Welcome back, Jo!
“I learned that Grand Central was a sustainable company that gives back to farmers in the region – my mind was blown.”
Jo knows coffee. She was hired in 2018 as Barista Lead at Grand Central’s flagship Pioneer Square location.
Get to know Jo, our Eastlake Café Manager:
Back story:
Born and raised in Puget Sound.
Hired in 2018 as barista lead at Grand Central’s flagship Pioneer Square bakery. “I didn’t know what a B Corp meant, and I was intrigued. I learned that Grand Central was a sustainable company that gives back to farmers in the region – my mind was blown.”
When that location closed in March 2020 due to COVID and a pending building remodel, Jo took time away for personal reasons, then returned to the industry as a lead at Starbucks and manager at Queen Bee Café.
What she missed: “My regulars. We had a group of forensic firefighters that would come in every single day. They always got coffee and pastries. I knew them by name, I knew about their lives. Knowing people and having them as regulars and friends and having them as part of your lives – that’s special. It was heartbreaking not to see them.”
These days: Café Manager at Eastlake since July. “I’m very happy to be back – it’s like visiting family, in a way. There are people at every café that I know. It’s so fun to see familiar faces.”
Happy place (on the clock): “I always prefer to be on the floor of the cafe. It’s those little moments that really brighten your day. It’s people teaching me about new music, new shows.”
Happy place (off the clock): Outdoors. On a hiatus from work in 2020, she hiked ]400 miles and visited 40 National Parks.
Job essential: “I think about not only how I can help the company, but also how the can the company help my growth? Where can I go?”
What keeps her going: “Our mission at Grand Central - that we support our immediate farmers. I like that a transaction can be a celebration for the region.”
Confidence and compassion is the secret to thriving in hospitality, says Jo, pictured here with her niece.