The State of Reverie
So we’re in a really interesting situation. We have our own challenges in this time, and we are working just as hard as any other business to make the most out of this situation. Small businesses are relevant, and we know that small businesses have been hit the hardest in all this. In the transition from serving in the cafe to now serving from our new drive-thru and doorstep deliveries, we have been gradually coming back into business. Even while we have always had online sales, things look and feel different now that a majority of our sales are contact-less and people are ordering in advance. We certainly miss the atmosphere of our cafes, but fortunately, all of you, our customers and supporters, have been really understanding about these changes. And for that, we want to say thank you!
Recently, Reverie was featured on Square in collaboration with the Specialty Coffee Association and I was asked to share how we are moving forward:
“There’s a lot of confusion as to who can open or when it’s right to open. In fact, we are now able to open to the public with seating, but we believe it’s far too soon to do that, so we’re choosing not to. We’re still obviously looking at what changes we would have to make in order to reopen, based on what’s going on in our community. That’s going to weigh heavily on what we look like going forward.”
While we’re being cautiously optimistic, it's going to be hard to determine what people will accept. I know that in the past when we've had conversations about how things will look and feel, we did our best to be intentional in how the team handled things in light of COVID-19. While we’re doing all that we can move forward by contining to make Reverie a safe place to be, we don’t foresee the situation really going away. As we get closer to the next version of Reverie, and whatever that looks like, I am reminded of the dedicated team of people I get to work with. I’m proud to get to work with these fine people each day. I get lots of credit for the work they do. And I am not who I am as a leader without the best people to share my time with. Take a short moment to learn about a few of those working every day keeping things moving forward.
Meet Kathleen, one of our incredible baristas.
Define your journey.
I heard about working at Reverie from my sister Emily who was working here at the time. I think the most surprising part about it was that when I started working here initially I had no coffee experience. I wasn’t really exposed to other sources of coffee or the alternate ways of making coffee. I had only just drank black coffee or lattes from Starbucks. I started working at Reverie as a server when the restaurant side was still open, and after a year I started working as a barista. I was just surprised I enjoyed it because I didn’t like coffee initially, which is funny because now I do!
What’s the biggest challenge for Reverie right now?
I think that up until this crisis sort of shut everyone down, we had a lot of hiccups and things that felt undone. As unfortunate as this crisis is, it’s really allowed us to refocus by letting us look inwardly instead of outwardly. And I think conquering that is going to be a different beast, but I think we can do it.
What inspires you now and keeps you involved at Reverie?
Well I have never thought about Reverie in that way where I am like, “I have to go work, ugh, I can’t wait to be back home in six hours.” I have not felt that way about work in while, and I feel fortunate to enjoy what I do. For the longest time I did not enjoy going work at other jobs, everything fell short, and I was always stressed out. But being a barista here, being able to pay attention to the other creative aspects of coffee and being able to care for our customers, all while getting to see my friends everyday makes it worthwhile.
What is something you have contributed to Reverie that you are most proud of and why?
I am proud of the relationships that I have been able to build with my coworkers, and how we all really work together as a team. It’s not like were all trying to do our own thing, and are fighting each other on things, you know.
What do you think is special about Reverie?I would say we’re constantly looking out for our customers and how to improve their experiences. A lot effort goes into making sure that we’re making the right connections and impressions, as well as making sure we’re educating those who may be a bit intimidated by things. I know that when I first moved to Wichita, I had no clue about coffee and where to go or what to order. So being able to offer help where we can and making everyone feel welcome is really special, I think.
If you could see your favorite regular customer right now, would you say to them?
I would ask them how they are doing. I feel like everything has really thrown out of rotation everyone’s schedules, daily interactions, and without the regulars we see everyday things don’t feel as communal or close as they used to. So you know, I would check in with them, “How’s your family? How’s your mom?”
Kathleen. Photo by Juan Garcia.
Connor. Photo by Juan Garcia.
Meet Connor, our R&D ADVISEr and one of our amazing baristas.
Define your journey.
I had heard about Reverie because I had a girlfriend at the time who told me it was pretentious, and I shouldn’t go. And so, yeah, I never went while I was living in Hutchinson, and even when I would come here to Wichita I would refuse to go. It was not until a few years later when I had became friends with Beau, Reverie’s former Head Roaster, that I finally came here.
When Reverie moved to the Madison location, I applied for a job as a dishwasher and they ended up letting become a server. “Wow, I was a terrible server!” I wasn’t a barista for the first year that I worked at Reverie. The running joke the first year that I worked at Reverie was that I was never going to be a barista. Now I am heading up R&D, and it’s really funny to me but also cool to see how I have grown here with everyone.
What’s the biggest challenge for Reverie right now?
To me, a local business is like a human being, it grows with age, it changes with age. Like I am not the same person as when I was 18, 10, or 2. So as it grows, it learns from its mistakes, and it changes. I think that these changes are going to be biggest challenge that we face. I mean, we went from full table service, to suddenly not, and now to offering a drive-thru. There are tough questions to answer. Like how are we going to work with a very limited staff?
What inspires you now and keeps you involved at Reverie?
For me, it’s just a way to be creative. In every aspect of my life I like to be creative in what I do. Reverie is the one job that’s ever offered me creativity, well maybe other than my newspaper job when I 16. But, it’s the one place where I know that I am more than just some cog in a machine.
What is something you have contributed to Reverie that you are most proud of and why?
I am most proud of the creative things that I have made here. I’ve got to do some wacky stuff. I made a Cholula latte once. I made a creamed corn latte, and that was pretty good actually. But in all seriousness, conventionally, I create a latte using cola-syrup I made from scratch, which was the first drink I ever had on the menu here.
What do you think is special about Reverie?It’s always good to make people feel welcome, and I think we do a pretty good job at that. We also try to create a lot of fun for people while they are. At least that’s what I try to do, I try to make people laugh or smile. I think Reverie is a fun place to be especially if you like sitting around and listening to other people’s music, working on your computer, and listening all the weird things the baristas say.
If you could see your favorite regular customer right now, would you say to them?
I saw my favorite today actually. Greg, cool Greg. Small batch brew with a little bit of cream Greg. So, I guess if I could see him again, I would probably just say, “Hey Greg.”
Meet Drew, our General Manager of Retail at Reverie.
Define your journey.
I joined the Reverie team on the cusp of a massive transition for the business, so my experiences have been widely varied during my tenure. When we opened the new location with daily full-service brunch, I was blown away by the volume of business. We had two espresso machines working non-stop for hours on end. However, that isn’t exactly a potent personal memory.
One moment that really blew me away was the absurd amount customers that came through on the last day the old shop was open. We had a line out the door for my entire shift and eventually had to start turning people away so we could actually close. For some reason, people were incredibly attached to that cramped and crumbling building. Despite the fact we would be offering the same products in a far superior space just two days later, something worked people up into a frenzy for our coffee under that roof THAT DAY.
As I’ve progressed from barista to general manager, I have been plugged into all aspects of our business. Building relationships with both customers and staff has been a cornerstone of my time here. I am very much people driven and my job has offered me the opportunity to indulge that to a high degree. These experiences aren’t universally positive, but they all contribute to a rich blend that drives my day to day life.
When did you first hear about Reverie?
I first learned about Reverie after the Eagle ran a piece about Alton Brown visiting the shop. I wasn’t living in town at the time and decided to stop by the shop next time I was visiting family. I loved the experience and ended up going to Reverie every day for a week while I was in Wichita.
What inspired you to become a barista?
In all honesty, I was also about flat broke at the time and without a car when I applied to Reverie. As it was just a couple miles from my house and accepting applications, the decision to apply was an easy one. I did not anticipate that I would be hired within 36 hours and immediately begin working. I was hungry for opportunity and threw myself into the job. Much to my surprise, I was managing the entire retail arm of the operation within 10 months.
General Manager of Retail, Drew. Photo by Juan Garcia.
“There have been moments that my team blew me out of the water with their compassion for their coworkers. This is always humbling and motivates me to continue growing our business into one that welcomes the community and fully supports the needs of our staff. While it seems impossible at points, we always find a way forward. ”
What is something you have contributed to Reverie that you are most proud of and why?
I take a lot of pride in the changes we’ve undertaken in the last couple years and the strides we’ve made as a business. I am proud to tell people that I get to manage such a well-loved business within the community. The road has been plenty rocky at points and tried my resolve many times. However, we continue to produce progressively improved products and services as we learn how to best execute our dream. Also, I am undeniably proud of the growing leadership role I have been able to assume. There is no way I would be in my position without the support of our staff and the Gough’s confidence; their collective backing both humbles and drives me.
If you could see your favorite regular customer right now, would you say to them?
I tend not to subscribe to the notion of favorites as I find them limiting. Besides, I am in no position to start picking preferred customers. There are just so many great people who frequent our shop and they all contribute to my experience here. All I will say is, “WE WILL BE BACK AS SOON AS IT IS SAFE.”
What inspires you now and keeps you involved?
Well, being involved is a central tenant of my job. I am constantly balancing the needs of our customers, staff, and the business. As a small business, we are in a constant struggle for solvency and the goal of getting there keeps me coming back.
What does the future of Reverie look like to you?
That is a loaded question in these wild times we are living in. I certainly didn’t harbor the vaguest notion that I would be forced to furlough my entire staff and temporarily shutter the business earlier this year. As a team, we have to figure out how to navigate our new economic reality and determine what works for us in this ever-shifting environment.
“It is a collective just as much as it is a team. We’re all working together in this.”
Wichita matters. You matter. We matter. We are in this together. We will be together again soon! For now, we want to thank you for your on going support. We want you to know that your support is bigger than just coffee, it’s the support of each of us that make what we do possible. Please continue to shop locally and support local businesses like ours. hank you for your continued support. We are amazed by the love we have received in the last few weeks. Let’s keep moving forward!
Best to you all
Andrew Gough