I accidentally deleted the StrangeBrew thread...

dawgstudent

Heisman
Apr 15, 2003
39,722
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I was trying to delete the post by GloryDawg and the 2 replies which would have made it turn into more of a shitstorm thread than it already could have been.

I accidentally deleted the whole thread instead. That was not my intent.

You can continue the discussion with this topic.
 

Drebin

Heisman
Aug 22, 2012
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I was trying to delete the post by GloryDawg and the 2 replies which would have made it turn into more of a shitstorm thread than it already could have been.

I accidentally deleted the whole thread instead. That was not my intent.

You can continue the discussion with this topic.

 

LeeDawg

Redshirt
Jun 18, 2019
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Damnit I just got on here to figure out why they're getting ripped on social media. Somebody give me the rundown.. Girl stole pastry she got fired? Granted that's kind of a small offense but probably more to the story? Not sure why it's a big deal.
 

johnson86-1

All-American
Aug 22, 2012
14,676
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I was trying to delete the post by GloryDawg and the 2 replies which would have made it turn into more of a shitstorm thread than it already could have been.

I accidentally deleted the whole thread instead. That was not my intent.

You can continue the discussion with this topic.

You "accidently" deleted a thread about a sponsor while "accidently" hanging the 12th bigscreen in your man cave. ok. sure....
 

Shmuley

Heisman
Mar 6, 2008
24,031
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^^^ sipping banned non-gmo, non-humanely sourced, illicit coffee around a Cuban cigar.
 

The Peeper

Heisman
Feb 26, 2008
15,883
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Its mainly a bunch of millennials getting all socially active and worked up about someone they likely don't even know that was fired from a business they likely don't frequent. Since they think its cool to post about it on their media though they are trying to "throw gasoline on the fire", all over a piece of pastry
 

johnson86-1

All-American
Aug 22, 2012
14,676
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Damnit I just got on here to figure out why they're getting ripped on social media. Somebody give me the rundown.. Girl stole pastry she got fired? Granted that's kind of a small offense but probably more to the story? Not sure why it's a big deal.

Girl posted what was allegedly a screencap of her being fired by text message for eating a pastry and not paying for it. Strange brew was getting "blasted" for it online (not sure how many people really gave a ****, but there were some people posting on their facebook) and Strangebrew added fuel to the fire by addressing it rather than ignoring it.

Someone alleged that the text message was fake. Not sure if that's the position strangebrew is taking or not.
 

Pars

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Oct 11, 2015
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Also appears to be some doctored text messages going around.
I’ve seen the “bad” text message posted on three different messaging platforms.
Looks like someone got fired then doctored some text in a revenge situation
 

DAWG61

Redshirt
Feb 26, 2008
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Millennials are between the ages of 25-40. They pay for the pastries they eat or they are the manager and they get a free meal plan and/or a manager card to act like they rang up the free pastry they just ate. Gen Z's tho damn they be eating them pastries free of charge. It's a real crisis in the pasty/coffee industry. Btw y'all know how many mozzarella sticks the fry cooks at Harvey's eat for free? It's like a thousand a year. No cap. All of them. All generations. Even the boomer that has to wash the dishes on the weekends.
 

SwampDawg

Sophomore
Feb 24, 2008
2,193
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Years ago I read that the big chocolate manufacturers gave up trying to make the employees not eat the stuff. Just let them eat all they want. After about two weeks of stuffing themselves they just quit. Couldn't eat it anymore. This is a guaranteed true rumor.
 

615dawg

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Jun 4, 2007
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Here's the rundown.

We have a Heroine and a Villain, depending on what side you take. Brooke is the "long time" employee of Strange Brew and Katelyn is the owner/manager.

Strange Brew, like many businesses, has a zero tolerance policy for employees stealing from the business. They offer their employees a significant discount, but their policy is that before you eat a pastry or drink a coffee, you pay for the item at the discounted rate. They do not have to provide this discount, but they do. All they ask is that their employees do not take advantage and offer it to their friends or partake of Strange Brew goods without paying.

Brooke ate a pastry without paying for it. She was caught.

Katelyn fired her over text message.

Those are the two facts of the case. Now, you can argue that grace could have been extended to a long time employee and you can argue that firing someone over text message is stupid. I would personally make both of those arguments, but its not my capital at risk, so Shane and Katelyn can do as they want. You cannot argue that Brooke was unaware of this policy or that the policy is needed. Nor can you argue that Brooke did not break the policy.

Here's where things got really stupid. Brooke posted a screenshot of her firing on social media. The woke mob completely came to Brooke's side, which is a little scary to me as a capitalist. They see Strange Brew as the rich company who fired someone over a 50 cent scone and actually defend the thief. Someone at Strange Brew decided to double down and post a "statement" which is basically "We're so narcissistic that we can't leave this alone like professionals." and it has made things worse.

If Strange Brew were my client, I would advise Shane and Katelyn to take the Cracker Barrel "Brad's Wife" route and leave it alone and focus on running their great business. These things have a way of disappearing quickly if you don't fan the flames. I would also advise Katelyn that in a social media obsessed world, I would take care of human resource issues offline moving forward. Plus, firing someone over text is just not a good thing regardless. If Katelyn doesn't stop, she's going to turn this from a local social media event into a national story. I know one of them will read this. Just stop and move on.
 
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Feb 23, 2008
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What's the deal with the racial stuff I'm seeing? Is Brooke African American?

Or that could be part of what another poster described as doctored texts? I'm all confused. Now's not the time for small businesses to face backlash but a policy is a policy so I get both sides. The texting instead of in person is a little tacky for me though.
 

Dawgtruc

Junior
Sep 8, 2018
1,117
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I support Strange Brew. And they have to fight the evil empire across the street for customers (Starbucks)

Local businesses deserve our patronage due to the extreme loss of revenue due to Covid lockdowns and such. Esp in college towns.

I read a review of the Madison movie theater online that was a parent explaining how a teenager was fired for eating a cheese stick that was going to be thrown away. It happens. And yes, it is wrong if it happens to just one type of person and not another (trying to stay within the rules here) But policy is policy and should be enforced across the spectrum of the workforce.
 

DAWG61

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Feb 26, 2008
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You can buy a whole bunch of scones for what it costs to hire and train a new employee to the level of knowledge a long time employee would have. Dare I say many sconch full. Not to mention all the little things that add up that a veteran employee saves you from like spillage, spoilage, missed shifts or breakage. Up to a truck full of scones now.

 

615dawg

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Jun 4, 2007
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I support them as well. They are my favorite coffee, period. I live out of the area now but still purchase it online or in bulk when I am in town to make at home. I hate Starbucks.

Someone taking a $20 out of the register? Fire them without question.
Someone eating a pastry and possibly forgetting to pay for it? Its more of a gray area, but their policy is zero tolerance, so Brooke knew better.
 

615dawg

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I do not know Brooke's race. I have seen it reported that she is AA, but no confirmation.

The doctored texts were people making up other texts from her to help drum up support. The one with Brooke is real. Like I have said, the #1 lesson for Katelyn is to stop the practice of firing people over text message. Its tacky and unprofessional.
 

kired

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Aug 22, 2008
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No, the racial text was separate. Somehow it got brought into this and is being spread - apparently a text between owner and an employee discussing someone taking money out of the tip jar. That's the screenshot SB said was fake and would have been doctored.

They have not denied the text firing the girl, that I'm aware of.

There are a lot of new coffeeshop type places that have opened since SB, I'm sure they'd all like to steal some of that business. And as dumb as it sounds - a lot of ole miss people aren't fans for SB.
 

johnson86-1

All-American
Aug 22, 2012
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You can buy a whole bunch of scones for what it costs to hire and train a new employee to the level of knowledge a long time employee would have. Dare I say many sconch full. Not to mention all the little things that add up that a veteran employee saves you from like spillage, spoilage, missed shifts or breakage. Up to a truck full of scones now.


I can almost guarantee you that she wasn't really fired for eating a pastry, but that the pastry was just the straw that broke the camel's back (or alternatively she was just a subpar employee in general without presenting clear cases for write-ups and discipline) and they stupidly put it in a text message as the reason. I would be more than a little surprised if they had made it this long if this was actually a good employee and they fired her for stealing one pastry. Certainly it happens, but it's the exception, not the rule.
 

615dawg

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Agree. That's why I said sometimes you have to extend grace. I hate "zero tolerance" policies in general. The world is not always black and white. Gray exists.
 

DAWG61

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Feb 26, 2008
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Firing someone over text would normally be considered tacky and unprofessional unless there's still a global pandemic going on right now. One where firing them in person could actually be more dangerous for them and the one doing the firing than if it was done via text or other non face to face means.
 

Leeshouldveflanked

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Nov 12, 2016
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When I worked for the local Sunflower Store as a Stocker/Bagger almost 40 years ago, we had to take yearly Polygraph test.. quite traumatic for a 15 year old..
 

johnson86-1

All-American
Aug 22, 2012
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I do not know Brooke's race. I have seen it reported that she is AA, but no confirmation.

The doctored texts were people making up other texts from her to help drum up support. The one with Brooke is real. Like I have said, the #1 lesson for Katelyn is to stop the practice of firing people over text message. Its tacky and unprofessional.

It's not just unprofessional, it's going to create a legal issue. She probably didn't really fire an employee for stealing one pastry. There are probably other employees that have taken a pastry and had to be reminded to pay for it that have not been fired. If Brook is AA and other employees who have not been fired are not, she just created a huge headache for herself by being unprofessional. It doesn't matter what led up to the firing, it's going to be hard for her to argue that she wasn't fired for stealing a pastry when that's the way the text reads.

Now if they actually have a zero tolerance policy and fire anybody that takes a pastry without paying for it before hand, the first time, then none of this applies. I'm just guessing that's not the case because that would be a real pain in the *** to lose employees over a $0.30 pastry.
 

jethreauxdawg

Heisman
Dec 20, 2010
11,077
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In today’s labor market, no employer is firing a good employee for a $0.50 theft. It’s not happening, I don’t care about a zero tolerance policy. This makes me think there has to be more of a history with the former employee. She provided and opportunity for her employer to show her the door, and they took it.
 

Dawgtruc

Junior
Sep 8, 2018
1,117
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I hate Starbucks.

Me too. I am in the Jackson area now, and if I go to a chain coffee shop, I go to Cups or CC's. Both are WAY better than Starbucks.
I'll be in Starkvegas this weekend, and I'm treating my entire crew to coffee or ice cream at SB coffeehouse.

Starbucks coffee tastes like it is brewed with burnt beans. Too strong. I get that some people like that though. Puts hair on your chest, they say.
 
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johnson86-1

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Aug 22, 2012
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In today’s labor market, no employer is firing a good employee for a $0.50 theft. It’s not happening, I don’t care about a zero tolerance policy. This makes me think there has to be more of a history with the former employee. She provided and opportunity for her employer to show her the door, and they took it.

Yup. If you have an employee that could do just as well or better taking unemployment, and they aren't itching to go sit on their *** and collect checks, you aren't generally going to fire them over something trivial. Maybe Starkville is different b/c of the student population.
 

615dawg

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Horseshit.

She fires people over text message because its easier and she doesn't want to have in person conflict. Its been established that she has done that numerous times over the years.

The gift of entrepreneurship doesn't always come with the gift of good management skills. Ive seen some great companies with good products, good people and good processes fail because of an owner who couldn't properly manage.
 

DAWG61

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Feb 26, 2008
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When I worked for the local Sunflower Store as a Stocker/Bagger almost 40 years ago, we had to take yearly Polygraph test.. quite traumatic for a 15 year old..

Damn baw you shoulda taken the paper route job instead or intentionally tried to fail every single question and then quit. You'd still be laughing about it today. That enjoyment you'd get from that memory would be worth 100X what you made back then.
 

Cooterpoot

Redshirt
Aug 29, 2012
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I'm sipping on their coffee now. I'll continue to purchase. Screw the hate-filled kids that claim it's justice to attack a business for following their policy. Even if texting/emailing is a really stupid way to handle it. (I expect to win the slogan contest now)
 

615dawg

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I believe this happened at the Tupelo location. But your point stands.
 

DAWG61

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Feb 26, 2008
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Horseshit.

She fires people over text message because its easier and she doesn't want to have in person conflict. Its been established that she has done that numerous times over the years.

The gift of entrepreneurship doesn't always come with the gift of good management skills. Ive seen some great companies with good products, good people and good processes fail because of an owner who couldn't properly manage.

Again during times when there isn't an aerial virus going around that's taken the lives of millions of people it is more professional to let someone go in person. This isn't one of those times. Firing her thru text isn't tacky when firing her in person puts more risk on her health. Covid is a real thing 615dawg and normal polices and procedures have been affected by it. Is that a cop-out? Yes but it is what it is. If you can't understand that than it is you that's being unprofessional now not her for following covid protocol.
 

Mobile Bay

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Here's the rundown.

We have a Heroine and a Villain, depending on what side you take. Brooke is the "long time" employee of Strange Brew and Katelyn is the owner/manager.

Strange Brew, like many businesses, has a zero tolerance policy for employees stealing from the business. They offer their employees a significant discount, but their policy is that before you eat a pastry or drink a coffee, you pay for the item at the discounted rate. They do not have to provide this discount, but they do. All they ask is that their employees do not take advantage and offer it to their friends or partake of Strange Brew goods without paying.

Brooke ate a pastry without paying for it. She was caught.

Katelyn fired her over text message.

Those are the two facts of the case. Now, you can argue that grace could have been extended to a long time employee and you can argue that firing someone over text message is stupid. I would personally make both of those arguments, but its not my capital at risk, so Shane and Katelyn can do as they want. You cannot argue that Brooke was unaware of this policy or that the policy is needed. Nor can you argue that Brooke did not break the policy.

Here's where things got really stupid. Brooke posted a screenshot of her firing on social media. The woke mob completely came to Brooke's side, which is a little scary to me as a capitalist. They see Strange Brew as the rich company who fired someone over a 50 cent scone and actually defend the thief. Someone at Strange Brew decided to double down and post a "statement" which is basically "We're so narcissistic that we can't leave this alone like professionals." and it has made things worse.

If Strange Brew were my client, I would advise Shane and Katelyn to take the Cracker Barrel "Brad's Wife" route and leave it alone and focus on running their great business. These things have a way of disappearing quickly if you don't fan the flames. I would also advise Katelyn that in a social media obsessed world, I would take care of human resource issues offline moving forward. Plus, firing someone over text is just not a good thing regardless. If Katelyn doesn't stop, she's going to turn this from a local social media event into a national story. I know one of them will read this. Just stop and move on.


It has already spread far enough for this to happen.

Different Strange Brew coffee house.

https://twitter.com/theStrangeBrew/status/1375093073202515971