this part time job has me trying to pick up as many shifts as I can. Teri Hope, the owner, has created an atmosphere that is inclusive, warm, and inviting. Not only are the espresso drinks and crepes amazing, but the customers as well. I have regulars that come in for conversations that last longer than the time it takes them to down their drink.
This sense of community does not cease past the doors to Coffee Roasting. Our two neighboring restaurants, Zona Rosa to the right and Centonove to the left, have become an essential part of my work routine as well. The main chef at Centonove comes in during every single one of my shifts, orders about five espresso drinks for his employees, and then takes orders from my coworkers and I. He brings us everything, from salmon and avocado caesar salads to mini desserts.
One of my favorite regular customers is an employee from Zona Rosa who orders a double iced espresso every time he comes in. Sometimes a triple if he needs it, I can usually tell by the lack of sarcasm that he usually brings in the shop.
It amazes me how well everyone gets along given our vastly different lives. For the first five months that I worked at Coffee Roasting, I was the only employee still in school. Recently, Teri hired a handful of college students and even a LGHS senior like myself. Working with people of varying ages with varying personalities has allowed me to gain experience in a real-life work environment. I could not be more grateful for the opportunity and community that working at the Roasting Company has provided me.
Categories: Culture, Local News