A COVID-Era Coffeehouse: How Cold Spring Coffeehouse Built a Business in a Pandemic
Lidija Slokenberg recalls pondering how to organize the straws when Cold Spring Coffeehouse opened in 2019. Now, she thinks about mask mandates and vaccine status while making lattes and sanitizing the milk bar.
In its brief lifespan, Cold Spring Coffeehouse has spent more time in a pandemic than out. Slokenberg has worked there as a barista since the opening day, and has watched the business fight to stay alive throughout the financial hardships and loss of customers.
She remembers “In February of 2020 when no one was talking about COVID, a man came in wearing gloves and a mask, it was something straight out of a movie scene… Looking back I think ‘This guy knew what he was doing.’”
In 2020, Owner Craig Roffman designed a makeshift takeout window using a sheet of plexiglass and some wood to offer contactless pickup for customers. When they reopened the doors to the public in 2021, they started checking vaccination cards for all patrons who wanted to sit inside. At times, the coffeehouse would be so active that Slokenberg didn’t have the time to sanitize the tables before another guest would ask to sit down.
Like most essential workers, Slokenberg does her best to keep herself, her coworkers, and the patrons of the coffeehouse safe. She had early access to the vaccine, despite it causing her some stress. She states “I got my first dose of the vaccine in March, which was considerably earlier than my other friends– I almost felt guilty, like I hope this isn’t taking away from other people who need the vaccine… But I ended up getting it to protect myself and the customers.”
While Slokenberg works hard to stay up-to-date with information on safety protocols, the same cannot be said for all the people she interacts with on a daily basis: “It’s scary to think that I’m interacting with people who wear cloth masks.”
Slokenberg has yet to personally experience a customer refusing to wear a mask, she finds that “Every now and then you see a certain look like ‘oh you’re one of those people…’ we just kinda push that aside, the main thing is to keep everyone safe.”
The coffeehouse has also received COVID-related backlash on their social media, with an anonymous Instagram user DMing the coffeehouse’s Instagram to ask “Still requesting ‘papers’ to enter shop, are ya?” in reference to their vaccination policy.
Despite the numerous complications created by COVID, the Cold Spring Coffeehouse has stayed afloat. Slokenberg attributes their success to the coffeehouse’s “general energy,” specifically citing the “art from local artists on the walls” that is available for purchase. The drink menu has everything from black coffee to specialized espresso drinks, and the wide variety of pastries are made fresh each morning by manager and baker Emmelia Klubnick.
After nearly four years of working at the coffeehouse, Slokenberg continues to love her job. “It’s a great fit for me… I’ve learned so much just about coffee itself and pastries and work ethic, food services just teaches you a lot about communication.”
