our principles
gratuity free
tipping is arcane and antiquated and has no place in a civilized society. Having been a worker surviving on tips for the majority of my working life, I know how much of a drag it is. It’s disheartening to have to put on a performance for customers in hopes of getting tipped well. Removing tipping from the equation allows for more authentic interactions on both sides of the transaction.
pay a living wage
for now I pay all of my workers $25/hr and give everyone a predictable and steady schedule. For white-collar workers this is a given, but for service industry workers this is a rarity. I want to provide everyone here some modicum of stability in their work lives and also take input from workers to create schedules and shifts
this space is for everyone
yes, at the end of the day this is technically my space and I alone am on the hook for everything, but I want everyone here, customers and workers, to feel comfortable taking charge of the space and using it to their own ends. I encourage everyone to treat this space as their own, to avail themselves of our amenities, to share resources, and to host their own events and gatherings.
provide everything i can for everyone
anyone can use our bathrooms, connect to our wifi, drink our water, employ our bike tools, and be in our space. For free. So many businesses in the city reserve these amenities “for paying customers only” and I find that to be total hogwash. I see my role as a business owner to steward a space and provide for my community, monied or not. Especially with bathrooms; this city is a total bathroom desert and since the city itself won’t provide for its citizens the business owners should be there to fill the gap.
pay what you want / can coffee
the prices on most of my menu are on the high end of average, this I know and is intentional. Paying a living wage and operating in an ethical manner isn’t cheap. But I also don’t want anyone turned away from the smallest of luxuries simply because they cannot afford it. For all of the foundational drinks – batch brew coffees and espressos – I offer a pwyw option.
People can pay whatever amount they want, including $0. This also allows people to pay more if they so choose, which both helps to offset the below-market-rate prices paid and helps support the foundation of the business. Many of my more monied and affluent customers recognise their financial privilege and do pay their fair share.
eliminate decision fatigue
this one is surely quaint in comparison to the rest of my principles, but it still warrants mention. Everything on the menu has a single, set size. There are assumed default settings of everything. All of this is to usefully narrow down choices and make life simpler for both barista and custie.