Why I Love Being a Barista by Sarah B

There are those who work to live (e.g. many who spend significant amount of time staring at spreadsheets), and there are the lucky few—those of us who live to work. I wake up excited every morning, because being a barista is the best job in the whole wide world. Want to know why?

It is because WE LOVE YOU. Yes, you, our faithful patrons, our friends: the locals, vacationers, study groups, entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, nurses, life guards, EMS, police, fire fighters and catholic priests. All of you. And, we have secret knowledge of you, too. We know exactly what you need to get you through your day, yes it’s a great power.

“Good morning large Iced West Third! How are you large non-fat mocha with vanilla? Hey there medium drip, I saved the last scone for you!” 

Knowing what our regulars drink before they tell us not only gives us super hero status but it keeps many of you from having to speak before consuming caffeine. For some of you, we know what you drive (in a totally non-stalker way), so when we see you pull up we start your drink. You’re welcome.

There’s more:

• We want to hold your baby while you fix your coffee. (Every. Single. Time.)

• We want to pet your puppy that’s waiting outside. Here’s some water and a treat for them.

• If you tell us you’re serious about dieting we will slap the cookies out of your hand and offer you coffee with almond milk and agave.

• We love it when you pour in the stores covered in sweat and sand, still pumped up from your beach boot camps.

• We love you so much we keep your punch cards by the register or keep your gift card numbers written down so you don’t lose them.

• We love our second-homers that call to check on us when storms turn out to be a LOT nastier than the weather guy predicted – which is almost always.

• We know that your kids only think they’re drinking espresso. Don’t worry, it’s decaf…we got you.

• Show us those pictures! We love it when you share your life with us. Show us that big fish you caught or your daughter’s wedding. And, thanks for asking about our lives, too.

• Over the course of 2016 we, at Front Porch, have had the honor of witnessing countless weddings, pregnancies and births. We’ve watched as you have carried your newborns in and then watched as those same tiny babies made a race track out of our sitting area. We love it. It is because of all of you that we do what we do. And some of us do it before the sun even rises.

Now don’t you wish you were up at 5 am this morning, making lattes for the masses? I sure do.

Sarah B.

Barista, Front Porch Cafe