all good things must come to an end
Very sadly I am no longer an employee of Victrola Coffee.
Yesterday the owners of Victrola, citing a difference of vision, informed me of their decision that it would be best for the business if we parted ways.
Working at Victrola has been a really transformative experience. The staff and community made Seattle feel like a real home to me and, unexpectedly, this coffee shop job morphed into a sort of career path. In my years there I’ve met and worked with some extraordinary people and had the privilege of participating in some amazing moments in coffee. I’m proud of the things I accomplished during my tenure and I’m grateful to the many people who made it all possible.
Victrola is poised to do some really great things for coffee in Seattle and I wish everyone there the best of luck.
I’ve sprung for last minute airfare to the SCAA show in Charlotte and will be considering my future options amid the camaraderie and chaos of this conflagration of coffee crazies.
I can be reached via email at tonx23 (the @ sign) gmail.com.
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April 5th, 2006 at 5:58 pm
man, that sucks. i’m so sorry to hear it.
i’ll miss your smiling visage skating across the floor.
April 5th, 2006 at 6:19 pm
This is really upsetting news. I’m perturbed and it didn’t even happen to me. I’m glad you still have the ability to alliterate: “amid the camaraderie and chaos of this conflagration of coffee crazies.” Have a good time in Charlotte.
April 5th, 2006 at 6:38 pm
All the best.
April 5th, 2006 at 6:57 pm
sorry to hear that. perhaps your next coffee adventure will make allusions to itself in charlotte? enjoy!
April 5th, 2006 at 6:59 pm
Ouch. It has surprised me, too, how a coffee shop job could lead to such impressive photographs and stories and an awesome little blog. =)
Good luck with further good things!
April 5th, 2006 at 7:38 pm
what the?! wooow. i’ve enjoyed your coverage of things victrola. all the best. hope to see you around in coffee. enjoy scaa charlotte. i wish i could’ve made it out there.
April 5th, 2006 at 8:41 pm
Wow! unexpected news. They dont know what they are letting go of.
You have really made the coffee at victrola a special thing.
Thanks for all the good coffee Tony. I have been drinking coffee on and off at Victrola since the first week it opened and I have to say that before your roast Victrola was just another place to sit if I didnt want to walk to Vivace, but when you got going with them beans, they shifted and changed into something unique, special and so damn Dee-Lish!
Thanks Tony. And Good Luck!!!
April 5th, 2006 at 9:55 pm
you’ll be missedl, tonx.
whatever your next step is, i know it will be special and i hope to be there to enjoy it.
peace!!
April 6th, 2006 at 2:06 am
That sounds like a bum deal you got there. Here’s hoping you move onto something bigger & better!
April 6th, 2006 at 3:10 am
I hope someone smart sees a great opportunity in you being on the open market.
Very best of luck, no doubt you’ll keep us all updated. Have a good time in Charlotte.
James
April 6th, 2006 at 4:46 am
Holy… wow. Just like that, with no warning?
Hey! There’s an amazing little fair-trade coffee store here in Providence. Don’t suppose… ah, nevermind. :)
April 6th, 2006 at 7:31 am
I’m with everyone else, that sucks. Hard to believe they didn’t understand you were helping them change the world (or at least the coffee shop piece of it) I’m sure you’ll land on your feet, and we’ll be looking forward to hearing about it.
April 6th, 2006 at 8:30 am
Good luck — I hope you’ll keep tonx alive.
April 6th, 2006 at 9:09 am
riots. in the streets!
April 6th, 2006 at 11:54 am
oh noes! good luck, buddy
April 6th, 2006 at 2:06 pm
lame. but i hope this is the beginning of new, exciting endeavors. you better keep up with your blog — it’s been my source for coffee geek-ness since i’ve been out in seattle. best wishes!
April 6th, 2006 at 3:11 pm
Ah, no way! In any case, you can always come to Chicago. We love to have you here!
Best Wishes…
Steve
April 6th, 2006 at 5:43 pm
Oh man!
I’m so sorry to hear this! You’ve been an amazing asset to Victrola and the Seattle coffee scene. I’ve always been a huge fan of your amazing roasting abilities and your friendliness. You’ve made Victrola what it is and I think it’s a damn shame that they made that decision.
Best of luck in whatever the coffee gods take you and I can’t wait to hear where you are next. I’mg going to miss your wonderful take on espresso blending.
-Alex Bernson
April 6th, 2006 at 9:11 pm
So they finally found out that you’re really a tea drinker. Too bad.
April 7th, 2006 at 9:38 am
Well, there are some other good spots in the UDist a lot outside. Ever consider the Lighthouse? They’re my favorite roaster….perhaps your character would more aptly suit Bauhaus? Maybe you can find an angel investor and start your own?????
April 7th, 2006 at 4:04 pm
man….come to chicago sez yo sistah…you can make me good cawfee and i can practice acupuncture on you…sound good?
sending love…when one door closes multiple windows to jump out of open!
April 7th, 2006 at 5:32 pm
heck! very sorry to hear that.
want to roast in another country?
April 7th, 2006 at 5:45 pm
So, by “difference in vision” they mean that they don’t want their coffee to kick any and all ass anymore? Fuckers.
Dammit! You had better keep roasting in this city, mister. Talk to the Lighthouse. . .
April 7th, 2006 at 6:41 pm
I think Lighthouse lost their roaster a year or so ago and lost a few accounts to Victrola… I wonder if they’ve tried to remedy that loss in some way.
April 8th, 2006 at 3:34 am
i blame zombies
April 8th, 2006 at 3:38 pm
Difference of vision? Hmmm… Anyhow, I like your vision. I’ll keep track.
—Jonathan
(curiousyellow from Flickr)
April 9th, 2006 at 6:43 pm
that’s really disappointing news. victrola will not be the same without you.
April 9th, 2006 at 8:09 pm
you know, tony, i just don’t think victrola will be the same without you.
i’m just wondering where you wind up so that the perfect roast (or at least the best one i’ve ever had) will travel. i am sad that they think they can drop you after growing up with you, but i am happy in the knowledge that you can probably make somewhere else just as good.
enjoy charlotte and the coffee-fueled masses.
April 11th, 2006 at 12:17 am
Difference of vision!?! So, they’ve decided Nespresso is the way to go? I don’t get it…
Sounds like a sadistic All Fools Day joke to me!
April 12th, 2006 at 1:45 pm
I miss u man! Hope your adventures continue!!! Maybe we can do some coffee endeavors on the big island, i should be there by the end of sept. Probably next year get in on the growin, pickin an roastin of coffee in me an my girl’s restaurant. Keep in touch!!
Dominik Cyr
April 13th, 2006 at 4:34 pm
A friend sent me this news. To be honest, it’s not a surprise at all that someone who was so obviously popular in the community and at Victrola was sacked by the owners.
I worked there when they first opened. Besides the two owners, I pulled the first shift ever there, I opened every weekday morning and helped build that business up by being bright and cheeful at 5:30 every morning and was even told by Jen that there would ALWAYS be a job there for me… After about a year, the owners started getting really stressed out and wierd to all of us baristas and one day, Chris got really petty with me over a shift I was going to cover for Jen. Then he started yelling at me while behind the counter in full view of the customers in his full cafe. I had to bring him to the backroom where we yelled a fair amount and then he took a step up on me as if he were going to shove me. Then he stormed out.
About 10 minutes later, I got a voicemail message firing me. Yes, that’s right, I was fired on voicemail.
A number of other folks I worked with there received similar shabby treatment after doing all they could to help build Chris and Jen’s now-thriving business. Each was uncermoniously fired in rude and condescending ways. Since then, I have run into old customers (I live in the neighborhood) and am told that her attitude has driven them away. Not surprising since I lost a few customers while there because she never had the time of day for them and when she did talk to them, was dismissive.
Tony, I am sorry you were let go. I wish you all the luck in the world and hope that coffee stays a part of your life. The rest of you, I’d stay away from Victrola if I were you simply in protest of how they treat employees.
April 15th, 2006 at 9:21 am
I agree with Luke, prior to your roasting at Victrola it was just a pretty neon sign to walk past on the way to Vivace on 15th. Since then the coffee (and barista skills) have steadily improved to the point where Victrola is my primary coffee shop. I hope they can keep the quality up, I hope you find a great next chapter, and look forward to hearing about your new adventures.
April 22nd, 2006 at 9:57 am
I dont have any clue as to why the parting of you,Kyle and victrola. And although curiosity is killing me… i really dont want to know and am glad i dont. I have been impressed with both the way you and kyle have presented yourselfes, not slamming someone who let you go… maybe only commenting on positive things that V is doing… and vice versa.. Chris and Jen continue to speak very well of you and are seeing that youve left some BIG shoes to fill… but i figure its because you got big feet. And this speaks volumes to me. I was so torn to hear this news as in what I do, the greatest asset is people… people is everything. we wouldnt have the coffee we have if it werent for the people… when folks that come see what were doing from other farms whos coffee youve probably cupped with in the last week.. they wonder what we do to get the scores we do on private national cuppings.. when they see, the comment is “we are way to big to do that, it would be virtually impossible” And i think they leave thinking that the people that work for us must also own the place to care that much…. they dont, but maybe some day it will be given to them. I have nightmares when i think about what our coffee would be with out the people that work with us. Im sure it would be fine… but we want to shoot for much more than that… and take great pride in achieving it on a consistent basis. I cant wait to see what you and kyle bring next to the coffee world. no pressure, really… a great match,… an efficient relationship will find itself when united by the same passions.