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ASHLAND The Beanery customers remember the better times Employees say working conditions had deteriorated Comment By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted May. 26, 2015 at 5:24 PM By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted May. 26, 2015 at 5:24 PM » Social News ASHLAND — Drowning their grief in coffee, chocolate and a nip of Irish whiskey, about two dozen town members joined five freshly laid-off workers Saturday on the front deck of the shuttered Beanery on Ashland Street to joke, toast, shoot selfies and swap tales of dear times over the last 43 years at Ashland’s first espresso house. The vat of coffee for the wake came from somewhere else, not “the Bean,” which was “immediately” closed with a phone call at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, telling manager Nicole Sanderson not to sell anything more and to have customers out of the shop in 30 minutes, she says. Soon, a van arrived from Allann Brothers corporate headquarters, she adds, and locks were changed. “Their lease was up in September and the landlord, in Ashland, wanted way too much, plus the cost of whole beans is going up. These are the reasons I was given,” says Sanderson. “They took our tip jar with 3½ days of tips and said we would get a check for it ... ." Sanderson said the work environment had changed for the worse in the past year. "They kept taking things away, like the shift meal and holiday pay. They paid minimum wage to all workers, except me. We used to be run like a family, but stopped being about the culture and employees a year ago.” Workers were told they would be mailed checks Monday, said the store’s assistant manager Jamie Stone, and to call headquarters if they had questions about getting unemployment. “I feel pretty horrible about it,” says Stone. “They kicked everyone out. They closed it in such an abrupt and unprofessional way, with no respect for the customers.” On its website, Allann Brothers attributed the closure to an ongoing drop in business: "This location suffered significantly in 2008 when the recession hit," the statement read. " ... it has lost roughly 40% of its market share." On Saturday, regular customers remembered better times and challenged workers to a laugh-filled game of “name my drink." They could name them all. Regulars named the friends they’d met at the Beanery, some decades ago. A tearful Julia Roupp reminisced about how she always brought her children to the shop after opening Christmas presents — and ticked off various friends she shared lattes and hours of chat with. Longtime customer Lorna Romano said, “I was shocked, especially at the circumstances. It’s been such a part of the community for so long. When I was unemployed, it was here for me and I would talk or read and drink coffee for five hours.” The owner of the building and 2.5-acre tax lot at 1602 Ashland Street is listed by the Jackson County Assessor as Dr. Rhet Chang. She is an Ashland internist and bought the property in 2009 for $1.03 million. All the remaining seven Beaneries are in the Willamette Valley. Owner Allan Stuart, who began his business with the Ashland shop, did not return calls over the past several days. In its website post, Allan Brothers also said: "Allann Bros continued to operate the location mostly out of a sentimental attachment to the community that started it all. The staff diligently tried to entice customers to return, but unfortunately a recovery was not to happen. ... Change however, as painful as it can be in the moment, can be a blessing. Nostalgia is not always a good reason to persist at something that does not have a promising future. The city of Ashland had moved on to other coffee houses as is the way of business at times. It was great to have Allann Bros get its start in Ashland and we appreciate the many years the community has shared with us." John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted May. 26, 2015 at 5:24 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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