Dissolving Invisible Barriers

I found myself talking about Happy Brew recently while visiting friends. I heard myself say, “It’s

almost like we dissolve invisible barriers.” “Hmmm,” I thought, as soon as the words came out of

my mouth. I don’t know where that phrase came from, but it’s true!

I see it every time one of our employees shows me a new drink they have mastered or comes to me excited with some excellent idea. I notice it when a random group of travelers stops in and looks around for a minute, realizing maybe there is something different about Happy Brew. I recognize it with the teenagers who come for a milkshake and end up having conversations with someone they may have never taken the time to chat with before.

We walk around in a world of invisible barriers telling us to stick to our lane, our people, our demographic, our socioeconomic status, our religion, our country, the list goes on and on. For our employees, these are barriers that tell them what they are and aren’t capable of, barriers that say they need to be part of a special segment of society, barriers that say there are some

goals they may never achieve.

The minute you walk through the automatic doors of Happy Brew something starts to happen. I have watched even the stoniest looking face begin to dissolve into a smile within a few minutes. There is no “us” and “them.” The barriers begin to melt away. It’s just everyone here together under one roof.

Some are business people working hard or young people hanging out. Some are black, white,

or brown. Some speak English, others a foreign tongue. Some are kids tagging along with their

parents or elderly grandmas knitting. Some may take a minute to find their words and express

them, others may speak quickly and excitedly. Some are organization leaders meeting and

planning, others are just looking for a simple moment alone. Some may need time to walk to

and fro, others may be up and down helping around the shop. Some may see and hear easily,

others may need to squint a little closer or ask for repetition. Some may get a little anxious with

loud noises. Some may love the chaos. In all of these descriptions, it’s just another day in the

life of Happy Brew.

No boundaries, no invisible barriers, just everyone here together, chasing their own

possABILITIES, no matter what it looks like!!!