Organic Cafe (more thoughts)

[Guest guest]

Lance's report of Joel's sexual harrassment is disturbing. That may explain why

the workers are siding with landlord George, in his takeover of Joel's business.

 

The recent string of events saddens me. I see it as an unpleasant development

for everyone involved. Though Joel's personality and behavior may be

inexcusable, I don't feel it is right for the business he created to be taken

away from him in the manner that is now happening. Without the cafe, he has

nothing, after two decades of dedication to the veggie and organic community.

The Macro Center's loss leaves us without the most interesting (IMHO) veg place

in the Bay Area. Unless he gets a very high price for his business licenses, it

is unlikely that he will be able to open his new place in Berkeley.

 

I am not convinced that the place at 1050 40th Street will reopen successfully.

From what I have seen there, the people who want to take over lack a clear plan,

a leader, and a structure to make practical decisions. One of the reasons I

believe this, is the way I saw the botched renovation that occurred while Joel

was away this summer: Instead of levelling and retiling the dining room floor

as originally planned, they instead poured a four-inch slab of concrete over the

entire dining area, putting it at a different level from the kitchen, adjacent

rooms, and the floor under the refrigerated produce machine. It just looks like

the job was done by someone incompetent. Additionally, the new concrete floor

and the new ceiling without the acoustic tiles have made the space much noisier

than before. I think it would have been better if they hadn't done any work at

all. And they didn't bother to install lights in the new ceiling, something that

obviously would have been useful.

 

Sorry for the long rant about the renovation. It just indicates to me that more

than good intentions are needed to keep a restaurant business going. I think, in

a weird sort of disfunctional way, Joel's inflexible attitude was vital in

keeping the business going steadily all these years. He kept his younger

energetic workers from changing the place. This kept the Organic Cafe from

expanding, and also kept it from flopping during lean times.

 

Anyway, I hope that the landlord and employees will prove me wrong, and that

they will maintain an organic vegan place with a good mood, and which will stay

open for more than a few months.

 

 

Jon Spear