Gorilla Coffee on Strike

vidro3

dub pies serves Counter Culture coffee.

carmen

jeffrey wrote: Spotted on Twitter earlier this evening...

Apparently several of the employees went to Hand Of Glory tonight to get matching walkout solidarity tats.

[quote="@HandofGloryTat2]Joey just did 5 matching tattoos for the ex-staff of Gorilla Coffee in Park Slope. No pictures yet- but hopefully we can get one when they come back with a 6th ex-staff member later in the week...
Facebook • 4/14/10 9:48 PM

this has to be a joke. Someone, please, tell me this is a joke.

whyfi

^^^ I think that it was something like this -

independent mind

is that his finger or is he just happy to see me?

christina

Some grumpy looking woman just opened the gate and instantly a line formed at the door.

shortcake

I did see both owners outside the shop on Saturday morning chatting with folks walking by. It looked like they were there letting some sort of cleaning service in.

No matter what, having them back open is a good thing, and I hope to see them back open soon.

booklaw

No matter what, having them back open is a good thing

So it doesn't matter whether they treat their employees badly?

Do you also not care whether the sneakers you wear are made by small children locked into unsafe factories, working too many hours per day/week?

Is having a cup of coffee so important to you?

jamzer

A crappy boss is a far cry from forced child labor. The Gorilla Coffee employees were adults and they decided to quite instead of being treated like crap. Good for them. I assume whoever takes a job there now will do so with the understanding that one of the managers is a jerk.

I hope they re-open soon - the maple syrup latte is pretty awesome.

babinsky195

belzjm wrote: it's not great timing that the photo online for this week's new york magazine spread naming park slope as the "best neighborhood in nyc" is a photo of gorilla coffee...

http://nymag.com/realestate/neighborhoods/2010/65374/

talk about wasted press.

Great point. Bummer for them.

peanuts

And in NY Newsday yesterday, the travel section did something on Brooklyn - for PS it said to stop at Gorilla Coffee

jeffrey

Latest from the Twitter rumor mill:

BKLYNBasement wrote: 4/20/10 3:29 PM
my coffee shop was serviced by gorilla coffee but now using alt source. gorilla closed all accounts not just store. fairgame for roasters

That can't be right. But imagine the sheer clusterf*ck if it were.

:shock:

brickscoli

Not for nothin but the graphic design / packaging / signage there is realy awesome.

bkchickie

jeffrey wrote: Latest from the Twitter rumor mill:

[quote=BKLYNBasement]4/20/10 3:29 PM
my coffee shop was serviced by gorilla coffee but now using alt source. gorilla closed all accounts not just store. fairgame for roasters

That can't be right. But imagine the sheer clusterf*ck if it were.

:shock:

Why can't that be right? If they can't staff their store, they probably aren't roasting the coffee or delivering the beans.

Has the store restaffed? Are they open? I'm not asking because I want to beat a path down there, I'm just curious.

jeffrey

I was under the impression that they had a separate roasting facility elsewhere that roasted and managed deliveries and shipping for their wholesale business, and that this mess was a case of 6 or 7 employees quitting their storefront retail operation.

But who knows.

And truly, if they do roast on-site, the owners can probably handle it just fine with the retail closed. After all, they're the ones that have been running it from the start.

susanderavish

BKChickie wrote:
Has the store restaffed? Are they open? I'm not asking because I want to beat a path down there, I'm just curious.

I walked by last night and all the red lights had been taken down and were in a pile on one of the tables. Are they not reopening?

mpmav1

http://gothamist.com/2010/04/24/gorilla_coffee_reopening_next_week.php

prospectparkerlewis

Are they finally reopening?? Yes!!

g2bdon

April 23, 2010, 10:57 PM
Gorilla Coffee to Reopen Monday
By ANDY NEWMAN
Gorilla Coffee, the juggernaut Park Slope java-and-lifestyle dispensary that has been closed since April 9 after the entire staff quit to protest a “perpetually malicious, hostile and demeaning work environment,” will reopen Monday. So said the smiling woman inside the half-rolled-up gate of the shop at Fifth Avenue and Park Place at 7 Friday evening.

Inside were buckets of paint and several workers scurrying around and making ready. The sign that’s been in the window since last week says that the staff will be all new (other blogs have noted this Gorilla-ish sounding want ad). It will be interesting to see how the neighborhood’s fiercely loyal fair-trade-sipping customers receive the reincarnated operation.

MOD

Even if they hired some staff that had previous coffee shop experience in this short time, it would take them a while to learn the ropes at Gorilla.

I'll buy beans there, but I dare say that any fancy coffee drinkers should wait a while before you go.

dw438

ProspectParkerLewis wrote: Are they finally reopening?? Yes!!

This is too funny!

ishtar

I'm offended by their claim that Converse sneakers are corny.

xlizellx

I agree with Ishtar. I wore those corny shoes to my own wedding... :-(

jamzer

Subject: And Gorilla Coffee Re-Opens

As reported by the New York Times

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/26/gorilla-coffee-reopens-with-new-workers/

Gotta say - I'm a bit surprised that the New York Times scooped us here!

Enjoy your coffee now everyone.

jamzer

Got my cup of coffee at Gorilla this morning. Things were slower than normal, but just slightly less than usual. I had the odd experience of being greeted with a hello and a smile. I was not sure how to react. While I did not buy a "fancy" drink Mama - they seemed to be working the espresso machine like seasoned pros ;-)

darcyfan

Jamzer,
I had the exact experience today there. I decided to try it out again, after a very long boycott. I got eye contact, a hello, a thank you, a quick serve, even a smile. I might just consider putting them back into rotation.

And none of the other workers looked miserable either.

hamilton

.

was that jane goodall behind the counter.

shortcake

Been back in since they re-opened several times. The change, so far, is rather dramatic.

I've noticed a few things. For one, the new staff seems a bit older than the former staff. There's also a change in how they take care of the line of customers. When the person not working the register isn't dealing with a line of drinks, they'll come out from behind the machine and ask whoever's next what they want and, then, get started on it. The former staff couldn't be bothered to do so. This, so far, has resulted in much quicker service. Either there's a renewed focus on customer service with this new staff or they're whipping them in the back room. Can't tell yet.

On the other hand, the foam leaf on top of my latte just isn't as pretty as it used to be for those five seconds it's there before I stir in the sugar. For shame.

8thandprez

I've thankfully been spared this drama. Grumpy's coffee is miles better than Gorilla, IMHO.

doldrums

8thandPrez wrote: I've thankfully been spared this drama. Grumpy's coffee is miles better than Gorilla, IMHO.

totally agree!

pmonk

Screw all that - only dopes buy $2.50 coffee!