Share your Starbucks-related 'historic blizzard' stories

Did your store close early, or open late because of the storm? Were you short-staffed because employees weren't able to make it through the snow? Are customers understanding? Or being a--holes about it? Share your "Blizzard of 2011" stories here.

Comments

[Brrr!]

Luckily I'm off today, but seems like my store isn't open yet. No word on when it will be (Lake County, IL). Another nearby store is still planning to open some time after noon, nothing definite yet.

[wutwut]

I'm off today too due to having school on Wednesday (campus was closed). But my store's open and functioning as normal...(Holland, MI). Crazy. I'm about a 20 mile drive to my store. I couldn't imagine going in today! I hope the roads clear by tomorrow morning!

[decaffinator]

We closed one hour early last night. I'm leaving in a couple hours to close again tonight. The fact that we're open is ridiculous. 19 inches of snow, makes for unsafe conditions for partners to get to work.

[Coffee Soldier]

Yep...closed early last night by about an hour but no word from the DM today...who is probably cozied up at home while we clean, shovel sidewalks, then repeat...we've done 200 bucks...I'm on my iphone on break in our cafe...not a single soul on the road aside the city plow trucks in the past 20 min I've been sitting here and not a single customer either.

[Kristina]

I couldn't get to work the other day and was told, you have to cover your shift. I couldn't cover it and have been off since Tuesday. Wondering if when I go in on Friday if I'm going to get a write up? Black ice everywhere, the state patrol said to stay off the interstate which is how I get to work, yet I'm supposed to somehow magically get there. Is someone's life or damage to their car really worth a cup of coffee? They don't pay me enough to risk it!

[Jim Romenesko]

A full work crew at my neighborhood Evanston SBUX, and not an open seat in the place. About 15"-20" of snow outside.

[harmaa]

My manager closed our store without DM permission. He didn't want us driving in this weather. I love him for being concerned for us.

[IL Barista]

The DM made the decision last night to "talk" about opening late today. This morning I got a call from my store manager. All stores in the area closed for the day.Too dangerous driving. 1.5 ft to 2ft of snow with 3-5 ft snow drifts.

[Jamie]

There is ONE INCH of snow that fell in Las Cruces NM last night and there's nothing on the roads now but District Mgr Cheryl decided to close all stores due to "inclement" weather and not to open any all day. I'm sitting here outside the Lohman store using the free wifi and there's about one disappointed customer every 5-10 minutes. So yes, I called corporate and complained. If that makes me an a-hole I guess Sbux doesn't ever want my money.

[chicagoshift23]

i was told to open my chicago store per normal hours, despite the 26 inches of snow and 60 mph winds. customers were very thankful, and we got really busy as the last of the blizzard passed. my back hurts from shoveling =(

[Jeff Tom]

Yes, Jamie, you are an asshole. Because YOU could not get YOUR coffee. In the future, please patronzie your McDonald's or, god forbid, make your own coffee at home.

[Kristina]

Hey Jamie, I think you'll find that most of us will agree.....YES YOU ARE AN ASSHOLE! It's just coffee for God's sake. Do you feel more important now because you called corporate? Still didn't open the store did it? Stay a step ahead of the crowd and make your own via in your car, hopefully in a traffic jam, caused by someone who was trying to get to work to make YOUR special coffee.

[David]

Most of the stores in my area were closed yesterday and today...we had problems last year during icy weather (me and another partner having accidents) due to overzealous SMs and DMs, so no one was taking chances this year.

[me]

Yeah, you're an ass, Jamie.

[KFC Blend]

Customers are ridiculous!!!! really let me jepordize my life for your coffee

[rawr]

We closed early yesterday....the store was dead all day. We didn't get snow so much as icy rain that iced over all the snow we had previously. I almost crashed on my way to work several times and my windshield was icing over despite the heat blasting on it. We definitely didn't do enough business to warrant our store being open. But my DM's getting nervous because this is the fourth time in the last month we've had to close early/open late due to weather. There's like 4 feet of snow on the ground from all the storms.

[baristamclane]

All that sun here in SoCal is gonna make it tough to go into work tonight...

Yeah, Karma's going to kick my ass, I know.

[Anonymous]

Our store operated on normal hours when the storm began to hit. We were sent a memo stating First and last...that partner safety was the #1 priority. Yet, with almost 2 ft of snow, and drifts at about 5-6 feet, we had to open at regular hours. We closed early, but f'n ridiculous. All stores should have been closed! I had to go into work forcing my way through tons of snow and ice. Was my safety Priority #1? My ass it was...a cup of coffee, and $2.50 for a Venti was the priority. Thanks for really caring Starbucks. Your partners appreciate it!

[Black Apron Boy]

LOL....I'm so freezing here in Phoenix.... 80degrees LOL

[Jamie]

I didn't have to go to McDonalds--I went to the indie coffee shop in town, which was slammed with customers disappointed by the four closed Starbucks locations. Somehow all of the staff of the indie place and their customers drove there without dying on the roads. I guess its staff could bother to get out of bed, unlike the lazy Starbucks employees of Las Cruces.

I wouldn't drink Via if it were a choice between that and recycled urine, thanks.

[baristamclane]

One inch of snow in an area that I assume rarely gets snow can be just as dangerous. If we were to get snow here, I can guarantee you that most drivers wouldn't know how to drive in it, making conditions even more dangerous.

Btw, Jamie, if you still managed to get your coffee, then why the heck are you complaining? And who is the lazy one, paying other people a premium price to make a cup of coffee? Get over yourself.

[TiredofThis]

Jamie, I'm sorry if your disappointed. Since you love the indie shop so much why don't you go there from now on. Your coffee is not worth the safety of the employees that serve you. However, I agree Via is a terrible substitute.

[alex]

Starbucks doesn't give a crap about your safetey! They need to make sure they have enough money to pay howard's salary.
Chicago was closed down, some banks were closed down. Our dumb ass store was open while there are many others that were closed.
I had to climb through 4 feet of the snow in the street to serve some asshats coffee. Some were giving us attitude that we didn't serve all the pastries - we had like 30 customer in 4 hours .... glad that starbucks gives a crap about their worker's safety. oh yeah right... they don't

[Former SM]

Two years ago we had a big storm and only a few people could make it to work. I had snowtires, and even though I lived the farthest away, I always made it in. As the SM that also meant working open-close. Not a very good week.

[ibblet]

Oh arizona. Its was like 60 deg outside and i had people crying that it was too cold. I told them atelast your not in the widwest

[erstwhile]

Normal hours in Iowa, but 12 inches of snow is something we're pretty used to. They closed an hour early last night because of the high winds/poor visibility.

Our DM was in our store today, too.

All the major businesses and schools were closed, though, so we had zero traffic. Store would have been lucky to break even on labor today, I think.

[Mark]

Everything was normal at the store here. Opened on time. Watching the many cute women in shorts (downtown LA).

Maybe go to the beach.

[R1]

This year we had one young male barista seriously injured on his way to work in a snowstorm this past December. Shortly after that and just before Christmas a young woman barista was on her way to work in another snowstorm and was critically injured. She never woke from a coma and died a couple of weeks ago from extensive brain injury. Our entire area has been devastated by this, and it has made the DM think really hard about store hours during storms.

[...]

What area is this? I would love to mail a copy of the obituary to my DM.

[anon-girl]

DM Toni V in downtown chitown didn't care a smidge about the conditions forcing her stores to open and partners to attend. Calls and emails are going out to the pcc because several partners live further out and had a hard time getting to work, and felt like their jobs were in jeopardy if they skipped because of the blizzard. She then complained at how late stores were in opening. I have two kids and I felt forced to be at work, despite their and my safety. They just don't care. Momma isn't happy.

[Feeling Joyful!!!!]

I used to be a store manager in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am that I quit this company last September. It is such a huge relief for me and my family knowing that I no longer have to risk my safety for a company that really doesn't care about its partners.

[frapatte]

Yup, agree with Jamie = asshole. You think a DM would make a decision like closing all of their stores for the day lightly? Like it's totally cool for DMs to refuse/risk all those potential sales? Haha, sheesh. How ridiculous. Use some logic.

[Aces of Eight]

@Jamie: Did you ever stop to think about what you are getting so upset about? It's a cup of coffee, you could make it at home. Seriously.

A.Cup.Of.Coffee. It's not that serious, sorry it's just really not. If it was some emergency service I could understand you being upset but it really isn't anything you actually need.

For starters people don't need caffeine at all, but if you are addicted and don't want the headaches, you can always make it at home. It's not a necessity and the way you talk makes it sound like it is. You are making a mountain out of a molehole. Do you realize how much of a hold Sbux has on you when they are closed for a day and you get really upset, so upset you have to blog about it? Eating out of the palm of their hand man.

And finally, it may not have seemed dangerous to you, perhaps it even wasn't. But in an area that doesn't get much snow, and isn't used to it, a small amount can be very dangerous because most people don't know how to handle it.

And finally, as someone else mentioned, a DM would not close down all their stores if they didn't have a really, really good reason. They lose a lot of money that way and get a lot of complaints from people like you who can't take care of themselves enough to make a cup of coffee at home when the snow hits. They don't want to lose the sales for their district or deal with caffeine addicted people with a bad set of priorities, so they wouldn't do it willy nilly. Think about what you are getting so upset about and consider realigning your priorities.

[Jamie]

It's funny that you're so quick to jump to the defense of a DM who you don't even know and who obviously made a bad decision. But I know that for you guys in your dead end retail jobs hating on the customers is one of the few compensations. Tell me why it is that you think you deserve tips for making fast-food coffee again? I could use the laugh.

[white cup]

aces is not defending the DM he is simply stating that those people who are DM are just as much as an ahole as you that money is more important than safety so IF a DM choose to close it must have been really bad.

as for tips: tips are so little of what we make that who cares about them. I dont care for them, I dont ask any customer to tip and I dont place the jar their so I could care less, I just work for sbux i dont care about you, im just a mediator i take your money and give it to sbux, sbux gives me coffee i give it to you.

As soon as the belittling of others begins i loose respect for that person because it shows how pathetic of a life that person lives that they have so much time to post on here, us we are employees its part of our lives you? your a customer with nothing better to do.

Dead end? no job is really a dead end job actually as for sbux most DM, SM and ASM began as baristas and the rest are going to school so believe or not most sbux employees will be succesful. This job is temporary for a lot of employees so get of your high horse jamie.

[Aces of Eight]

white cups first paragraph explains what I and others were saying about the DM very well.

And his rebuttal for the rest was good too. Thanks white cup.

[Joan]

I am disgusted with the way Starbucks has handled the severe weather in Texas. Sheets of ice cover everything, the news begs people to stay off the street, and yet employees were forced to go to work anyway. They haven't been closed a SINGLE DAY. A few stores closed early, but that's it. At least two baristas I know have been in accidents (though thankfully none were seriously injured.) And for what? A few bucks! The company likes to talk about "safety" and make ridiculous rules about not taking the garbage out after dark, but when it comes to real danger they drop the ball. We've all been left with the knowledge that they don't care about us at ALL; all they care about is money. They're literally willing to risk the lives of their employees just to sell a few cups of coffee. My opinion of the company has been permanently damaged, and I hope and pray my friends aren't injured or killed because they were forced to drive in what anybody can see are extremely dangerous conditions. This is appalling. And do you think the DMs, who control this kind of thing, are out and about? Of course not. THEY are safe at home.

Shameful.

[TiredofThis]

Joan, where in Texas are you? All of our stores in DFW that I'm aware of have been closing at 5pm with very little pressure to come in if you don't feel safe.

[Coffee Soldier]

God forbid there are anymore accidents and no one gets injuried but it would be nice if there was an accident or two on the way to gather change or drop the deposit during one of these storms and then since it would be time on the clock maybe Starbucks would take some accountability. We opened late at 6 instead of 5 one day this week and a customer was banging on the door pulling on it when I went to open it even though we had clearly left a sign the night before stating,"This location will open at 6 am on 2/3 to enable our employees an extra hour to get to work to serve you during the snow storm." Then the customer was all angry at me...guys like him make to miserable starts to the day after it took me an hour to go 6 miles to get there...everyone else was so grateful we were opened and happy that Starbucks had taken into consideration an exta hour to get to work.

[frapatte]

Hahaha wow look at the pathetic little worm Jamie try to troll his way out. "I was wrong? Well, uh, you guys are dumb and stupid! Nyah-nyah!" Haha man if I ever need to argue with an 8 year old I will come straight to you for advice.

[Editor]

Hi everyone,
I'm an editor at a major online magazine website and writing an article called "20 things you barista won't tell you." Please reply with your contact info if you're interested in contributing!
Thanks!

[NaturallyDecaffeinateMe]

Our store didn't close recently, as we never do really. We're lucky If we get to close an hour early on snowstorms due to no customers for 3 hours hah. Anyways, I closed the other night and we had 3 customers in a 2 hour period. Two ordered drip coffee and one a Doppio. So, We sat in the back room for those 2 hours listening to music, etc. I'm sure Howie wouldn't like that, but it was pointless and we could've afforded to shut the place down early for a day. There was literally NOTHING to do. We've been cleaning our store non-stop lately because of EcoSure making it's rounds in the area so we seriously couldn't even deep clean.

[spence]

My SM is a puppet for the DM but when the weather was bad, my SM put their foot down and told us to drive when we felt safe. The store never opened and that's the way it should have been.

[North Star Barista]

Obviously from MN here...very fortunate that this one passed us by...however, here's what happens next, you'll get in trouble for the labor variance. Good luck and stay safe!

[spence]

North Star Barista was right. We had labor variance issues which caused issues. The SM was in a panic. A panic!!!! The shifts were so overworked and behind it was awful. Honestly, sometimes it's just not fair.

[abe]

hey editor
check this out. everyone in retail is told "to upsell the customer". our dm wants us to upsell the same customer twice in the same visit, and suggest specific items that are high margin. i hate to do this to our great reguler customers, but there is tremendous pressure to get that extra $$$ !
it's embarrasing . i think i'll start selling vaccum cleaners door to door....

[Stan]

@jamie
"It's funny that you're so quick to jump to the defense..."

it's funny how your so quick to condemn the DM, and her decision to keep the employees safe. One inch of snow in the desert of New Mexico, has to be debilitating, like 3 feet of snow is in NYC. Nobody expects it, and never will be prepared for it, because it's so rare. I'm sure most people who live in New Mexico have never even driven in snow before.

"dead end retail jobs hating on the customers is one of the few compensations"

we don't hate on customers, we hate on customers like you. You expect to be served with no regard for common sense, or humanity. Here's a lesson that you should've learned a long time, the two people you always respect are the people who deal with your food, and your money.

" Tell me why it is that you think you deserve tips for making fast-food coffee again? "

don't tip Jamie, we don't ask you too, it's voluntary. we aren't waiters, the tips are a bonus for us for doing a good job, if you feel that we are doing a crap job, then your more than welcome to take your drink without tipping. Even if you think we are doing an excellent job, and you don't wanna tip, go ahead, nobody cares.

[Melody]

@Editor - On the topic of 20 things your barista wont tell you, they really want you to pick "highly satisfied" on the Customer Survey Receipts because Starbucks only scores the "highly satisfied" answers. I'm Melody from http://www.starbucksmelody.com

[P]

I honestly don't expect tips from most people that come in getting just a couple drinks, or drip coffee. The regulars with several drinks, or people with a hellish amount of personalization; different story. I find it quite funny that Jamie's life is so empty that if her Starbucks is closed for a day (god forbid) she feels the need to go to the tip top to be heard about her bad experience. Judging by her petty attitude and hostile nature though, I'm guessing she probably is a fairly miserable person. If you react to a few store closings (amidst others being open) like that, then I'd hate to see you deal with a real problem. You strike me as the type of person that everyone behind the counter smiles with and chats with, but when you leave they probably are very happy. I doubt anyone has a genuinely good time interacting with you. Stay home, for the rest of us.

[HD]

I don't believe my fellow partners are giving any thought to the real issue here. You're referring to the company/managers/customers as the ridiculously selfish party in this discussion when EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US knows what's it's like for a partner to miss work.

We know how it feels to be understaffed or fully staffed with partners who refuse to grasp the concept of urgency and stand around with their hands in their aprons.

When a partner doesn't show up to work at Starbucks, everyone loses. Your management teams aren't being supreme assholes for expecting you to be at your store, their expecting you for the reason you get paid. Don't vilify the people who have to pick up your slack.

There are always people who have worse jobs than you, worse circumstances than you, and probably worse wages than you who get to work without complaint because they don't have a choice. You could take a lesson or two from that.