christopher myers

Male

Oakland, CA

United States

Profile Information:

What is your position in the coffee industry?
barista, manager, coffee shop owner, coffee enthusiast, entrepreneur
Where are you located? ( City and Country )
Oakland, USA
How many years have you been in the industry?
8
If you are a barista or shop, are you interested in a barista exchange with another coffee shop/barista?
yes
Tell us more about your coffee shop or barista skills.
My espresso attack is unstoppable.
What cities or countries are you interested in traveling to?
I'll go anywhere if it's cheap and has good food.
About Me:
I like a book with my coffee, I like a whiskey rocks with my friends. I'm a fabricator of things.
About My Company:
3 of us founded Alchemy Collective Cafe, incorporating as a worker-owned cooperative. We Started off at a farmer's market table, then built a mobile espresso cart, then moved into a closet-sized micro cafe, and we've now opened our full-sized cafe on the Oakland/Berkeley border 3 great years after inception.

There are 9 of us worker-owners now. We built out the cafe together, we split up back-end tasks so we have no managers, and no employees, no bosses. We make decisions democratically and split profits by hours worked and weighted by seniority.

We serve Verve coffee for now, but we've started working with a roaster friend to develop our own roasts. So look out for Alchemy Collective Roaster within the next couple years.

Cooperatize everything!
What is your favorite thing about the coffee industry?
Mostly all the money and fame.
Website:
http://www.facebook.com/Alchemycollective

Comment Wall:

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  • Levi Andersen

    Saw you posted some info about Square on you iPad. Hoping you could give me some advice in that area. Did you ever find a better solution?

    Feb 21, 2011

  • Hava Java

    Mr. Myers,

     

    Thanks for your response.  I am very interested in hearing your thoughts about a Co-op type of model.

     

    I appreciate uyou taking the time to enlighten us!

    Aug 10, 2011

  • Java Gem Coffee Drive Thru

    Hey guys congrats on everything you have done. I have 2 cafe's/coffee shops under my belt and I am now doing coffee cart/kiosks..i am looking to build a nice one as you guys have done. you guys have any detailed plans or better videos you have done? I remember reading some where that if you would have done anything different you would have used different wheels, any thing elsE?

    thanks for any help

    Brian

    Apr 29, 2012