Workplace 23 - The Barista and the Boss

Back to peddling that glorious accepted Western addiction that is coffee. In 2007 I started studying again and got one of the traditional student jobs to help fill the time around classes. Making coffee and microwaving food at the Gloria Jeans near where I lived. This place had only recently opened and my cousin Rachel got a job there as well which made shifts a lot more fun. It gave me someone to bitch about the owner to for one thing.

Let’s start by saying that the owner was a lovely lady who took on a massive task that she was completely unequipped for, and my cousin and I no doubt made her job not as easy as it might have been with our sass, previous experience, and opinions. Right, so with that out of the way - prior to opening the store, the owner had been a mother, and many years prior to that she had been a dental technician. It would be incredibly hypocritical of me to say that a person can’t change careers, particularly given the nature of this blog, but I feel strongly that a person should work in an industry before being a boss in that industry.

So for those of you who have every worked for a boss that has not got a complete grip on what they’re doing but are determined not to take advice, you may know what working at this place was like. That said, I think I lasted somewhere between 6 and 9 months at the Gloria. The other staff were fantastic and it was a fun place to work when it all went smoothly. As always, I recommend hospitality for anyone looking to have fun but work hard. 

We did used to get a few junkies that came in every so often when they ran out of their favourite substance of choice. They'd order giant triple shot coffees then empty half our sugar sachets into it until it was more of a syrup consistency. Any port in a storm I guess. I also got to know the regulars, by beverage not name, became a pro at cleaning the coffee machine due to the OCD nature of the boss (not a bad thing in hospitality) and was treated to the soap like drama of the happenings of staff in a small shopping complex. So it was pretty good.

However eventually, as happens, the boss and I reached a mutual agreement that we couldn’t be around each other anymore and amicably parted ways. I believe the Gloria Jeans is still there and the owner and I do that fake “Oh, how are you!? It’s been so long!” thing that women do on the rare occasions that I grab a coffee there. So one of the success stories I feel.

Working at Gloria Jeans is pretty good. As part of a franchise, there are procedures in place for everything so that keeps it simple. The coffee’s ok (in my opinion better than Coffee Club but not as good as Zarraffas) and the food is…there.

If a job around studies or other commitments is what you’re looking for and you think a café might be the answer, go forth, resume in hand, to Gloria Jeans with no fear but the usual. (Crazy bosses, crazy staff, crazy customers, giving someone food poisoning, making flat whites that look like lattes….)