Tala Family Holiday Party

We threw our second annual Holiday Party last night for our staff. These moments are, I think, what makes our company so special. We have an unbelievably amazing team of staff who are great at their jobs, exemplify our values and offer genuine value to our customers. As an owner of Tala I couldn’t think of a better team of people to have work for me, or a more amazing group of people to be responsible for.

Although this party is such a small glimpse into our culture behind the scenes at Tala, I think its a tangible one. We try to cultivate a community of safety, acceptance, accountability, laughter, personal growth, excitement and authenticity, among many other things. We always hope to offer more to our team than just a job or just a paycheck, but a place to actually call home.

Our employees can often be spotted in the cafe on their days off. In fact, regulars comment on this often with something like, “wow you’re even here when you’re not working, huh?” It has become a funny joke now because of how often we get questions about it. But the truth is, I am so grateful for a team that feels the freedom to come in to enjoy the cafe on their day off. It says a lot about the community that has been built at Tala. And although we as owners have intentionally tried to build that community in whatever ways we can, I really don’t think we can take credit. That community of comfort, ease, acceptance and safety exists in large part to the wonderful staff who make it their ambition to welcome every person into the space and add value to every person’s experience. Our cafe would be nothing without our team.

Christmas Party

So thank you, to each of our current team members—Elizabeth, Erin, Matt, Taylor, Jonny, Marcus, and Conner—who make our small business what it is. We hope you feel celebrated this year. And thank you as well to you, our wonderful customers, who choose to support our small business and support our efforts to build community and, of course, love great coffee. We would be nowhere without you.

Here are some photos from our “Midcentury Holiday Dinner Party” last night: