As pandemic restrictions lift local coffeeshop has rebounded.
The Ugly Mug is a local coffee shop located at the busy intersection of Poplar Ave and Perkins Extended. The coffeeshop has been a popular local hotspot since its inception in the 1990s in the University District. Now helmed by David Lambert of Lamberts Coffee, is a bustling example of a business that snapped back from the pandemic. The video shows various facets of the establishment as it is today Gabe, A barista at The Mug, Described the operations at the location during the Lockdown. “We didn’t have the lobby open. All our business was drive-through only and now we are fully operational.” The drive-through is bustling the entire time the business is open. The business has expanded to sell bagged and roasted coffee as well as a variety of coffee pods for the single-serve crowd.
Gabe points out the namesake ugly mugs that line several shelves in the small shop. The customers and baristas refer to each other by name and customer loyalty cards are punched. Gabe states that his girlfriend is in a group of Starbucks employees at local Starbucks that were terminated for trying to unionize. The workers were seen in a television interview and fired. According to an article in the Washington post Starbuck claims the mass firing was unrelated to the unionization efforts. With 7 in 10 Americans consuming coffee every day with consumption at an all-time high more and more, baristas are demanding better compensation and benefits for their skills As Starbucks workers begin to unionize pay for qualified baristas may increase. Gabe Stated that “A rally is planned to protest Starbucks on Wednesday March 9th “, for what the fired employees attribute to union-busting. A talented barista, Gabe demonstrated his skill at late art producing a beautiful design with frothed milk.
