Weeks of 8/15/22-8/30/22

WHAT HAPPENED/IS HAPPENING THIS WEEK:

Its been a devastating month at Fire Island with the deafening loss of our beautiful Amelia Nowak. She will always be loved and remembered here at the bakery. Her sisters and Momma are taking time to grieve and be with one another.

She was so vibrant and exuberant and we will keep her in our hearts and thoughts as the live wire and bubbly co-worker we came to know her as.

A reminder not to talk with any media or post anything about the accident that could possible implicate the criminal investigation.

Nothing is more important to this company than the health and well being of each employee. We are deeply saddened for the Nowaks and will continue to support and surround them with love and compassion.

I, Rachel, will be doing all scheduling for the foreseeable future. This includes all bakers, counter, expo, and clean team scheduling. Text me anytime and I will return your text asap and get WHEN I WORK to be as accurate per those conversations/texts as possible. Gentle reminding is encouraged and please remember to over communicate if you are going out or have requested time off coming up.

Also please remember to let us know when you are ready to work again (covid specifically, you’ll be scheduled off until you are 3 days from symptoms without any medication or with 2 negative test results 24 hours apart.)

At our largest, we carried a 77 person staff in June, and even into July. Then the closing of 91st bakery, in addition to people leaving for school (both studying and teaching) we became a staff of around 60. At this time we have 55 people!! Feels great. We are hiring, but super selectively. Definitely could use another pal or two on the counter and we are in search of a cleaner… so send me your friends~!

TRAINING…

Last week of Tori training Leslie and then Leslie is our incoming croissant queen! She will start with slightly lower numbers next week and then work up to full capacity as we flex with the fall tourist season.

Avery is baking off croissant on Sundays, and then moving back into Cookies/Packaged Goods where he is desperately needed.

Karen is coming back to join the Cookies/PKG goods and will be seen around the bakery on Thursdays and Fridays. Beeke is down to 2 days a week with .5-1 of those days on Expo. Sarah and Laurie will pick up a bit more expo hours on Saturdays so that we can transition into the school year and keep product moving around and cookies in stock!

Naomi is starting to work into sandwiches and will also help cover where she can (obvy, homegirl is needed on the counter, but we are working the schedule to get her training hours.)

We’ve got a new comer to the sandwich team, BRONCO ZAMBONI, stage name Brendan Lashua. He’s another bike guy and comes highly recommended by his fellow sandwich artist and bike enthusiast, Miron. In fact, Miron will be training him Wednesday 8/31, and we will hope to see Bronco help cover for Miron’ 3 week out later this month.

WHATS TO COME:

Well the remodel project is CRUISING along downstairs at K st. The demo has all take place and walls are out. We have a sweet superintendent names Wes who gets free coffee and cookies anytime he wants (keep this dude happy.) The floors will be redone in CREAM and the walls will be hot pink and bright blue. We can’t wait to keep this project rolling forward. Thank you so much to Janis for being a problem solver.

We are trying to gracefully move through this reno without breaking the bank or pissing off K street tenants.

We are switching up freezers and fridges so lets make sure everyone double checks units to ensure they are storing ingredients and products correctly. We will be moving more of the single units downstairs into the new kitchen space, and moving over the working doubles from 91.

ACCOLADES: Congrats to Beth who has gone back to teaching elementary school! Last school year before she (maybe, hopefully) joins our team more full-time and shares her many talents. Hope its a great year Beth!!

ATTA BOY: To all the dudes and dudettes heading back to school this week, GREAT LUCK and don’t take it all that seriously. its just school, better to breath fresh mountain air and work hard building community and eating full flavored real foods.

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK:

Positive review: “An absolute gem in Anchorage. Any visit to the city is incomplete without a sampling of their meticulously crafted baked treats or their divinely brewed black coffee. They source as many ingredients as possible locally and rotate their menu accordingly.”

Negative review: “So tired of it always being "15 min" until things are ready. It's 8am, why isn't there breakfast focaccia ready?”

LISTEN- I wish this reviewer luck out there in the real world, but things are not always ready exactly when you want them. We probably DID have one ready at 8am, it sold out and we are doing our best to make another one. Its not like we are withholding product to make our customers angry…. get a life!

Questionable review: What is your current Sandwich of the week, this week/today? 8/26/2022
If you could post them on your website, Instagram or Facebook, that would be great!
I am vegan and your bakery will make the sandwiches plant based for me and friends.
I greatly appreciate that you will do that.

HMMMM…. we do this? no special orders… so I don’t think so. Take it as is homies, or go elsewhere. I hear Middlway puts out great vegan sandos.

FACILITY PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS:

Another week, another fridge/freezer on the damn fritz!!!! But we are hounding the technicians and trying to get units fixed and back in the mix. Currently the Dairy fridge at K st is down. We moved product around and will update everyone when its back up and running. We moved the break room fridge to the bottom of the stairs and can keep overflow dairy down there for the coming days.

We got the ovens switched so that K st has 4 working convection ovens. So thats cool.

There is a lot of product (mostly packaging and ingredients) in the break room downstairs at K. There are green products in the mothers room, outside the conference room and stashed throughout the bakery. We are trying to compile and organize extra supplies so we stop having such a large inventory of the things we can easily order… better for stuff to be on other peoples (Green Prducts/Costco/Linfords) shelves if we can order it frequently.

Yearly schedule…. seems like this would be a good time to lay out the rest of the year!!

September has just Labor day and we are closed all mondays so no issue here.

October has halloween but we are doing some very simple nods to the holiday (like merengue ghosts), no pizza or special orders of any kind. Halloween is also a monday and won’t affect our scheduling.

November has Thanksgiving which is on thursday the 24th, and we are open this day until 2pm. We are closed on Friday the 25th, and reopen for the weekend. No non-emergency time off request will be granted this week.

December- first two weeks are the last opportunity to use your PTO, unless previously discussed and cleared.

third and fourth week in Dec are black out dates, same as thanksgiving week. Xmas falls on a saturday. Xmas eve we are open until 2pm. Then closed christmas and the day after which leaves just the last week of december 12/28-12/31. Closed new years day at 2 (I think…. check back on this)

January- We are closed at both shops 1/1-1/18, reopening on the 19th!!!!!! Lets get the heck outta here!!!! come talk to us about setting up a stage in another state.

Week of 7/11/22 - 7/17/22

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK: 7/11-7/17

We started off the week with a Sponge Bob themed company picnic, I never thought I’d type the words. It was so fun, so generous, so funny, so great to see so many fire island faces, and was hosted by Gillian, our in-house Esprit de Cours deputy!!

Another great week at all three shops!! Thank you so much to everyone who worked hard, helped the customers and each other, and made beautiful product. There were some real showstoppers this week. (I mean, the BLT is back BABY!! and we literally make everything on the sandwich from scrap, except maybe growing the pigs ourselves… and its a fire sandwich.

Erica spent the week at the helm! and K street is getting a revamp, with some extra attention to detail and cleanliness. She ain’t with the bullshit.

Erin G as leader-in-charge at Airportheights, and things are looking good! It was a crazy busy week

Price increases happened now two weeks ago and we haven’t felt much more than a shrug from customers. I think everyone has come to expect updated menus. Inflation is a real bitch huh?

We are also transitioning tags to a VINYL tags for everything… it was a pilot project for the past couple weeks, but with clean-up care and training, we’ll be able to look slick and keep current. For now, Theresa, our graphic designer is handling the update, but we hope Sarah can keep us in order in the coming months… since we change at least one item a week, we’ll have to stay agile and capable of in-house printing when needed.

TRAINING…

Bread team has a new face this week, Welcome Ryan Fosey! He’ll be training w Caitlin on late bread as well as Alex. Porter continues to train with lourdes and is getting faster and wiser!!

Sweet Tori has continued to train Dede on croissant, and soon she’ll have another superstar to join the pastry team, Leslie! This upcoming week Gabe will train Leslie on bake offs, and then as soon as the 91st bakery closes at the end of this month, Leslie and Dede will be able to produce beaucoup laminated delicacies. YES!

WHATS TO COME:

Most people back in place… no new covid that we know of at this time

Grace back this week on scones, and taking on K street for the next couple weeks at least! Ayze will head to AH after wednesday and produce for them through the month of July.

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK:

Positive review: “Everyone was super nice and food was delicious! Great start to a Sunday.”

Negative review: Is this location still open, I heard you were closing the Southside store.” … oh wait, thats positive! yay, no negative reviews that I can grab from the email this week!

Questionable review: “Is [your Airport Heights] location still open, I heard you were closing the Southside store.” We’ve gotta message this hard in the upcoming days.

FACILITY PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS:

Janis and Jerry have been working tirelessly to keep up in working order. This week alone, they fixed the heating issue at K st, installed new buttons on the croissant retarder and fixed the humidity concern with the bread proofer. Go J2!!

91 UPDATE:

Still closing on July 31st. Gillian, ofc, is planning a good bye potluck on closing day for staff and a few good friends of the bakery. We will stay in production there for a few more weeks, but most of the equipment will come to K street as soon as the downstairs buildout is complete. All mixers, refers, tabletop work surfaces and small wear will head north as we find the perfect place for it at K st.

The buildout is seriously all ready under way. Janis and Rachel have met w design architects, contractors, sub contractors and things are happening swiftly.

Week of 7/4/22 - 7/10/22

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK: 7/4-7/10!!! 

Holy TOLEDO, big week, with all three bakeries crushing business. Monday was the fourth of July, and people seemed to be enjoying the gorgeous weather and hitting the road both north and south outta town!!

We had lots of staff head to Seward to watch Mount Marathon, and others who went fishing and camping!

Erica did a final handoff of AH to Erin G where she will lead with skill and passion!! Erin G in turn threw Erica one helluva “great job and goodbye” party with drinkable glitter, a dorito taco bag bar and a celebrity signing so we can always remember Ericas humble roots. haha, SHAKE AND BAKE BABY!!

Price increases happened across the menu, taking place Friday 7/8. Thank you to Ann G for changing each label by hand and then all three menu boards. Tyler was then able to update all pricing on Square and within one day, we seamlessly increases every item on our menu 10-20%. The chocolate chip cookie, focaccia, and coffee were held back (the smallest increases) to help offset the hurt some might feel…. this helps us to keep pace with increased ingredient and service costs.

We are also transitioning tags to a VINYL tag type, and relieve sweet Sarah M of her label making position. BTW (doesn’t the grounds around AH look B-E-A-UTIFUL?!) Thank you Sarah!

TRAINING…

Bread team still in training, Mack leaving us in just two weeks. Alex, Porter, Ryan coming up to speed!

Miron training in savory department and working with Kat and Donovan at K street. Looks like he’ll have lots of work there putting out excellent sandwiches and helping keep us flush with soup and salads (being expo’d over from AH and made by the amazing Erin G!!)

Erin G getting salads dialed in at AH and getting prep assistance from Gillian, thank you very much!

WHATS TO COME:

Most people back in place… no new covid that we know of at this time

Grace out this week, traveling up to Fairbanks for … Chelsea working more hours than normal, and Leslie and Ayze sending support scones when they can.

Porter out Friday-Sunday and Lourdes keeping early bread smooth and steady.

ACCOLADES: Gillian is planning (and pulled off!!!) the sweetest company picnic ever!! Spongebob themed and with so many cool toys and games. She really is Deputy of Esprit De Cours!! Team happiness is definitely increased due to her dedication, creativity, and kindness (and snacks). Thank you so very much wonderful Gillian!!!

Gannon and Miron did some fill in cleaning shifts and kept us looking super clean and shiny bright. Thank you so much dudes! Great to have Steven back too. We have a rad CLEAN TEAM and couldn’t do this without them.

ATTA BOY: Naomi, counter lead, and all around superstar is making the all-counter meeting HAPPEN. Thank you for taking initiative and demanding that we keep our high standards and meet/exceed expectations. The meeting is by zoom, at 2pm on Tuesday 7/12.

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK:

Positive review: “.Excellent staff this morning at the Fire Island Barry in Logan Street! Everyone was happy to be there and of service to all who entered. It was so wonderful to see such anamazing, hard working and positive team working together! They ALL assisted with my BIG order and helped box and ribbon it up for me with such love and care. I WILL return again and again! Thank you so much! Happy summer!;D !” 

Negative review: Hi there - firstly, I love your baked goods and breads. And I thank you for being here in Anchorage. Just wanted to let you know, that as a regular customer, I often get the wrong food. Meat products when I have asked for veggie ones ( I am a vegetarian). Incorrect scones (I do like most of them, but nice to get the one I ordered) Not getting foods I paid for in my bags - they just never made it - now I check. Wrong breads. If I request a whole wheat sour dough, it would be nice to get that and not a white one - this has happened a few times..maybe your staff need some training on what is what. Again, love your products, but your staff need some training. Thanks very much - Anna

Questionable review: “Price increases - :-( due to Biden’s inflation by shutting down our energy independence (AK oil industry) and printing money. I fear it’s only going to get worse for small businesses.”

FACILITY PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS:

We have a brand new parking lot at K street. SO THATS NEAT!!! The lot looks great! We have custom parking signs lining the south lot line that read “30 minute parking K Street Market” We will not be enforcing this, but thought it might keep people from parking in our lot for one or two hours.

We also go new furniture at K st and have some of it outside. It is colorful and cool looking, but possible not as strong and robust as we hoped. Some of the chairs are already showing wear and tear. We are also pulling in the patio chairs and benches at night so they don’t get lifted… just pretty shiny and bright to be sitting out all night.

91 UPDATE:

We reopened this week and were not surprised the people came right back. The southside doesn’t have a lot of options for high quality food and we are sure they will be sad to see us go. We are still committed to closing July 31st. Many of our customers will come see us at K st market or Airport Heights Bakery.

Week of 6/27/22 - 7/3/22

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK: 6/27-7/3!!! 

We started off the week on a somber note, as we stood beside Max at the burial of his three precious triplet boys. Ashley and Eloise held Max’s hands and so many from our company, and their community, surrounded them and shared in their grief and love. 

“Thank you for being there for us. I can’t thank you enough for all the love and support you have given us during all of this. To see everyone from the bakery come and surround us with love has been so amazing. Thank you for making that possible.” -Max 6/28

It is always family first at Fire Island. We surround our teammates and cherished ones with love and good food. Thank you to Sarah M. for helping to coordinate food for the family. There are spots available to bring meals to them we know they would appreciate your kindness and your cookies… or your takeout. A Gofund me is in process, and more details will be included as they are available. 

TRAINING…

Alex and Porter have joined the bread team!!! Sorry counter, they bakers now!! But such awesome counter dudes they were - so onto the next chapter they go.  

They will be trained by Lourdes and Molly and will surely have an exciting learning curve ahead of them. We have hired a third dude to the bread team (hello department makeover, but in a great way!) and his name is Ryan. He comes to us from full-time baking, and also for the last 20 years. Helllllll Yeaaaaaa bread team, You got this!!

WHATS TO COME:

Tami back THANK THE HEAVENS!

Guys, We are seriously starting to look more full strength staffing wise! 

I almost don’t wanna say it… but hasn’t everyone has covid recently? We should be good for a while…

Ayze out this weekend, to celebrate Eid al-Adha! The holiday is traditionally spent w friends and family and often involves the exchanging of gifts. Eid al-Adha commemorates the story of the Muslim Prophet Ibrahim’s test of faith when he was commanded by God to sacrifice his son, Ismail. The belief holds that God stayed his hand, sparing the boy and placing a ram in his place. Happy Eid al-Adha! 

Grace will be producing scones this weekend at K st and Leslie at 91. Chelsea will be working longer shifts on sat/sun at AH and we can expo in support scones/muffins. 

What did the support scone say to the muffin…? Laurie, finish this up for me. 

We are selling out of muffins most days and will try to up the numbers.

Still planning the counter meeting, didn’t make it happen this week. Next Tue?

There will be an emphasis on communicating w bakers, HUSTLING, and side work. 

Dede is back and full blown scheduling!! Lets get When I Work to be extremely accurate with availability and preferences!! She is super responsive but needs to know where y’all wanna be and WHEN. 

Price increases are coming to keep pace with increased ingredient and service costs. More to come.

ACCOLADES: Will G ran Mount Marathon and probably crushed it!! Last year he got 6th in the junior race, but this year he was with all dem big dawgs, and had to run up a 3 thousands foot mountain and then roll back down it fast as they can! hope you still walking well Will! great job dude!

Gannon gets a huge high five and TYSM for working the counter, the bread assistant position, Expo extraordinaire and also picking up cleaning shifts since Steven was out with covid (feel better quick Steven!) 

ATTA BOY: Kat is taking on focaccia and already put out some beastly focus!! 

Bread team was hoping someone from savory would step up to the plate and Kat was kindly and creatively topping these Italian flatbreads all weekend!!

Also thank you big time to Holley and Maddie for keeping cakes afloat! We know you guys busted butt to keep those cases looking fresh and full. Erica also got a huge wedding order out the door this weekend!! (Stupid wedding season, enough already…)?

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK:

Positive review: “Fantastic new location! Love, love, love! Great service. Plus, I got to see Janis. Win- win!” 

Negative review: 

“I know that you cannot control customer Covid protocol (it was crowded and I wore the only mask) but I did not appreciate the inability to check out without maintaining any semblance of safe distancing. Alaska is leading the nation in cases per thousand and the current Omicron variant is rampant.”

wow, so true. I wonder if we can provide a separate or slightly removed check out option for those with high protocols. Covid is absolutely rampant right now and no one is clamoring to put on masks, so social distancing is safe practice. 

Questionable review: 

Laura Glasgo

Hi! We were given this as a present and we just can't seem to figure out what flavor it is. It doesn't say on the box. I think it has botanicals on the top. Please respond soon. Thank you so much!

This review came in on a tuesday and had three mangers fighting over responding to it. Tami was quickest on the draw!! It was a chamomile cake and they loved it and super appreciated the response and kindness.

FACILITY PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS:

Lawrence removed the metal in the AH parking lot that is posing a popped-tire risk!

He also installed the oven fan over there so they have two working convention ovens.

Bread retarder at K st has a humidifier issue that is still being looked into, 

croissant retarder not fixed…. replacement buttons for the timer have been ordered.

A new, less complicated lock has been installed on the bathroom doors.

91 UPDATE:

We are reopening this week and reasonably committing to being in operation through July 31st. At this time there are no changes to staffing or production (except those changes to the bread program that took shape over the last couple weeks- a “combined bread team” with Nick/Tyler at 91 primarily producing baguette and ciabatta.) We can tell customers that we will be there through July. 

We have much interest in the space and are proceeding with caution at this time. It appears we will be able to finish strong, but ultimately be out of business there by summers’ end. AGAIN, no baking or counter staff will be let go in this transition. We’re pretty sure no one will even lose hours… this will coincide nicely with all the homies returning to school for the fall. Bye suckers! Study hard! Come back soon! 

Week of 6/20/22-6/26/22

WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK:

Oh WHAT THE HECK?!

that was a rough week, am I right?!

We had lots of people out with Covid, mostly from K street. But everyone filled in, pitched in and flexed so that we could put product across the counter. Thank you to everyone who covered a shift or a product while your co worker was out sick

TRAINING…

Mariia training w Ayze now at K! Ayze out next weekend, hopefully Mariia can take the lead and we can expo in support scones.

We have also upped the batch sized for muffins at K st, and should  look into  ah and 91 numbers. We are selling out of muffins most days so we should be making larger batch sized where we can.

Both Tori and Dede out beginning of week, so Tami and Rachel did croissant with some success (and some failure… Learning process!!) Next week Dede is out, and Nowell will be pitching in on CRX.; Karen is back next week so Nowell will train and be another set of hands. Thank you pastry artists!!

Still planning af counter meeting, didn’t make it happen this week. Next Tue?

There will be an emphasis on communicating w bakers, HUSTLING, and side work.

Dede scheduling, but was out some this week, and ALL of next week while her and Amelia en joy the beaches of Hawaii!!

WHATS TO COME:

Tori, Erin C and Karin back THANK THE HEAVENS

This week Erin G and Chelsea out with the rona.

Looking towards a big week, the parking lot at K street is being repaved and will be out of commission monday-thursday 6/30

ACCOLADES: Will G (K street counter) and his Dad refinished our two picnic tables at 91. They are perfectly restored and so wonderful to sit outside and snack on! Thank you so much will- Reuse, remake, repurpose, redevelop…

ATTA BOY: Sarah and Laurie have shown such compassion and have embodied servant leadership in their support of Max and his family. Thank you for arranging, shuttling and helping our beloved Max,you wonderful bakery moms.

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK:

Positive review: “I cannot say enough about how much I love the food and treats at Fire Island. My friends and I literally bring out of state guests here when they visit... and not a single one has ever been disappointed or dissastified

Negative review: “My focaccia was cold, but the cookies were nice and hot, customer service was great.”

Questionable review: “Personal molt amable i tots els productes genials”

(what the heck does this mean?!?!? I copied it word for word…?! what language? any clues welcome)

WHAT’S TO BE IMPROVED: Seating addition…

We are still messing with the seating area at K st. But the tables w hairpin legs have been installed and all the tops have been beautifully refinished. There may be too many seats all together… we now have small and large square tables, guitar pick tables, and also a large marble table. hmmm… seems like a lot.

OUTDOOR FURNITURE COMING THIS WEEK!!!! Its so pretty and all matches and folds away so nicely. It was expensive as shit so we will be locking it up each night.

The seating at 91 seems to be working, but mostly cause that is our biggest TAKE-AWAY bakery. Peeps be stopping at Fire Island before/after costco/target and they are on a mission. We now have 4 small square tables there w 4 seats each. Plus the 3 outdoor metal tables and the two picnic tables (thank you Will!!)

The seating at AH is strange but seems to be working as well. We will bring in stools to replace the tall chairs and possible add more seating as the metal seating from outside K st becomes available.

FACILITY PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS:

lawrence is working to fix the electrical issue AH. He also is addressing the metal in the parking lots that is posing a popped-tire risk!

Bread retarder at K st has a humidifier issue that is still being looked into., croissant retarder FIXED and replacement buttons for the timer have been ordered.

Second bathroom door was bashed in when a little girl was locked inside and the locking mechanism, failed.  new, less complicated locks are on the way and the door will be repaired asap.

Small mixer at AH has been replaced and the Hobart has been repaired (again, thank you Lawrence).