Tribe Coffeehouse — Restaurant in Arroyo Grande

Discrimination A friend of mine. The situation as told by a former teacher of hers... my former student who graduated with honors from a local high school and is now at Cal Poly recently applied for a barista position at Tribe Coffee House in Arroyo Grande, Ca recently. She wanted to work at a small business and liked the vibe. She obviously impressed them at the interview as they hired her. She did not disclose her visual impairment during the interview as it did not come up naturally (and is not legally required to). At the end of her first two hours training with the manager, she casually brought up to the manager how great it was that the cash register was electronic and therefore, very visually accessible. She then shared that she was visually impared and the manager was very sweet and said they could accommodate her. Upon arrival at her next scheduled shift she was met by the owner and the manager and asked to explain her visual condition, which she did. The owner then gave her a series of tests to do to evaluate her vision. The only task she was not able to complete successfully was to read the measurement on a clear measuring cup filled with water and devoid of any contrasting markings from over 3 feet away. (I remind you she is visually impaired and I don't think I could do this accurately with normal vision on a clear measuring cup from a distance.) However, she gave the owner strategies that she would use to ensure that she had the correct amount in the cup including memorizing each level and visually confirming it before inserting it into the espresso machine. The owner then informed her that they would be removing her from the week's schedule and that she could go home and they would do more research on her visual impairment. The owner called her the following afternoon and informed her that the position was not right for her and that it might be a good idea to apply at Dutch Bros. or Starbucks where they could accommodate her visual impairment.

What bothers me most about this situation is that the owner did not even give her a chance and set her up to fail. My student had and shared strategies she would use and they were disregarded. She wasn't even given the opportunity to demonstrate how she could complete the task! Additionally, it seems Dutch Bros and Starbucks are better able to provide measuring tools with readable print on them than this small business and allow the individual to hold the cup where they can see it. I find this hard to believe. The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) protects employees of business with more than 15 employees. Since this business does not meet this criteria they are exempt from the same standards and can do as they please. So it seems that in the eyes of the law this sort of treatment is legal but it certainly does not make it right or ethical. A marked measuring cup doesn't sound like an undue burden for a small business to provide for an accomodation. This makes me sad, frustrated, and disappointed. While I’m certain that in the owner's mind she was just trying to reduce her own perceived liability and possibly ensure my students safety based on very limited information, the owner lost out on a great employee. But worse yet, she gave my student her first life lesson in employment discrimination due to her...

I’m seeing other comments on the witchcraft items here (ie tarot cards), and I do agree. I’m also seeing the business’ response on one of them. No need to defend the quality of your service, staff, or coffee, or the well-intentions of your business when none of those things seem to be a concern. And to-each-their-own if you want to display and/or sell those items; but that doesn’t mean everyone has to be comfortable with being in an environment that does. Just wanted to clarify that that other person didn’t bash you, your coffee or your staff. She simply stated she was uncomfortable with an environment (that I’m assuming probably goes against her own beliefs or convictions), and I felt the same way. With that being said, the coffee was good, and the staff was...

The place is relaxing, cozy, and a good place if you want to just have a time for yourself, or a place for conversation with someone or group of people, there are some pockets of space just for you and they even have a room for big groups. This time we picked their outdoor seating, it was a nice weather to have a latte outside. The coffee is great too, it felt and taste like it was carefully handcrafted for you, we had white mocha latte and ham and swiss croisant. The pastry was really good, good portion of meat and cheese. I am certain it was not from a grocery store warmed up. It's a special croissant, one of the best I had in Central coast. Looking forward to trying their other pastry. Parking is plenty...