SLO business owners were blindsided when coronavirus hit. Grocery jobs saved them
The economy has been slammed by the coronavirus pandemic, but three business owners in San Luis Obispo are finding a way to make things work.
The men, who individually own a coffee shop, a mobile draft beer truck and a brewpub, recently got jobs stocking shelves at Vons supermarket in San Luis Obispo’s Marigold Center to help pay the bills. They work graveyard shifts — from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
It’s something they never thought they’d be doing, but it’s where the workforce need is. They’ve discovered the demands of the job — aching muscles and unconventional nocturnal hours — along with camaraderie and inspiring collaboration.
“I have so much appreciation for the other workers who have done this for 15, 20, 30 years in some cases,” said Joshua James, owner of Tap Truck Central Coast in San Luis Obispo. “Every day I come home and soak my feet because they’re so sore from nonstop work all night long. I’m so proud to be a part of the team.”
James has worked alongside Julian Contreras, owner of Kin Coffee Bar, located a block away from Bubblegum Alley on Higuera Street, and Cody Conti, part owner of The Carrisa by SLO Brew, also in downtown San Luis Obispo.
Contreras said his coffee business was profitable for eight months before the coronavirus pandemic hit. His income has dipped 80% since a countyside shelter-at-home order went into effect March 18.
Contreras makes $18 per hour at Vons, including additional pay for being an essential worker, he said.
After he gets off his shift, he opens his coffee shop in the morning for takeout service, and then hands off duties to employees before getting some rest around midday.
“Honestly, the reason why I’m doing this is because I want to pay my employees,” Contreras said. “I was bummed for about a day after the shelter-at-home order hit, but I’m someone who doesn’t like to sit around and wait for a loan that may or may not come through. I saw Josh and Cody doing this and I decided I could do that too. It’s something we all take pride in.”
Beer truck owner gets graveyard shift job
James said he got his job at Vons after business for his mobile beer truck dried up.
Tap Truck Central Coast supplies events and weddings, which have all been postponed or canceled. James was preparing for the busy time of the year when things came to a crashing halt.
“I had no idea what to do,” he said, adding that he felt lost for a few days trying to figure out how he’d pay his monthly rent and keep food on the table.
He could have applied for unemployment or a business loan. But James personally knew Tim Krauk, manager of the Marigold Center Vons store, and stopped by the supermarket to see if he could get hired.
“I went in and gave him a fist bump and said, ‘I’ll do anything. I’ll stock the shelves, I’ll be a clerk, whatever,’ ” James said. “He said to apply and I filled out the forms and got hired pretty quickly.”
James said he loves the camaraderie of the work, which involves manning aisles with masks on, shouting out conversations and social distancing, unloading palettes with the “pedal to the metal.”
“I go through a gallon and a half of water every night,” James said. “I’m 35 and in good shape. But this is a workout for sure. I bought insoles and changed my work boots to Nikes.”
By the time he wraps up work, which can be between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. given the workload of the night, the seniors are coming in to shop. James said he stays up for a few more hours before crashing, and doing it all again.
He works six days per week. Up to eight workers stock the shelves at Vons in the wee hours.
“As a business owner, at first it was like I didn’t want people to know I was doing this, but now I’m screaming it from the rooftops and couldn’t be prouder,” James said. “I have huge respect for the night crew.”
Vons supermarket: Business booming during coronavirus
According to Krauk, business at Vons is up 30% to 40%. The grocery store has hired several new employees, he said, including bartenders, waiters and Cal Poly students.
Krauk said the store is fully staffed now.
Vons’ new Drive Up and Go program, which launched in mid-March, provided new work opportunities as well.
That program allows shoppers to order groceries online. Vons staff members fill bags for shoppers to come pick up in the parking lot, where employees load them into vehicles.
“I’ve been in the business for 35 years, and other than a strike in 2003, this has been the craziest I’ve seen it trying to manage the demand,” Krauk said. “We’ve had a really good response from the public and folks being patient. We’re trying to get groceries here in stock as quickly as we can.”
Though supply levels have improved lately, Krauk said there have been shortages of sanitizer, toilet paper, rice and beans.
“It makes me think of the Great Depression,” Krauk said. “People ask when we’re getting supplies in, but sometimes we don’t even know the answer.”
Business owners collaborate while working at grocery store
Working together all night long, Conti, Contreras and James said they’ve talked about ways to grow their businesses.
Conti worked for Von’s for 14 days until his unemployment application came through.
He left to focus on ways to grow The Carrisa by SLO Brew, where he’s a 25% business owner. The restaurant and bar is currently closed.
“Spending so much time together at night, we were talking to each other through the aisles,” said Conti, who worked his last shift Monday. “We’ve been brainstorming about ways we can work together.”
One of the ideas is to convert James’ tap truck into a mobile coffee and tea delivery business.
That could involve serving up coffee produced by the Kin Coffee bar and tea from The Carrisa. Contreras and James are still working grocery shifts and try to meet around that schedule to come up with ideas.
“It’s been cool in a lot of ways because we’re all three business owners who were still trying to get our companies launched and excelling when this thing hit, and we now are working together to find ways to do new things,” Contreras said. “It is pretty strange, though, to be in this position because we were all working so hard to never have to call anyone boss again.”
This story was originally published April 15, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
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