Starbucks, Phase Two

My passion for Starbucks was at the peak of its honeymoon phase, Christmas season had approached and I felt a new kind of magic experiencing holiday retail in this capacity. I loved my job, I loved my co-workers, I loved the company, and I loved the insane pace during the holiday season. I'd grown very attached to my store manager as well as the assistant store manager. I found myself in a curious place because I related to their responsibilities and pressures as well as the irritations they faced dealing with a youthful staff. In many ways I was straddling both worlds, management and being a barista. I still had no additional responsibilities but found myself more and more informed about the events unfolding further up in the company. The most significant was the new district manager that had been brought onboard with the company.

One night in the crisp darkness of the winter night, my manager and I had a cigarette and discussed the changes ahead. "Things are about to change," she warned "and I'm not sure it will be for the better." I dismissed her concerns and reservations about her new boss simply as nerves and also because at the time it had very little impact on me or my life, after all it was still Starbucks, how much could it change? How wrong I was. My manager was a bundle of nerves everytime word of a visit from our new DM was anticipated, and to the untrained/naive eye it seemed unneccessary.

It was only a few weeks later the first major change was in place leaving shockwaves in my Starbucks nirvana. My beloved assistant store manager was being transferred to another store in an attempt to help resolve issues with the current store manager at that location as well as to finalize his training so that he was ready to run his own store. Word had also spread that a scandalous situation with one of our shift supervisors may create an opening for one of us to be promoted. It wasn't the ideal situation, but my greatly desired promotion was in sight and I was ready to seize the moment and make the position mine. After a number of talks with my manager, I felt I had a good chance to be promoted. I then spoke more candidly with my assistant store manager who was leaving and was told that although there was one other promotion occuring before mine, that I would be getting my much sought after recognition in only a few weeks.

I worked diligently wanting to prove that I was ready for this opportunity. My partners naturally followed my lead and direction and I sought this as an opportunity to prove my worth. I soon found myself on another cigarette break with my manager where she shared with me in confidence, that although there was another partner being considered for a shift supervisor position, she did not feel he was ready and wanted the position to go to me. It was a "matter of formality at this time and would take place within a couple of weeks".

I walked on cloud nine. At night my dreams were filled with visions of me running my own store and being the poster child for the glory of Starbucks employment. The following week, my son fell ill and it was imperitive that I stay home with him and call in sick for the first time in six month. I could hear the anger and bitterness in my manager's voice when I spoke with her. I explained that although I could try and make it in late to my shift, I wanted to give her ample time to plan for the situation. It was not enough. When I returned to work, the atmosphere had changed and I was not greeted like an equal from her any longer. Instead there was a coolness and distance that I recognized was reserved for the partners she merely tolerated. Soon my co-workers were approaching me and letting me know that the other partner that was being considered had been guaranteed the shift supervisor position and I was no longer a candidate. Although I did not want to believe the information I was being given, in my heart I knew it was true.

At a loss as to how to proceed, I called my beloved former assistant manager at his new store and spoke to him about what was going on. I poured out my heart about my disappointment and frustration that due to my family obligations at an inopportune time my dreams were being crushed. I spoke to him about the frigid treatment I had begun receiving from the store manager. He assured me that all would be alright and he would "take care of the problem". My days at the store were no longer the Starbucks nirvana they once were, there was now a black cloud hanging over my head and I feared I'd never find the love I'd had for my job again.

A week later, my assistant manager called and told me a solution was on the horizon and when I was approached with an opportunity to change stores, in exchange for my promotion, to act surprised and to be agreeable. Like a profit a few days later my manager pulled me in the backroom and told me I would be going to panel (formal promotion procedure) for the shift supervisor position and that if all went well, I would be transferring to the store my assistant store manager had transferred to. Appearing shocked was not difficult to muster since I had been told that the store he was at was considered the bowels of the local stores so the location held little appeal to me other than being reunited with my white knight.

I successfully paneled and the transition was under way for me to transfer stores and begin my training. During the celebratory call to my assistant manager, confirming the completion of my paneling, he explained to me that our new DM, was very fond of him and was quite agreeable to have me sent to his store to help him in making the changes neccessary to undo the damage from its current manager. "I convinced her I needed you specifically to make it happen." he told me. I was about to begin a new chapter in my Starbucks saga.