Portland Brew and Hold On Magnolia

Once in a blue moon, I find myself somewhere when a song plays that stops me in my tracks.  It's usually a semi-obscure song, one that I love but now one I would expect to hear anywhere but on one of my Spotify playlists.

A minute ago, as I sipped my coffee and read the New York Times, "Hold On Magnolia" began playing at Portland Brew.  The first notes of the song by Magnolia Electric Company and Jason Molina brought a smile to my face and made me wonder which one of the baristas was playing it on the speaker behind the counter.  The music is louder that normal today - not so loud that patrons can't talk as they drink their coffee - but loud enough that I immediately recognized the song.

"Hold On Magnolia" is a haunting song, one I stumbled across several years ago, probably because it popped up on my Spotify Discovery playlist that I get every Monday.  Jason Molina, the lead singer, tragically died in his thirties from complications related to alcoholism, I later learned.  He was a songwriter's songwriter and I have since seen several singer songwriter's, like Glen Hansard, pay tribute to him.  

Portland Brew has a good thing going right now.  After several of the longtime baristas left, the quality of the coffee and food declined in quality.  More importantly, the atmosphere in the coffee shop changed for the worse.  The baristas didn't care as much about making good coffee or interacting with the customers.  Some of the regulars stopped coming, probably because they noticed the same things I did.  

Recently, however, one of the baristas returned as manager.  A few of the new hires seemed to "get it" - whatever that means - in the same way the old baristas did.  And, wouldn't you know it, the regulars began coming back in the early mornings, weekdays and weekends, to drink coffee, have breakfast, and chat before going off to work or family obligations.  

When someone recognizes you and calls you by name when you walk into a coffee shop or restaurant, it makes a difference.  Everyone one wants to be a part of something, I think, even if it's something as seemingly insignificant as the woven tapestry that makes up a coffee shop and the space it occupies in the universe of life.  Everyone wants to belong to someone, or something.  It's part of the human condition. 

The current team of baristas at Portland Brew are happy to be here, working together, and it shows.  It makes me happy to be here, too.

I remarked to one of the longer tenured baristas the other day - one of the few holdovers from the old, sold crew - that I thought the vibe at Portland Brew was really good and that all of the baristas seemed to get along and enjoy each other's company.  She smiled broadly, like I had discovered a secret that only she knew.  "I'm so glad you noticed!"  

I am, too.