Recently I've taken to walking a block from my office building to get my morning coffee at the 3rd Ave outlet of the Cherry Street Coffee House - actually the original Cherry Street branch is also just 1 block away in the other direction but I prefer the 3rd Ave outlet. While the baristas in the Pegasus Coffee House in our building might be pretty and sexy, the coffee just isn't as nice (IMHO).

Today I noticed for the first time that there is something else going on at Cherry Street Coffee House. Something that fired off my passion for management and leadership. The owner, Ali Ghambari is a passionate philosopher who is building a business based on values. There was a card stuck to the espresso machine and it read...

There is no customer service because there is no customer.
We are building individual relationships based on
mutual respect and forging a great community
through the fire of love.

You can view the card here. And a whole collection of Ali's other values here.

Quoting from the About page on the web site, you understand that Ali recognizes that differentiating his business is a vital part of being successful. He has chosen not to pursue the Plus One style of marketing - no cupcakes or radical art work on the walls or tight abdominals, cleavage and belly buttons on show at his shops, just an impassioned focus on community and deep relationships with his customers.

With all of the exceptional coffee houses in our great city of Seattle, you never can stop improving quality and maintaining the highest of standards. The things that make our house special, are first and foremost the true belief that it takes 'True Love to build Great Community' and through deeper connections with our community we will capture great energy that no money can buy.  Technorati tag: Management, Leadership, Cafe, Seattle