Dutch Bros broistas build up a beloved customer with a simple act of kindness
There’s a common saying, “be kind, you never know what people are going through.” The saying isn’t specific to Dutch Bros, but broistas there have learned to live it every day.
Part of living the saying is learning. That’s exactly what Zac Ward, Dutch Bros manager from Grants Pass, Ore. did when he and his co-workers got to know one of their customers. They learned what she was going through- and what he and the community ended up doing to help was nothing short of kind.
The morning rush on any given day at the local Dutch Bros brought the normal routine- customers on their way to work for their coffee, high school kids rushing in for a boost of energy, dogs, and owners excited at the first sight of a puppuccino, and one favorite customer taking the longest walk to get to the shop; day in and day out.
“Her name is Emily (Emma), and she has cerebral palsy. She worked across the street and would hit our stand daily, if not multiple times a day. With her walker though, there was no way for her to get down the steps to the shop,” recalls Ward as he discusses the customer who inspired him and the broistas to act.
The broistas admired how Emma never let her situation bring her down. If anything, her strength and connection to the broistas outshined any difficulties she faced daily.
“Her accessibility to the shop was limited, but her attitude was on fire. She was always happy, always smiling. Our interactions always ended with a high five and a hug,” said Ward. “For having such a huge thing in her life, we never remember hearing her express it as a problem. She was always in good spirits.”
But the broistas could never ignore how far and difficult the walk was for Emma. Because the steps to the shop weren’t accessible with her walker, she had to trek several hundred extra yards to get to the broistas.
The team of baristas knew they wanted to do something to help Emma. They made a plan to build a ramp for the beloved customer, ultimately creating a path that would cut out all the extra steps she had to take to see her biggest fans.
On her birthday, they debuted Emma’s ramp, built with all the love and determination of a squad that wanted something better for their friend.
There was only one problem, “we didn’t get approval from the shopping center to build a ramp for her, so when we added these bent steel ramps with grip tape it actually created a safety issue,” stated Ward.
They were asked to remove the ramp by shopping center management days after giving it to Emma.
The ramp was built and then removed almost as quickly as it went in. But the kind gesture wasn’t as easily deconstructed. In fact, this small act of kindness gained a lot of traction from the community.
“The situation made a ton of hype on social, and that’s how we got a new paved- legit ramp installed! I think the best thing was seeing the community back her. A little social media power and it seemed like all of Grants Pass knew about Emma’s ramp, and why we needed handicap accessibility,” said Ward.
Soon, a newly constructed, fully approved ramp was installed; a positive result of their ingenuity and a resulting partnership between the shopping center and Dutch Bros, who split the cost.
“It really just filled all of us up. For the broistas, we noticed her difficulty and just wanted to try and make it easier for her. But for the community to respond in that way and make this happen was really amazing,” said Ward.
A true story of how a little act of kindness can build up others in a big way.
To see Emma receive her new ramp, click here.