Favorite Memory: Birthday Bash
Favorite memories from year two
In celebration of our birthday, we’re asking a fun question to our Tala community: what’s your favorite memory of the cafe? We’re reminiscing about the times shared, coffees tried and people met. To answer this question we’re having different people from the Tala team answer this question each day. Follow along to hear some of our highlights from this second year together. You’ll hear about life on the other side of the counter, life after hours, before hours, and lots of fun things that happen in and around the cafe. You’ll hear highlights and memorable moments as well as lessons and reflections. Thanks for following along with us.
First up: Birthday Bash 2019 by Joanna. You hear from me a lot, so I won’t write an introduction like I will for the other stories this week.
birthday bash 2019
When I think back on the second year of our cafe, so many memories come to mind. From throwing parties to meeting new people to sharing conversations. The thing that stands out immediately for me above the rest is actually day one. We kicked off year two with an amazing birthday bash. We went all out with decorations, games, prizes, cake and tons of fun details. All the organization and lead-up was a creative blast with the other team members, some of our best collaboration and execution. Maybe that sounds boring, but I live for that stuff.
When I arrived at the cafe in the morning—after a late night decorating, I walked in to an already busy cafe. Regulars all around, several employees hanging out, some of them working and others just there to enjoy the day. I expected to spend the morning quietly in the cafe reading and catching up on a few odds and ends until the cake-cutting that afternoon. Before long, the quiet was a distant memory, and the cafe was completely packed with people—the line wrapping around out the door, seats filled, people standing to chat, regulars coming in to give us birthday gifts and congratulate us. The amount of cards, flowers, gifts and hugs we received that day was honestly astonishing. Hundreds of people were there for the hour we sang happy birthday and cut the cake.
The thing that got me—and why it sticks out as a favorite memory so much—is this: the community showed up in support of us in a way I didn’t know they cared to. Up until that point, I knew we were loved, I knew we were welcomed, I thought we were getting more popular and I was proud of our reputation and everything we stood for. But I just didn’t know that many people felt those things too. I was excited to spend the anniversary of our opening in the cafe celebrating but I just had no idea that so many other people wanted to do that too. We were cause for celebration? I just didn’t realize how we managed to make our way into so many lives and hearts. It happened without me even being fully aware.
When I reflect on what it’s been like to open the cafe, that get’s to the core of it all, really. We are not just a company, we aren’t just good coffee roasters or fine latte creators. We’re all of those things, of course, but it truly is the community that makes us. The people in our business and the people that we serve. Tala is a community because of the way it has brought together so many people. On that day last year, I got to see for the first really tangible time how many people have found a home in Tala.
I speak for all of our leadership when I say we are truly honored to be able to have created this space for our community. We hope it continues to deepen its communal ties, bring people together, grow in hospitality and draw in others.
What’s your favorite memory?
We want to hear your favorite memories at Tala! This week, we’re giving away a $200 gift card to one lucky individual who tells us their favorite memory. Full details are available below—make sure you post about your memory this week to be entered to win!