Connection…

You don’t have to have it all together to be worthy of relationship. You don’t need to look a certain way to receive amazing service. You don’t need to like coffee to enjoy being in our coffeeshop. You don’t need to fit in, for someone to look over and say, “hey. I see you. You’re not alone. I gotchu.”

None of us are perfect.

All of us need human connection.  

Our company isn’t just for the coffee nerd, or the 20-something year old social media influencer, or the educated upper-middle class. (even though yes, it is for them too)

We believe we have something for everyone. Every. Single. Person.

Whether that’s just a high-five and a smile on a hard day…or a glass of water midway through a long jog…or an open restroom after a long drive…or a shot of absolutely delicious espresso on a beautiful Tuesday morning.

Moments of joy and hope can both be shared through the simplest of things, and we can share that with anybody.

Cathedral exists as a place where every single person who works for us, or is served by us, no matter what they look like, who they know, how much they make, where they come from, how they feel, whatever – can always receive attention, care, and amazing service.

Service…

To give someone good service is to roll out the red carpet for them. To put their needs/desires above your own at any given moment, and to do everything within your power to give them the absolute best experience ever.

We exist to always creatively come up with ways to leave every single person happier than they were when we found them.

Think of our approach to service as a double-edged sword:

On one hand, we as a company will continually define what we intend on making available to our customers, based on what we can get behind as a company. Every menu item, event, idea, decision, and option is carefully evaluated, based on our mission, vision, and values.

For example, we decide what syrups we offer, what sort of milk alternatives we carry, how we serve our espresso, and so on, based on what we feel fits into what we care about and what we want to offer people. The goal is to create an experience that we can get behind, because we want to be excited and feel passionate about every part of what we do.

But within that framework, we will do everything within our power to make our guests happy! If someone comes in hoping to get maple syrup in their latte, or asks for us to microwave their coffee, or needs to be on their way and asks for the teabag, or just could-use-a-glass-of-ice-water, we will roll out the red-carpet for them, at all costs!!

We will not be the coffeeshop that refuses to put something we actually have, into a drink because “it’s too messy” or it “taints the flavor of the espresso”.

We refuse to prioritize our feelings and opinions above the needs and desires of our guests.

Ever.

Intentionality…

Being intentional applies to everyone on our staff, and just means to do what we do thoughtfully, because we know that will bleed over into each person’s experience.

This is concept we are very familiar with in other hospitality environments. For example, at a Michelin-starred, high-end restaurant, the servers will be neatly dressed, the lighting will be finely tuned, the carpets regularly swept, even the soap in the bathroom will be thoughtfully sourced, so that together, all those little elements come together to create a beautiful and memorable experience for their guests. To elevate what they are doing above any other experience, they pay attention to professionally executing every detail, down to the uniforms the dishwashers wear, because they know that—even if it’s totally subconscious—their guests will feel the difference.

In the same way, when we as a staff approach our involvement at Cathedral with an attitude of professionalism, is carries over into the overall guest experience in a vital way.

When we take a moment to wipe down counters and put things away after a rush, it looks and feels more organized and peaceful, thus allowing our customers to fully settle in and relax.

When we take a moment to intentionally dress for our shifts, it speaks volumes to how much we care and how seriously we take what we do.

When we make sure to stay educated as to what coffees and pastries we are serving and how to talk about them, it allows us to fully engage with people when they ask questions, and allows them to feel like they can trust our recommendations and try things we are excited about. 

When we take an extra second or two to carefully sticker each retail bag perfectly straight, we’re contributing to the magic of the experience for someone to trust us with their monthly coffee budget.

All the little things matter, and when paid attention to, they create the kind of environment that is fun to engage in, both in front of and behind the counter.

Contribution…

We are a small company, which allows every person on our staff—no matter their rank or position—to directly contribute to the inner workings and health of the entire organization.

 You aren’t simply a cog in the Cathedral machine, but a valued co-laborer amidst of a tightly-knit team of people centered around a common goal. There remains an invitation for every member of our team to contribute, with their time and commitment…but also with their passion and ideas! We are intentionally trying to nurture an environment that invites discussion, and promotes creativity and a sense of ownership throughout our entire staff.

In turn, every little decision each of us makes inherently contributes to the success or failure of the team as a whole.

When you are super intentional about fully disconnecting and resting while not at work, it allows you to be more fully engaged and present while at work.

When you show up to work a couple minutes early, it allows those who are already on shift to transition with you smoothly and efficiently, so they can go home.

When you take the time to make sure everything is properly labeled and organized, it allows us to accurately keep track of inventory and keep things fresh and clean.

Every little decision matters and contributes in its own way to the success of our efforts as a whole…that’s what it means to be a team!

Stewardship…

Everything in our space…from the interior design and decoration within our cafés, to the ingredients we craft our drinks and pastries with, bears the fingerprints of at least a dozen people. 

We are stewards of the hard work that has made what we do possible.

Being able to brew and serve and delicious cup of coffee for a guest is the last chapter of a long story that begins in an entirely different part of the world, with a fragile agricultural crop that is incredibly labor intensive to grow, pick, and harvest, that was transported across multiple continents, and roasted with pain-staking attention to detail, just to mention a couple of moments in coffee’s long journey from seed to cup. Each of those steps involves the hard work of many talented farmers, pickers, mill-managers, green-buyers, importers, roasters, café managers, and so many more.

There is a sense of humility that accompanies that moment when you hit start on a grinder…five or more years of work from hundreds of people made that moment even possible, let alone smell and taste amazing.

And coffee is simply one ingredient in our café!

The amount of work involved in producing sustainable dairy, making delicious cheeses, quality meats, healthy flours…the list could go on for another three pages!

As baristas, roasters, and bakers, we get the unique (and strange) opportunity to decide whether or not we are going to elevate ourselves and our moment in the grand story of our ingredients, or shine the spotlight on all the people who have made what we do possible.

The decision for us is simple. We aren’t the stars of this show.

We are simply stewards.

We get the honor of championing the people who have made what we do possible…from the people who helped build our space, and the people behind our counter, to the people who helped produce our wonderful ingredients.

What an honor.

Excellence…

We care about excellence because we care about people.

“I think preparing food and feeding people brings nourishment not only to our bodies but to our spirits. Feeding people is a way of loving them, in the same way that feeding ourselves is a way of honoring our own createdness and fragility.” — Shauna Niequist

One of the primary ways we take care of our guests is by taking the time to fully pay attention to the details that separate a decent coffee from an extraordinary one.

Sometimes it’s that simple…just making someone an awesome latte and wishing them a great morning. We care for people well by feeding them really well. 

At the same time, excellence also plays a role in honoring our producers, and the people who have made what we do possible. As stewards of these wonderful coffees and ingredients…we have the chance to highlight the work that has preceded us, and making delicious things with those ingredients is a major player in how well we highlight them.

When we brew a cup of coffee in clean, well-maintenanced equipment, taking the time to consistently weigh and prepare it so as to preserve all the nuance and character of flavor that are possible with that coffee, we are allowing the hard-work of the farmer and the roaster to truly shine and making their work accessible to our guest’s experience.

When our food is perfectly baked and artfully decorated, we are allowing our ingredients to shine their quality in a way that will be distinguishable to our guests and customers. A really good cinnamon roll is a testament to amazing grains, raw sugars, and delicious dairy, all wrapped into a decadent treat.

That’s why we care. We’re not just trying to be cool or feel cool or look cool or whatever.

We’re doing our very best to honor our relationships, by doing cool things with their hard work.