Genuine Joe: Keep Austin Genuine
In a new series, the Jetski Shaman blog will talk with a local business about their super hero origin story to present day operations. We start this series with a spotlight on a beloved local coffee shop Called Genuine Joe Coffeehouse.
I’d worked next door to Genuine Joe when I was a job staffer and used to go in every day for a nice hot cup of coffee or latte. Later as a college student I spent countless hours studying there, going to Meetup groups there and open mics.
Genuine Joe Coffeehouse celebrates it’s 15th anniversary this week and is located at 2001 W. Anderson Ln, Austin, TX 78757.
Recommended song to play while reading blog 13th Floor.
I sat down with the owner, Josh Brown, who used to be a barista at Genuine Joe before purchasing the coffee shop from the previous owners.
Jetski Shaman: “Where are you from?”
Josh: “I’ve lived in Austin since 1994, and originally I’m from Alaska. My dad was a land surveyor who found work in Austin which is why we moved here. It’s also that’s why he was in Alaska. He was doing land surveying.”
Josh: “We lived in Colorado for a while and Sacramento in the middle of nowhere. New Mexico is where I spent a lot of my childhood until i was 10.”
Josh: “I went to Anderson high school in Austin. Studied history at Austin Community College.”
Jetski Shaman: “What got you into coffee or food service?”
Josh: “Bunch of different paths very serendipitous. It came down to me being interested in how a functioning community can exist in the modern era.”
Josh: “Especially when everything is so distant, when technological innovation replaces people’s hunger for that even tho they still need it. History made me think of the problems when people isolate themselves and lose their ties to feeling a part of something and how that’s really dangerous.”
Josh: “…and how a coffee shop is one of those places where at least theoretically a functioning community can actually exist.”
Josh: “At least to a greater extent than a lot of other settings and it’s also inclusive as opposed to something that is a community surrounding a work, or faith or something else. This is a place where people from a lot of different backgrounds can come together.”
Jetski Shaman: “How did you discover Genuine Joe Coffeeshop?”
Josh: “I came to it through music, I started playing open mics here before I was employed at Genuine Joes. I loved coffee all the way through.”
Josh: “The coffee was a means to an ends on providing a space for several generations and backgrounds to come together in a way that is meaningful.”
Jetski Shaman: “How long did you work at Genuine Joes before you bought it?”
“Almost 7 years.”
Credit: Genuine Joe Facebook Page here
Josh: “It was a surprise to me: I almost quit, went traveling, caught up with family. When I came back I’d resigned but someone needed a shift covered, and they didn’t even ask me I ended up working there. I managed for a few years.”
Josh: “Later that year I was informed there was an opportunity to own this place. We celebrate 15 years this week. I go back to intersecting with the place for 13 or 14 of those [years]. Either on the background or the forefront of my life in one way or the other.”
Josh: “You asked me why I got started in coffee, this was a motivating factor, that have been further explored through experience."
Josh: "It's one thing to do something everyday and have it become 2nd nature and someone who read a couple of books about something and suddenly has a whole lot of ideas about something as opposed to someone who spent years putting time into a craft.”
“It takes on a different tone when you’ve had your pretty ideas or prejudices fall flat on their face, you’re afforded the possibility to learn from these things and learn something new.”
Jetski Shaman: “Were you saving up money while working at Genuine Joe’s?”
Genuine Joe Coffeehouse Owner Josh: “Yes. I had some savings that was a windfall from family tragedy & enough money came into my hands to get my foot in the door as far as financing the place.”
Josh: “But I intended to make my own shop with that money. I didn’t find the right place for that, I know now how little I knew at the time.”
Josh: “By the time I bought the shop I knew how much I didn’t know about what I was getting into. I’m pretty fortunate this is the way it turned out.”
Jetski Shaman: “How long have you owned Genuine Joes?”
“3 years and change.”
“Any regrets?”
“On the whole not too many. A lot of things I wish I would have done a little differently. If anyone is in a similar position to where i was when I bought the place I could pass on a few things that would save them a hell of a lot of grief. Procedural things not the big picture all in all.”
Jetski Shaman: “What kind of things?”
Josh: “I wish i would have known from the beginning how to communicate effectively. Best hiring processes, best administrative processes.”
Josh: “There’s no way I would have known those in the first place so it’s foolish to regret any of those things that came out of this experience.”
Jetski Shaman: “What advice would you give someone who wants to buy an established coffee shop now?”
Josh: “Don’t do it now until covid has done its worst. We are able to hold on because we have a community that has been forged over 15 years in a lot of ways the community is stronger than ever.”
Jetski Shaman: “So say it’s after covid, and life is somewhat normal? What tips would you give?”
Josh: “#1 Check with the different resources in the city.”
Josh: “Make sure you’re familiar with whatever small business training is available form chamber of commerce you can get a lot of resources and grants and possibly apply for small biz dev initiatives.”
Josh: “Go to the permitting department for the health department where you live.When you change the ownership they’ll give you an inspection to make sure you’re up to spec when the ownership changes.”
Josh: “You can call in a mock inspection though, I wish I would have done that. I ended up owing thousands of dollars."
"If I’d known to call in that inspection before that would affected the sales price or there would have been a clause they would have had to get it up to code before the biz changed hands.”
Jetski Shaman: “Did you have a good relationships with the previous owners when you were working here?”
Josh: “Dave and Vic owned it before.There was ups and downs during 7 years in the food industry.We have a much better relationship now and understand each other better now that we’ve been in each other’s shoes.”
“I remember working here for a long time there was a lot of things that frustrated me which you get as an employee so when I took over it was interesting looking at what I would change and what I would revisit down the line.”
“My goal was to not make the changes too obvious so customers retained the feeling of continuity. Whereas behind the scenes I was trying to make it better and make the place live up to what I felt its promise was.”
“Soon enough I found myself in the same position of having the people who worked for me having thoughts on how they wish the biz could be worked better than I knew.”
Jetski Shaman: “I can relate to that because when I was homeless going to high school, I was a problem student causing trouble in class. Then less than a decade later I became a substitute teacher at Austin Independent School District while working on my degree at UT.”
Jetski Shaman: “And in more than one class I had to deal with a disruptive student. Except, I totally got that there were factors behind it, in their home life. It’s interesting how things come full circle when you step into other people’s shoes.”
Jetski Shaman: “What is your biggest achievement for the changes you’ve made with Genuine Joes?”
Josh: “The main thing is a project that’s on going. This place has always been known as an unpretentious comfortable place.”
Josh: “We focus on exclusively supporting local vendors, I got rid of a lot of the menu that I didn’t like. Almost all the furniture here is new since I took over."
Jetski Shaman: "I know I love the tacos and cinnamon rolls!"
Not a stock photo - actual cinnamon rolls from Genuine Joe
Josh: “There was an idea of the place but the reality is it was falling apart. Chairs were way past their prime, this place needed love and attention and a re-imagining."
Not to reinvent the place but to figure out what that potential was what the most important things int he shop was and how to articulate that.”
Josh: "People say this place is “homey.” One of the most important part of a home is that it’s loved and maintained.”
Jetski Shaman: “That’s great.”
[Editor’s note: Genuine Joe Coffeehouse is open, no dine in but they are open for curb side pick up & outdoor seating is available].
Josh: “One of the biggest improvements is what we’re doing while the doors are closed: we’re repainting place, redesigning the furnishing, the porch has been completely spruced up. There’s shade, fresh traffic, it’s open to foot traffic.”
Josh: “It looks 3 times better than before, because its the only seating I’m comfortable with due to COVID. The primer is going down on the murals in the bathroom.”
Jetski Shaman: “What’s your revenue percentage wise per month now versus before covid?”
Josh: “Less than a 3rd percent than what you made before.”
Jetski Shaman: “What are you doing right now to cope with covid?”
Josh: “We have a greater emphasis on the personal. I get to find out what the lived experience is of those coping with covid in different sectors.”
Josh: “Because what used to be routine stopping by a coffee shop that wasn’t a bigger deal is now a bigger deal due to the fact that customers can’t come inside.”
“I take the time to remember people and learn things about people and have convos that continue over weeks and months, that people really need in these really isolating and uncertain times.”
“There’s a lot of people that this the only place they go, because they trust how we operate and this is the only place they go outside their home.”
“My other customers are getting to know each other waiting for coffee. That Community that I dreamed of before I got started is starting to shine in ways that I never thought was possible.”
Josh: “At the end of last year before covid hit we got a surprise we won the Best of Austin Critics picks, from the Austin Chronicle which is is a big deal it’s very competitive.”
Josh: “We got the plaque that said Best Dispenser of Coffee and Comfort.”
Josh: “Everything we had been trying to do was paying off & we were really busy. March was going to be a record month for the entire time we’ve been in operation."
"Halfway through March the shelter in place happened and it wasn’t a record month anymore.”
Jetski Shaman: “What are your plans going forward?”
Josh: “We just have to hold on and adapt to the circumstances and if we do that we’ll come back twice as strong.”
Jetski Shaman: “Yeah I agree because due to the cabin fever people have, they will be super stoked to find places to go out to and there will be a significant overflow of business.”
Josh: “One of the best things is now that we’ve renovated our porch we’ll be in a better place to accommodate the overflow of extra business.”
Josh: ”We’re improving things now because we have to. But every covid adaption we’re placing is one I plan for us to have as part of the permanent infrastructure of the shop.”
Jetski Shaman: “That’s a great strategy.”
Josh: “I don’t want to expand locations.”
Jetski Shaman: “You dont’ want to become another Starbucks?”
Josh: “No i don’t want to lose the personality we have.”
Jetski Shaman: “What mistakes do you see other businesses making right now you’d wish they’d avoid?”
Josh: "The main mistake I’ve seen businesses make is rushing to open as soon as it was legally feasible. That opening contributed to additional cases in the community and those businesses then had to shutter or reduce capacity.”
Josh: “Everything about that is bad: it’s bad for the staff, bad for the community as a whole and it confuses people when things keep changes.”
Josh: “One of my rules here is I don’t want to make any changes that I don’t want to stick to.You don’t want to provide things that you’ll have to take back, it’s expensive to roll something out and then have to scrap it.”
Jetski Shaman: “That makes sense.”
Jetski Shaman: “What do your parents think of your business venture?”
Josh: “It’s been a very interesting transition in the past while. I receive a lot less unsolicited business advice these days.”
Jetski Shaman: “Were they proud of you?”
Josh: “Oh yeah quite.”
Jetski Shaman: “Do they come here?”
Josh: “Yes they’ve come by. I’m really blessed from support all around. It’s ridiculous. I can never begin to hope to ask for the level of support I’ve received. It keeps me honest, during the difficult times it gives me something I need to live up to.”
Jetski Shaman: “Were there any people that doubted you or discouraged you from owning a coffee shop?”
Josh: “Sometimes in that first period of time leading up to the purchase, it felt like there were 2 categories of people:
1. Those of who disapproved of me buying the shop in the first place and
2. Those who merely disapproved of how I was going about it. but that’s just how it felt, they talked less to me and more about me to other people."
Jetski Shaman: “At what point did you feel you had proved them wrong?”
Josh: “Still not sure I have, but one of the most valuable lessons was that…other people’s opinions about what I was doing didn’t matter.”
Jetski Shaman: “What matters?”
Josh: “Head down, try to do the right job in the right way. There are 2 elements: the principles of what I felt the business should mean and represent on the large scale. Then there are procedures of the nuts and bolts of the place how you administer and get from point A to B of the place.”
Josh: “I learned to work with other people’s input on the procedural side and weave the best of everyone’s ideas on how to make things better and that process is still ongoing.”
Josh: “One thing I didn’t put people in the driver’s seat for was the principles of the place and what Genuine Joe’s meant. Over time I learned how to articulate these principles better.”
Josh: “If people shared these principles this was a home for them.”
Credit: Genuine Joe FB Page
Jetski Shaman: “So was there ever a day when you felt like, I did it, I’ve made it?”
Josh: “Yes & no. I get some of that feeling every day. It’s complicated.”
Jetski Shaman: “Well are you proud of yourself for daring to start this adventure?”
Josh: “I don’t really think in those terms anymore.”
Jetski Shaman: “What terms do you think of?”
Josh: “I’m happy i’m part of this adventure. I’m happy i backed myself into a role that is valuable to myself and other people. It didn’t have to be that way and I’m very thrilled to be a part of that.”
Josh: “I’m happy to know I am stronger and more resilient than I thought I could be. That’s good.”
I encourage you to stop by Genuine Joe Coffeehouse, did I mention they serve breakfast tacos too?!
Genuine Joe Coffeehouse is open for business, curbside pick up, their phone number is: 512-220-1576. Address: 2001 W. Anderson Ln, Austin, TX 78757.
Scan this QR code to donate to Genuine Joe Coffeehouse & help Josh keep the doors open:
http://
Support your local businesses and the dream of building a meaningful community another way here:
Donate to Genuine Joe Coffeehouse
What do you love about coffee shops? Have a great memory about Genuine Joe's? Comment below!
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