I have to mark another otherwise good business off of my list, at least till the local election ends. That Coffee Shop on Cherry Street has pretty good coffee and is a pleasant place to sit and converse. I will however not frequent any business that is overtly political. Its outdoor decking is plastered with Gomez signs. Of course, I don't support Gomez but that isn't even relevant. You serve a public that has many different political views. You hold yourself out as a coffee shop, a business, not a Republican coffee shop.
In the past I have checked off bars and restaurants that play Fox News on their big screens. I checked off a coffee shop downtown that vigorously opposed river development. Nelson's Buffeteria was hard to write off but very necessary. I just can't be comfortable with political signs surrounding my table or loud mouth Limbaugh wannabe's shouting out their leader's politics. Doesn't matter to me which end of the political spectrum either. Just have never seen left wing examples. Tell me where they are, I'll ignore them too.
Mr. Coffee, enjoy your freedom of speech it may cost you more than you realize. Good coffee can be found anywhere. Its just bad business to take sides.
Why stop there? Why not eliminate all the restaurants that have the local paper or the NY Times. They are also political in nature in the editorials and the stories they cover themselves.
What about establishments that show sporting events such as football, baseball or golf? Would it offend you that they aren't showing Nascar or NBA?
The thing is, these establishments have TV's for people on their lunch break, breakfast or dinner to catch up on the news and see what is going on in the world. Good luck finding a restaurant/bar that doesn't show these things on TV and doesnt have a newspaper.
I am sure you have eliminated about 98% of places in Tulsa havent you? Starbucks has the Tulsa World and NY Times available, Barnes and Noble has several newspapers from across the country. Now you can't even go out and buy a good book or magazine! that must really suck.
Good luck with your findings.
I agree on the overabundance of political signs. National franchises decline to support candidates with signs on their stores. They probably know something this coffee shop doesn't.
Wasn't there something from the last city council election about that coffee shop's outdoor seating being in violation?
Maybe they think the Gomez signs will ward off the city inspectors.
I seem to recall the same coffee house sporting "Our River Yes" signs. (I still went there for coffee.) And they had Gomez signs last time around as well. It's my impression that the signs are less about Gomez than his predecessor and some problems over parking and permission to close the street for a special event.
I seem to recall the owners of Topeka on a few candidate's donor lists.
Newspapers and Nascar? Are you kidding? I am not offended by either and yes I find many places to dine who don't overtly advertise their politics. They don't force me to pick up the NY Times. I don't care if they support or reject river development, my preference when I eat is to not have their view as a side dish.
Tulsa has become way too political when restaurants and coffee shops become campaign vehicles. Its really dumb business to use your premises for someone elses political gain unless that is your mission. When I pay money for goods and services, I like to think that "I" am their mission.
TUalum: there was a pretty decent restaurant over in Brookside that my wife and I visited one Sunday am. Big screen TV's everywhere, unfortunately tuned to a bowling tournament. A large group of well heeled young patrons came in and respectfully asked if they could watch a Nascar race while they ate. We were the only other couple there and really didn't care. The manager denied them and intimated that it wasn't "that" kind of place. They promptly left in a huff. No doubt told all their friends too. The place closed within 6 months. It was a stupid business decision to enforce the managers preference of sports at the expense of their bottom line.
I see Waterboy's situation as a win-win. The coffee shop exercized their right to free speech and Waterboy exercized his. That's the way it's supposed to work, yes?
I don't personally black-list a restaurant, store, coffee shop, etc. due to their politics, but that's someone else's choice if they want to make it that way.
I just don't understand how just because an establishment has Fox News on that you wont patronize their place of business. That is absurd. You mentioned that the places I listed above didnt force you to read the NY Times, these places aren't forcing you to watch Fox News. If you are out with your wife and/or family you should have plenty of conversation pieces to keep you entertained.
I also find it kind of childish to say "I am not going to that place, they have Gomez signs out front". They aren't hammering it down your throat, they are simply giving their opinion of who they most likely are going to vote for. It's like saying I will not patronize a restaurant because they are known for having the local chevy club meet once a week, and I am a die hard Ford guy. It was cool maybe in elementary or middle school, but as a grown adult?
I totally see your point about the mgr not changing the channel. We have a group of friends who we go out with 2 or 3 times a week. If that were to happen with us, I can assure you we would walk out no questions asked, espcieally during football season!
It only really gets on my nerves when they have Fox News on with the audio blaring. I go to a restaurant to have a nice, relaxing meal. I don't want to hear some angry white guy ranting. That's not relaxing.
I don't want to hear Keith Olbermann ranting either.
If you're in the hospitality business, it's not very hospitable to subject patrons to political propaganda. And it's stupid. As a business owner, you're not gaining anything, you're only losing those whom you've ticked off.
I'm not gonna go dine at some restaurant because they have MSNBC loudly blaring. But I will avoid going to some restaurant if they always have Fox News blaring.
Is it just me or has Fox News ratcheted up the political slant lately? I used to defend them because their programming was very conservative, but their news segments were fairly level. But it really seems the news has gone to the right.
"Next on Fox, how the predictions about strong hurricane seasons were wrong and how that proves the Jews hate Jesus."
Wait, what?
Clearly hyperbole, but it seems their stories are much less balanced than they once were. I guess they have their target audience wrapped up and they can just pander all they want now. Or maybe the few times I catch it they just are really on a roll.
/tangent
I do find myself watching less and less national news these days, too filtered for the left or the right.
What Ted said^ twice over.
You got the point Ted. Its just not good business. Childish or absurd, it alienates customers. I despise Good Morning America because of the insipid repartee, usually about themselves. Fox is political plain and simple (actually their news coverage is pretty good especially locally). No problem with that as long as I'm not paying someone for the privilege of eating their food while that stuff plays on the big screen. Ignoring it is not the point. They don't wave the NY Times in front of my face as I pay to eat their food!
I just don't get the connection with your arguments TUAlum. There is a big difference between car clubs, car brands and politics. One sign saying vote Gomez and I would probably not even notice. Four signs placed strategically facing Cherry Street along your dining area? Thats in your face politics and I don't care to support them. If its part of their branding, such as Newt's Neo-Con Lobster Newberg or Cannon's Libertarian Steak TarTar or Ann Coulter's Obama Burgers, well, I'm forewarned that the nature of the place is political and make my choices. :)
waterboy you should have your coffee at Topeka in the Mayo hotel. Nice place, refurbed old building, the only reading material is Coffee Weekly and the building owners are true downtown enthusiasts that put their money, reputations and heart and soul into reviving a Tulsa landmark.
I think everyone can agree with those politics! ;D
Quote from: carltonplace on September 22, 2009, 02:58:55 PM
waterboy you should have your coffee at Topeka in the Mayo hotel. Nice place, refurbed old building, the only reading material is Coffee Weekly and the building owners are true downtown enthusiasts that put their money, reputations and heart and soul into reviving a Tulsa landmark.
I think everyone can agree with those politics! ;D
And they sell their own beans grown on their own plantations. No one else can touch that in Tulsa!
Topeca sounds good. I'll try them out as soon as I can. Do they use real local peasants to harvest the crop?
Quote from: carltonplace on September 22, 2009, 02:58:55 PM
waterboy you should have your coffee at Topeka in the Mayo hotel. Nice place, refurbed old building, the only reading material is Coffee Weekly and the building owners are true downtown enthusiasts that put their money, reputations and heart and soul into reviving a Tulsa landmark.
I think everyone can agree with those politics! ;D
As mentioned above, they were all over the campaign finance reports. So they may not be overt about it, but they are very political.
Quote from: waterboy on September 22, 2009, 05:02:16 PM
Topeca sounds good. I'll try them out as soon as I can. Do they use real local peasants to harvest the crop?
I heard they use out of work union carpenters. ;D
My name is John Gaberino. My wife Margarita and I run Topeca Coffee in Tulsa. Our coffee comes from our family farm in El Salvador. My brother-in-law Emilio now runs the farm but the family has been harvesting coffee for over 150 years. We are one of the few if not only companies that does everything from seed-to-cup. What that means is you are able to buy straight from the farm. By cutting the middle guy out and processing the coffee on our micro mill it allows us to provide more jobs and better jobs on the farm. It also gives us a unique level of quality control that enables us to provide you with a better quality cup for a better price. We are currently C.A.F.E. Practices certified and are hoping to be finished with the Rain Forest Alliance certification for the coming crop. My email is John@topecacoffee.com and my cell is 918-230-7808. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about our coffee and our company. Hope to see you down at the newly renovated Mayo Hotel!
I like your story Mr. Gaberino and look forward to visiting the old Mayo soon. I currently run about 20% coffee in my bloodstream and have the capacity for more. My one vice.
Grizz, many companies have strong political views and donate privately. I support that freedom. Most, however, do not include campaign materials with their products as they take my money.
Quote from: waterboy on September 23, 2009, 07:39:14 AM
I like your story Mr. Gaberino and look forward to visiting the old Mayo soon. I currently run about 20% coffee in my bloodstream and have the capacity for more. My one vice.
Grizz, many companies have strong political views and donate privately. I support that freedom. Most, however, do not include campaign materials with their products as they take my money.
I support them as well. Just contrasting how one coffee shop "shows" lots of support but gives little (or none) and the other "shows" no support, but gives a lot.
So I am guessing you have me mistaken with my dad who happens to have the same name. He has in the past been involved in politics but I am not. My personal political opinions are just that, personal and I agree they have no place in my cafe. If my customers want to chat it up about he said she said in my cafe rock on but I personally try not to mix politics and my business.
As every penny I have for the last 6 years of my life has gone to creating a sustainable business around great coffee I am personally too poor to donate any money to any politicians :-);
If I had a lot of money I would run on a campaign of ridding the world of bad coffee!
Quote from: johngaberino on September 23, 2009, 01:27:49 PM
So I am guessing you have me mistaken with my dad who happens to have the same name. He has in the past been involved in politics but I am not. My personal political opinions are just that, personal and I agree they have no place in my cafe. If my customers want to chat it up about he said she said in my cafe rock on but I personally try not to mix politics and my business.
As every penny I have for the last 6 years of my life has gone to creating a sustainable business around great coffee I am personally too poor to donate any money to any politicians :-);
If I had a lot of money I would run on a campaign of ridding the world of bad coffee!
Good boy.
Quote from: FOTD on September 23, 2009, 02:52:34 PM
Good boy.
+1. Well said John (and welcome to Tulsa Now)
Quote from: johngaberino on September 23, 2009, 01:27:49 PM
So I am guessing you have me mistaken with my dad who happens to have the same name. He has in the past been involved in politics but I am not. My personal political opinions are just that, personal and I agree they have no place in my cafe. If my customers want to chat it up about he said she said in my cafe rock on but I personally try not to mix politics and my business.
As every penny I have for the last 6 years of my life has gone to creating a sustainable business around great coffee I am personally too poor to donate any money to any politicians :-);
If I had a lot of money I would run on a campaign of ridding the world of bad coffee!
FTR - I would support your campaign privately and publicly.
Quote from: johngaberino on September 23, 2009, 01:27:49 PM
If I had a lot of money I would run on a campaign of ridding the world of bad coffee!
That's the best campaign I have heard so far. From now on, anytime I am downtown and in the mood for Joe, I will come in and contribute toward your noble campaign ;)
FWIW- I do believe I went to school with one of your siblings.
Quote from: Conan71 on September 23, 2009, 03:17:06 PM
That's the best campaign I have heard so far. From now on, anytime I am downtown and in the mood for Joe, I will come in and contribute toward your noble campaign ;)
FWIW- I do believe I went to school with one of your siblings.
Cascia groupies...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xa874c_tom-mabe-eavesdropping_news
Love Tom Mabe. Ever hear recordings of what he does to phone solicitors?
Quote from: Conan71 on October 05, 2009, 10:07:52 AM
Love Tom Mabe. Ever hear recordings of what he does to phone solicitors?
Work blocks youtube, but if it's the one I think you've linked, it's the one where a telemarketer calls and he acts like it's a murder investigation, right? That thing is classic.
Quote from: Hoss on October 05, 2009, 01:04:00 PM
Work blocks youtube, but if it's the one I think you've linked, it's the one where a telemarketer calls and he acts like it's a murder investigation, right? That thing is classic.
That would be it. I had to listen to it again
I especially like the last :30 or so. The guy has a very quick wit and wicked sense of humor.
Quote from: waterboy on September 21, 2009, 07:12:26 PM
I have to mark another otherwise good business off of my list, at least till the local election ends. That Coffee Shop on Cherry Street has pretty good coffee and is a pleasant place to sit and converse. I will however not frequent any business that is overtly political. Its outdoor decking is plastered with Gomez signs. Of course, I don't support Gomez but that isn't even relevant. You serve a public that has many different political views. You hold yourself out as a coffee shop, a business, not a Republican coffee shop.
In the past I have checked off bars and restaurants that play Fox News on their big screens. I checked off a coffee shop downtown that vigorously opposed river development. Nelson's Buffeteria was hard to write off but very necessary. I just can't be comfortable with political signs surrounding my table or loud mouth Limbaugh wannabe's shouting out their leader's politics. Doesn't matter to me which end of the political spectrum either. Just have never seen left wing examples. Tell me where they are, I'll ignore them too.
Mr. Coffee, enjoy your freedom of speech it may cost you more than you realize. Good coffee can be found anywhere. Its just bad business to take sides.
Boycotting a business because they play fox news, a sign supporting a political candidate or support river development signs sounds preposterous/Downtown is dead. I do not support river development and my opinion on downtown is love downtown, but if someone wants to support those things I oppose then that is their right and I would have no problem eating at their restaurant if they made really good food. A restaurant should be judged on how good their food is and how good their waitresses and staff are, not because you have a problem with a difference of opinion.
Quote from: jamesrage on October 06, 2009, 02:50:52 PM
Boycotting a business because they play fox news, a sign supporting a political candidate or support river development signs sounds preposterous/Downtown is dead. I do not support river development and my opinion on downtown is love downtown, but if someone wants to support those things I oppose then that is their right and I would have no problem eating at their restaurant if they made really good food. A restaurant should be judged on how good their food is and how good their waitresses and staff are, not because you have a problem with a difference of opinion.
I'm not boycotting them because of their politics, but because of their inability to separate them from their business. Businesses are like referees or judges. They must stay neutral if they intend to do their job well. Would you want to be one of his investors and see him potentially alienating 20% of his customer base?? If you knew he supported illegal immigration and put Nancy Pelosi signs around the patio....would you eat there anyway?? :)
Really good food (or coffee) is just not that hard to find. Really good businessmen are.
Quote from: waterboy on October 06, 2009, 08:12:44 PM
I'm not boycotting them because of their politics, but because of their inability to separate them from their business. Businesses are like referees or judges. They must stay neutral if they intend to do their job well. Would you want to be one of his investors and see him potentially alienating 20% of his customer base??
snip..
Really good food (or coffee) is just not that hard to find. Really good businessmen are.
Usually when people boycott a business because of political views it is because they dislike that business owner's views not because they do not want a business playing fox news or supporting a republican political candidate. Somehow I think if the coffee shop was playing Rachel Maddow or some other liberal lunitac and had a signing saying "I support undocumented immigrants you wouldn't have made this thread.
Quote
If you knew he supported illegal immigration and put Nancy Pelosi signs around the patio....would you eat there anyway?? :)
As long as he is making really good food then yes I would still eat there. His views does not make the food taste any better or worse.
Quote from: jamesrage on October 06, 2009, 08:22:46 PM
Usually when people boycott a business because of political views it is because they dislike that business owner's views not because they do not want a business playing fox news or supporting a republican political candidate. Somehow I think if the coffee shop was playing Rachel Maddow or some other liberal lunitac and had a signing saying "I support undocumented immigrants you wouldn't have made this thread.
As long as he is making really good food then yes I would still eat there. His views does not make the food taste any better or worse.
From reading your past posts, I doubt your sincerity. I made it clear that regardless of the political leaning, it would be enough to keep me away. I also made it clear that their personal views were not important to me as well. I have many friends I eat dinner with that are Republican and conservative but they don't put yard signs around the dining room table.
Just how far will you bow to get good food? If its made by racist skinheads with nooses hanging by the front door, but they make really good sandwiches...are you in?
BTW, after the election I'll gladly revisit his shop and drop my tips in his jar. That sound like a "usual" boycott to you?
Quote from: waterboy on October 06, 2009, 08:29:09 PM
From reading your past posts, I doubt your sincerity. I made it clear that regardless of the political leaning, it would be enough to keep me away. I also made it clear that their personal views were not important to me as well. I have many friends I eat dinner with that are Republican and conservative but they don't put yard signs around the dining room table.
For some reason I doubt your sincerity.
Quote
Just how far will you bow to get good food? If its made by racist skinheads with nooses hanging by the front door, but they make really good sandwiches...are you in?
A place ran by racist skinheads is an extremity. It is nowhere near the same as someone supporting a political candidate or saying they support riverside development.
Quote
BTW, after the election I'll gladly revisit his shop and drop my tips in his jar. That sound like a "usual" boycott to you?
Still sounds like you are punishing those restaurants for the views of the owners.
Non responsive. Nothing I've ever posted would lead you to those remarks.
Don't take my word for it James. Check out how few restaurants or other businesses make such a bonehead mistake as to telegraph their politics in their business. You may find some waiting rooms in doctors offices or tire dealers but few others. Its just not worth the risk.
Quote from: waterboy on October 06, 2009, 08:55:56 PM
Non responsive. Nothing I've ever posted would lead you to those remarks.
Don't take my word for it James. Check out how few restaurants or other businesses make such a bonehead mistake as to telegraph their politics in their business. You may find some waiting rooms in doctors offices or tire dealers but few others. Its just not worth the risk.
Tulsa World doesn't seem to have a problem with it
/quip