I can't believe I am writing this, but as of Labor Day, my good friend and very long time coworker Robert has lost his job. I am speechless regarding the circumstances of his departure, but please know that Robert’s heart and genuine hospitality has changed who I am and how I do my own work.

Robert is beloved by customers and neighbors. He is the kind of guy who knows all the regulars’ kids names. He buys dog treats to give out to his favorite neighborhood pups. He wears a mask to work every day to make our shop welcoming to our immunocompromised guests (you might not even recognize his face in the photo) after a conversation he had with a regular during the first round of vaccinations. He is the kind of guy who carries cigarettes with him on the bus because even though he doesn't smoke, he has so many friends at his transfer stops that he can't help but be generous. I have seen him give his last dollar to help other people avoid living on the street, and I've felt honored to show up with him for our coworkers and our customers and our friends.

If you know Robert, you know what a generous soul he is. He is applying for jobs (anyone need an incredible FOH person? Reservations? Customer service? Hell, event planning??) and trying to process what just happened. Talking to him about the loss, he isn't bitter or venomous. He is just sad he didn't get the chance to bid farewell to his regulars.

What do you do with a decade of specialized knowledge of all the milestones in the families in our little corner of Edina?

I'm not going to go negative here and I ask that you don't either. I care very much for my friend and following his excellent example and in his excellent spirit, I am simply going to ask for your generosity. He has helped so many people. If you've got $5 to spare, please consider helping my buddy. And if you've got a favorite Robert story, please consider sharing it here too. I want to show him how much he means to all of us.

If you've already got him on Instagram, by all means reach out. We are all going to miss him immensely but if we can't have him back, the next best thing is to help him move forward a little easier.

I am aiming for $1600 to cover a month of various expenses and give my friend some breathing room. Thank you so much for your time.

With love,

Reed