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Drive-through coffee employess recall strange events

Portland police officer Scott Dunick pulled into the parking lot. "I stop by here every day," he said.

What brings Officer Dunick to Coffee People every day? "More coffee for the money," he said. "The 20- ounce espresso comes with four shots instead of two like at Starbucks."

In recent years, drive-through coffee shops have started up around the United States. The popularity of espressos and mochas has created a demand for the stands.

Andrea at Sacred Grounds, a drive- through coffee shop on 82nd, calls the coffee shop boom "a fad. But I think [drive-through] coffee shops will be out for a while," she said.

Joy, at Coffee People, said, "We give walk-in coffee shops a good run for their money."

But coffee stands are attracting a wide assortment of people. Life as a coffee stand barista may not be all that it appears to be.

Andrea enjoys the coffee business, but she had a problem with someone stalking her. "Some guy would sit in his car, watching the coffee stand all day. Every time I left the booth, he would try and push me into his car," she said. "I called the cops, and they didn't do anything. I didn't know what to do."

Eventually, after Andrea called the police three different times, they came and talked to the man. The man left. Andrea did, too. She moved to her present coffee stand -- Sacred Grounds.

"Things are usually pretty quiet around here," Andrea said. "But last week I saw some cops pull over some guy. They pulled him out of his car, handcuffed him and threw him in the back of the police car. They searched his car for awhile, then let him go."

Andrea said, "People come by and hit the booth all the time. My boss says we get some car hitting it at least once a month. They just swing into the lot and try to make the turn quickly when they are going way too fast. They usually dent their bumper or something. Not much happens to the booth, but I haven't had it happen to me yet."

Andrea has also seen an older woman hit the gas instead of the brakes and gun her car into the Original Taco House. Andrea shakes her head.

Angie, a barista at Whistle Shack Mocha on 101st and Foster, can top Andrea's story. On the day before the Whistle Shack opened, three drunk men barreled their car into the shop. They totaled the stand and nearly knocked it into the street. The Whistle Shack owners had to delay the opening.

Angie said, "Not too much happens around here, though some bum tried to steal my tip jar last Wednesday. He couldn't even stand up he was so drunk. I called the cops, and they took him away."

Joy, who works at Coffee People Motor Mocha on 102nd and Stark, said, "I have people who come up, order, pay and then leave without their drinks all the time." Describing her customers, she said, "Customers without coffee are irate. Most of the people are hippies."

One time, a 14-year-old customer on a bike swiped the tip jar. Craig, another Motor Mocha worker, jumped out of the order window and chased the thief. With his drive-through headphones still on, Craig chased the boy a few blocks. Just before giving up, he yelled. The kid riding the bike got scared and dropped the tip jar. Craig recovered the tips and brought them back.

Deonna, who works at Mocha Express on South East 82nd, said, "Most of the people here are pretty regular. There are a lot of strange and rude people. They drive up and I say, 'Hi,' and the customers say, 'How much is it?' Sometimes they talk, and I can't understand them."

Deonna and her co-worker, Tammy, said that some guy kept giving liquor to minors by their coffee shack. They told him not to. When he continued, they called the police. Tammy patted a wall, saying, "Cameras are great." On top of the wall rested a golf ball-sized video camera.

The camera didn't do them any good, however, when a guy came by and flashed them. The police were quick to respond again. Police always receive a discount at Mocha Express.

At Sacred Grounds, Andrea said, "Some people drive through my booth backward for a joke. They are just being funny, but some guy hit an ambulance that was pulling in."