Friday, January 15, 2010

BIGGBY COFFEE -- Love People :)

I met an elderly woman yesterday in the Gull Rd location during SPOT BOB. She was frail and her husband was with her and really doting on her...it was nice to see. She made a special point to come over and thank me for buying her Super Caramel Marvel, as many people do, and we started talking....


Her spirit was exceptionally strong, and her smile was contagious...I asked her if she always gets a Super (24oz) Caramel Marvel? Her husband jumped in and said "oh yeah...usually two or three a day!" My eyebrow went up a bit because she looked slight, like a good stiff wind might blow her over, and three just seemed like a lot. And then with the biggest smile she said "I have to get chemo almost everyday," her husband just smiled and nodded, and that's when I noticed she was wearing something that looked like a black bathing cap.

Needless to say I was stunned, and then even more so when he said "you're keepin' her alive." For those of you that know me, I am not usually at a loss for words, but I was then. And in one millisecond I felt warmth, and spirit, and strength, and smallness...and all I could do was smile. She waved and said goodbye.

There is much we do at BIGGBY that we are proud of...but this was a moment of perspective. I do not know her name...but I will never forget her face. Thank You.

B-happy, Have fun, Make friends, Love people....drink great coffee -- it works :)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Speechless too. We forget sometimes the impact we have on people's lives simply by how we interact with them in person.

Great entry Bob, it is hard to picture you at a loss for words.

TCB

Unknown said...

What a wonderful experience! Thanks for sharing it with us.

Jose'

JD said...

Wow, what a story. That about leveled me. Thanks for sharing it, and thoughts and prayers are with our mystery guest.

Anonymous said...

As a frequent customer of the Gull Road store I've heard of this couple from some othe employees. I understand that the husband is a reqular (as in several regular stops a day) getting several cups a day to go for his wife. Great story.

Sandy said...

The coffee shop business is very different than almost any other food service concept I can think of. It seems that the difference is that coffee is a social experience. When we say, let's get a cup of coffee, we are really saying let's go talk. Coffee is nurturing, it makes us feel good. It isn't like getting a sub fast and cheap from someplace with 25,000 stores.

And so we see an elderly lady undergoing chemotherapy who places great value on the nurturing aspects of what Biggby does. Great tasting drinks that make her feel better. Social interactions that make her feel connected. This is what Biggby Coffee is. This is what, on the best days, Biggby does better than anyone else. In America. It is Biggby's great opportunity. It is also Biggby's biggest responsibility.

Make Friends. Love people.

halfbakedmusings said...

I want to meet this woman. Anyone who can leave Bob speechless is someone I want to know.

Sandra Heska King said...

Beautiful!

Anonymous said...

What a nice visit! Prayers going out to this BIGGBY Gull Rd couple! sld

Gen M Girl said...

Love this story... thoughts and prayers for her recovery.

Andy B. said...

Amen.
Thanks for sharing this with all of us. These events and instances in our lives are what it is all about. They help us build both character and faith.