A local coffee shop, Beans and Brews, has introduced multiple Liberty High School students to be baristas. Students in DECA, a business and marketing class, have been able to access business opportunities such as these through the class.
Senior Conner Kolahi-Koocheki, a DECA student and employee at Beans and Brews, jumped at the job opportunity. “A new coffee shop that hasn’t really been in Colorado before was hiring,” said Kolahi-Koocheki. “I thought I would just put myself out there and give it a try especially since I’ve had those experiences. I thought it would be a good way to create new skills, especially when heading off to college.”
DECA is a source of experience as well as a tool to jumpstart future employment. Senior Emma Mola said, “I found out about [Beans and Brews] from DECA, and I didn’t like my other job, and I really liked the idea of being a barista.”
While this job is an entry level position, many students found success because of previous experience. “I think Liberty kids, from everyone who works there, it’s usually Liberty DECA kids. So I think that since we’ve had experience like making coffee and everything, that it really attracted that certain audience of people who wanted to help their skills grow,” said Kolahi-Koocheki.
The environment of the coffee shop is largely community based on the nature of high school employees. Local employment offers have reached Pine Creek, Rampart and other local to the area schools’ students.
Kolahi-Koocheki said, “Working at Beans and Brews has been an overall positive experience. I love all the people who work there. They’re so nice when it comes to helping you out if you don’t know what to do.”
According to the Beans and Brews’ mission statement , the model is to be a part of the community; “We’re not just beans people—we’re people people, too. In fact, it’s our friends and guests who have made Beans & Brews possible all these years.”
Kolahi-Koocheki continued: “I’ve never really had to deal with like, a ‘Karen’, I’m guessing, because it’s more of like a local coffee shop and not a big like chain brand like Dutch Bros or Starbucks, that those local customers tend to be nicer. It’s targeted towards teenagers, so having teenagers as staff really embraces the audience that the shop is working towards.”
The shop especially appeals to the teenage audience through their frequent media presence and relatable staff of the same age.
Beans and Brews, located at 3703 Bloomington Street, is contributing to student employment at Liberty, and Liberty’s DECA class is helping students find these student employment opportunities.
Rebecca Dougherty, a business and marketing teacher at LHS, said, “I know every year we get jobs, especially their first jobs, because they’re able to use the experience working in the DECA store. I had three students, I recommended them for the job, [at Beans and Brews] and they all got the job. I’d say every year, we have quite a few kids that can use that experience to get jobs, whether it’s sumeer jobs or jobs during the school year.”
