Employee Walk-Out Closes Down Gorilla Coffee

I for one am devastated as i'm a Gorilla addict...

at the same time, I've always been bothered by most of the employees there, all of whom seemed like displaced billy-burg hipsters with all the attitude.

'course, none of us know the details. Like, I don't KNOW that these are a bunch of privileged trustafarians who didn't expected this job to be actual work where they might get yelled at and could perhaps use a dose of recession unemployment to show them that they're not as special as they thought...

but until further evidence I'm going with that. Meanwhile, I'm typing this from my other fave cafe on Atlantic, the Flying Saucer Cafe which sells Gorilla Coffee.

Hi All,

Thought this was an interesting development - but an East Village coffee shop is now listing on Craigslist that they're looking to hire all of the employees that walked out: http://eastvillagefeed.com/post/516546820/east-village-coffee-shop-looking-to-hire-former

I used to work at their roastery in Sunset Park and I can attest that the owner Carol McLaughlin is absolutely a tyrant and seriously, verbally abusive to, well, everyone.

bravo, that some people are willing to fight for their rights. bravo.

I was sure it was Obama's fault! First the government take over of health care! Now he's closing coffee shops!

Frankly, I'm surprised that the owners had to close even for a day, seems to me that there's plenty on unskilled labor looking for work (That's right you fucking Gorilla baristas, you are unskilled labor). I hope they've found scabs by now because I'm walking my dog in an hour and I can't wait to get my coffee from someone that won't act like they are doing me a favor by making coffee I'm paying for.

You know what, I have been volunteering as a barista at a coffee shop for months now (they donate the proceeds to charity) and I can tell you that it is NOT unskilled labor. It's not easy making mochas and lattes.

anything you can learn to do in 15 minutes is not a "skill"

lornagrl - I sincerely hope that is a joke.

FWIW, the employees at the Starbucks in Georgetown, KY are extremely rude, so much for southern hospitality.

I can't believe Gothamist has linked to that horrible racist blog fucked in park slope. Erikkka Reitman, regularly posts a hateful little ditty where she immitates rapper Biggie Smalls...just like in the old timey minstral days...Its unbelievable that in 2010, NYC this horrible bitch gets up and put on her black face everyday, mocking a cultural hero of my community. What's even more disgusting is that the READERS actually think its funny....YUCK...After all its ameriKKKa right?...they can have whatever hateful, offensive material on their blog they want...(check out the comments section in your link....)

ITs obvious eriKKKA reitman is an uncreative, untalented, unoriginal hack at best...but mocking the black community as a source of material is really pathetic.....THAT BLOG STINKS.

yes, they removed my comment about fugly fur hag EriKKKa REITCHMAN. She is an old fugly racist fur hag.

Cultural hero? Oh jeez, really shooting for the stars there, eh?

Why is this presented as some sort of heroic struggle? Job sucks? Quit. Replace the staff, big fricking deal. It's not rocket science.

hah, i remember when 5th ave was not park slope.

...i do miss park slope.

Yes, it was South Brooklyn. Now, these newbies call Bensonhurst and Bath Beach "South Brooklyn".

And if we all of a sudden have "East" Flatbush, how come we have no "West" Flatbush?

Effing realtors!

something happened recently on 5th and 25th, sunset park in my mind, and the newspaper referred to it as Greenwood heights. hehe.

everything below 6th is gowanus is my mind. Shea stadium, Idlewild, Tri-boro, welfare island, winthrop park. I still use the ole names, cause one day no one will.

There seems to be an epidemic of disgruntled workers who have to deal with the public and I completely blame the greedy owners of chains and establishments like this. They use oppressive means and intimidation to get workers to comply instead of positive reinforcement. Bravo for the workers leaving en masse!

Many years ago I worked the register at a health food store in Soho, and we pulled the same thing, and walked out. The owner replaced us in 2 days.

Gorilla coffee is delicious.

So staff can make demands on what an owner can and can't do? I assume they are all out of a job now. Good luck surviving in this city making demands. Hope they know you don't get underemployment when you quit.

They worked at a coffee shop. They were already underemployed.

they work at a coffee show... it's not like there aren't 823892173981273 career lateral moves available

coffee SHOP, i meant of course

Gorilla's coffee always tasted like it had some sort of odd beefy taste to me... sort of like it had been roasted with rendered tallow or something.

Go Mud!

That's why I have much respect for the folks who work in the Starbucks on Hudson St. in SoHo. The place is a zoo in the morning and these folks always - ALWAYS - get the job done with complete professionalism and courtesy. I've been frequenting the place nearly every day and have never seen the barristas or anyone else be rude.

i was thinking about this earlier. say what you will about starbucks. personally, i'm not a really fan, BUT i've never heard of any customers getting a 'tude from a starbucks employee, or seen a starbucks employee standing around shooting the shit with their buddies while there are 35 people waiting for coffee. i've literally had to ask 2 different gorilla employees 3 times if they could refill the milk and was either ignored or given a dirty look. you think that shit would ever fly at starbucks? (hint: it wouldnt).

i will say, there are a couple good ones at gorilla. the smallish dark haired guy who is usually wearing a brimmed hat and the rosey cheeked girl are usually pretty friendly. and there was a new dark haired girl who started recently who was always smiling. everyone else at that place.....completely miserable.

now, i guess its possible that i'm unfairly blaming the employees. maybe it really is such a miserable place to work that it makes everyone who works there miserable. but, this is nyc. but, don't take it out on me. i just want a coffee.

I for one am devastated as i'm a Gorilla addict...

at the same time, I've always been bothered by most of the employees there, all of whom seemed like displaced billy-burg hipsters with all the attitude.

'course, none of us know the details. Like, I don't KNOW that these are a bunch of privileged trustafarians who didn't expected this job to be actual work where they might get yelled at and could perhaps use a dose of recession unemployment to show them that they're not as special as they thought...

but until further evidence I'm going with that. Meanwhile, I'm typing this from my other fave cafe on Atlantic, the Flying Saucer Cafe which sells Gorilla Coffee.

I agree with you re the gorilla tude. Won't miss that.

I'm also a regular s'bux customer and have never, ever gotten a bad attitude from anyone. The service in every location that I have been to has always been very friendly and (most importantly) fast. I can't speak about the smaller local spots as I really only go to Starbucks as I have never had a chai I liked as much (I suppose if I liked or drank coffee I might have a different opinion as I hear the coffee isn't good) but I'm definitely a satisfied customer.

i'm all for stickin' it to the man,

but i find it pretty ironic that the "workers" quit, seeing as no one there ever really seems to be "working" (unless you consider playing with your ipod, having a conversation with your bike messenger friend, or taking a smoke break while there is a line out the door and down the block "working")

and the coffee there ain't really worth it

for some reason i'm not surprised. i've known a few people who worked there and they all hated it.

does anyone really care what happens in park slope, isn't it one of the flyover districts?

Apparently some people DO care what's happening in parkslope:

http://gothamist.com/2010/04/11/statistician_names_park_slope_best.php

What the hell is that even supposed to mean? Do you just read NYC blogs and then comment on the content with no frame of reference or knowledge of the city? "Flyover district?" As in, what, you fly over it on your way to LaGuardia or JFK?

NO, as in 'no one gives a flying fuck re: some dumbass coffee shop, especially one in Park Slope'. Clearer now?

It's clear to me that the kind of people who would read a regional NYC food/culture/news blog and then bitch when the contributors cover NYC food/culture/news are also the kind of people who tend to have an extra chromosome.

Time for a baristas' union!

Well, I guess a bunch of new jobs just opened up at the Gorilla Coffee shop ! I will tell as many people I know looking for work !

The best way to avoid toxic workplaces in the first place is to do research about potential bosses on sites like eBossWatch http://www.ebosswatch.com

NORMA RAE