Raising prices...

I announced to my customers today that most drinks will be increased by $.25 as of Monday, February 7th.  When I bought Island Espresso (now The Oly Bean), the prices were so low to begin with. I didn't raise them when I first bought the business because I was afraid of doing too many changes at once. Some people don't like change, so I am trying to go in this with as much ease as possible. Money is such a sensative issue with people...even an amount as small as $.25.

I will also be offering a pre-paid card that includes a discount on coffee. Pre-pay for 9 drinks with a .$25 per drink discount, and receive the 10th drink free. This pre-paid card will allow customers who get the same drink everytime to still take advantage of the old pricing.

As always, we will continue to offer no charge for flavor or whip, and an extra shot of espresso is still only $.25.

Even with raising the drink prices by $.25, our prices will still be much cheaper than others. My husband and I went to a coffee shop in Hawks Prairie and our two drinks together came to almost $10! I couldn't believe it. With the new prices at The Oly Bean, an iced 16oz quad white chocolate and an iced double 12oz iced americano with extra ice and 1 inch of soy it would cost $5.75...Now if she charged my drink as a white chocolate mocha instead of an americano AND charged me extra for soy, it would still only be $8 at The Oly Bean.  I went to a coffee shop in Gig Harbor and I ordered an iced 12oz double white chocolate with soy...a $3.75 drink at The Oly Bean...and was charged a whopping $4.95!

One more example: A customer told me the other day he stopped by The Oly Bean after we had already closed so he went to another coffee shop around the corner. He ordered the same thing he always orders; a 16oz vanilla chai. His total at The Oly Bean is $3.50...but at this other place, it came to $5.85! Five dollars and eighty-five cents! Now, I know this stand DOES charge $.50 just to use debit/credit cards. So let's say they didn't have that charge...that still makes his drink $5.35. Over $5.00 for a very basic drink? What if he needs soy? $5.35+$.50 debit/credit charge+$.50 soy charge= $6.35...over $6.00 for a drink? That is an official O-M-G moment right there.

The things we see from behind the counter

Its amazing the things we see while working behind the counter at The Oly Bean.  We get to see all kinds of people Olympia has to offer us!  A few weeks ago, one of my employees, Heather, was working and a guy was trying to sell her a $25 Starbucks gift card.  Dude...do you not realize you are trying to sell a corporate coffee card to a barista working at a local coffee shop? haha, wait, it gets better...Next thing you know, Heather looks over and the guy is PEEING in the drive thru of Panera Bread...yup, peeing.

I can't tell you how many times I have come close to seeing a car accident happen right in front of the shop...actually I DID see a car accident happen today.  I've seen a lady trip and fall on her face, a fight break out, a car run out of gas 50 feet from the gas station and have to be pushed the rest of the way...

Oh the things we see!

8 years in the making...

My first barista job was at Kim's Espresso in Shelton when I was 16-17 years old...about 8 years ago, and I have been hooked on the job ever since.  I have estimated I have made between 100,000-125,000 cups of coffee in my little career as a barista.  Even I am amazed by it.

It's a tough day to be a barista

I am the owner of a small coffee shop, The Oly Bean. I love being a coffee shop owner....I love being a business owner!  It can be demanding at times, especially if all other areas of my life are a little crazy. In the past 4 1/2 months I have:

1. Moved from Redmond to my parent's house in Shelton.
2. Opened The Oly Bean.
3. Threw a birthday party for my son.
4. Celebrated my 2 year wedding anniversary.
5. Moved from my parent's house to our own house in Olympia, plus bought new furniture.
6. Celebrated the holidays...and everything that goes with it.
7. Multiple visits to the doctor...for multiple things!
8. Biopsies on my thyroid.
9. And today...I cannot move my neck. It hurts so bad! Moving the wrong way makes my upper back spasm and send shooting pain through my right shoulder blade and to the tip of my shoulder. And I have gallons of milk to lift, syrup to pour, coffee to tamp, a knock box to knock...

It's a tough day to be a barista.

Of course, my "flow" or "routine" is off, so my poor customers get to see me drop things, spill milk, and move slow.

I am heading to Baycenter Chiropractor to see what they can do for me. They are just across the parking ot from The Oly Bean, so we will see how they do. I have to close down the shop for about 30 min though :( ...but you know what? I need to be back in the groove of things! I need to be the best barista I can be for my customers! And if that means closing the shop for a half an hour, that's what I'm going to have to do!