Cafe Highlight: 181 Fremont
We’re continuing our 2023 blog mission to highlight each of our unique cafe locations. A couple months ago, we chatted with Xavier at our Roastery Cafe on Taraval in the Outer Sunset. Today, we’re sharing an interview we did with the manager of our downtown cafe, Clare Jolley. Clare shared some amazing stories about her cafe, and introduces us to the 181 Fremont sourdough.
Clare Jolley is the manager of our 181 Fremont cafe.
Manager’s Name: Clare Jolley
Years in Coffee: 6 years
Years Managing Your Andytown Location: 1.5 years!
What makes your Andytown location so special? What sets it apart from the other Andytown cafes?
We are the only Andytown location not within walking distance of Ocean Beach (well, I mean I guess you could walk to Ocean Beach from downtown SF if you wanted to.. but.. ya know..). The hectic downtown energy sets it apart from the other locations with their relaxing beach vibes.
Rebekah, the sourdough artist, admires her work while Jessica peeks out from the back.
Is there anything that you sell at your cafe that you can’t get anywhere else?
We make and sell housemade sourdough. Our baker Rebekah put in an abundance of time, effort, and passion into creating a truly unique and tangy charred sourdough – it’s special. Come check it out if you want your life to be changed! Also, the same goes for the breakfast crunch cookie that we exclusively offer all year round; one of my favorite cookies of all time.
Tell me about your team! What makes your team so awesome?
My team is the best! We always joke that a TV show should be made about us. The dynamic is perfectly balanced. They are super funny, silly (and sometimes sassy), compassionate, humble, and talented. This concoction makes for the perfect recipe to put on quite the show during a rush! 💪🏻
Jessica and Rebekah paint frosting on the “Red Pill” and “Blue Pill” cookies for The Matrix sequel that premiered in 2021.
What is the craziest thing that’s ever happened at your cafe? (Something funny, shocking, or unexpected)
In 2021 we partnered with Warner Bros for the “Matrix Resurrections” release. Customers who came in had to choose which line to stand in to order their drink (red pill line, or blue pill line). It was awesome! Part of the movie was shot in our building and there’s a prominently featured coffee shop in the film so promotion felt very organic :)
The 181 Fremont team as 101 Dalmatians. Sebastian made an amazing Cruella de Vil.
Do you have any fun traditions at your cafe?
We have a streak of dressing up in iconic team costumes for Halloween. In 2019 we dressed as the Bob’s Burgers cast and this past year we were 101 Dalmatians.
Tell me about a time when a customer made your day special. What happened and how did you react?
This past yearone of our longtime regular customers gifted me her favorite psychology book for Christmas. Months beforehand, I had briefly mentioned that I was in school for psychology. It blew my mind that she remembered that detail; it made my whole holiday season (Shoutout Giulia, you are amazing).
Jaime and Clare’s ultimate dream is to make coffee for The Warriors. Steph, hit us up sometime.
Tell me about a time when you (or someone on your team) made a customer’s day special. What did you do and how did the customer react?
A couple of months ago when we were minutes away from being closed, a customer came in looking to buy a breakfast crunch cookie. Unfortunately, we were sold out! It crushed my soul because I could tell in his tone and body language that he had been dreaming of this cookie all day… as he was walking away it dawned on me that earlier I had set one aside for myself. I ran up to him and handed it to him, and told him the universe had me set one aside for myself (but really him) and that it was meant for him! LOL! He tried to give it back to me but I insisted. It was a funny and wholesome little moment. It’s awesome to reflect on all of the possible answers to this question and realize that occurrences like this happen daily between the team and our customers. Being able to have a positive impact on someone’s day is a unique and special part of being a barista – we really get to set the tone, often in the morning.
Jose, Muhammad, and Olin behind the bar at 181 Fremont.
Lastly: why do you love working in coffee? How do you express this in your day-to-day in your cafe and with your team?
Continuing from the last answer, I love working in coffee to connect with people and share smiles and laughs. It sounds corny, but it's true! The first sip of coffee is easily in the top 3 moments of everyday life, and I'm the one who gets to provide that. On the opposite end, I love being able to provide a safe and comfortable space for people. It isn't uncommon for people to find solace at a cafe when they are going through heartbreak, tragedy, etc. and I take pride in being the one to bring that warm, caffeinated comfort.
The 181 Fremont team after a recent Andytown staff meeting at our 800 Great Highway cafe.
