Eight months into COVID

Today marks exactly eight months since we first adjusted Taproom’s service model because of COVID-19. Needing to adapt quickly to a changing world, back in March we pivoted to a closed cafe, mobile app ordering, curbside pickup, and local delivery.

Image from Atlanta Business Chronicle article

My son doing online learning.

And how have we done since then?
Well, it hasn’t been easy. On top of all the restrictions we all face due to transmissions risks, Taproom simply hasn’t been able to be the bustling community hub that we usually are. We can’t have events, we had to severely limit our food menu, and people can’t just hang out and work from the inside bar and sip on a pourover coffee or a beer. Personally, I’ve had to balance parenting and schooling with all of my business responsibilities. I’d love to be working every shift at the shop to help out and to save on labor, but it’s impossible when I also have to facilitate online learning for kids at home, tag-teaming with my wife, who also works a full-time job and manages a staff.

Financially, Taproom has survived. Early on, we got a PPP loan from the federal government, which allowed us to comfortably keep paying our staff normal overall wages even as baristas had shorter shifts. Unfortunately, our coffee bar at Mount Vernon School had to shut down permanently due to COVID, so we consolidated everyone into one crew and we were actually overstaffed, with fewer hours to go around. As the months have worn on, our sales have slightly declined and we’ve tightened our belts as much as possible.

The biggest thing we’ve seen is the incredible outpouring of support from our community. We routinely receive words of encouragement in-person or online, and you all have shown us dedicated support in the hugest way by continuing to be your go-to spot for daily or weekly coffee-related needs.

Encouraging notes from customers!

What’s next?
For now, we will do another little pivot. As much as we love providing convenient curbside pickup, it becomes increasingly more difficult to maintain when our “pickup lane” is filled with parked cars (those are legitimate parallel parking spots, after all), and as our drink runner also has to juggle taking orders at the door and handing finished drinks to walk-up customers. And as the weather cools down heading into the winter, it will occasionally be unbearable for people to stand in the cold or rain out on the sidewalk, waiting to order or pick up a drink.

So to try to solve these issues, as of Tuesday, 11/17, all pickup and in-person ordering will now occur indoors, though we will still strongly encourage all customers to use the Odeko mobile app to order ahead. We realize that many will be hesitant to come inside a store, especially with COVID cases rising, but we have made every effort to ensure the safety and comfort of everyone at Taproom through this transition. We’ve listed out the precautions we’re taking to minimize transmission risks. With this new service format, you can zip in and out with self-pickup of mobile orders, and Taproom baristas don’t ever have to cross physical paths with customers.

If you live within a 3-mile radius of Taproom (we’re generous with that limit), we are still offering FREE home delivery of coffee beans, iced coffee gallons, and cartons of oat milk. We run deliveries every Tuesday and Friday afternoon.

When will we get back to normal coffee shop life?
I don’t know. Nobody knows for sure. All we can do is take it one day at a time and continue to serve you the best way we can, given the circumstances. As much as it’s within my power to promise, Taproom will be your consistent partner in the coffee journey of life. We’ll get you quality drinks and beans quickly and efficiently with a smile in our eyes, and we’ll make every effort to keep our staff and our customers safe throughout these COVID times. Thanks for all of your support, understanding, and encouragement!