Maya Foster has been a dedicated member of the Blueprint team since October 2023. She currently serves as General Manager at our Watson coffee bar.
WHAT PROMPTED YOUR INTEREST IN COFFEE?
The smell! My Nana made me my first cup — I think I was 7 years old — and I can recall the way the kitchen smelled: warm pecans and potlikker mixed with buttered toast.
WHAT'S THE BIGGEST STRENGTH YOU BRING TO THE TEAM?
I want both the customer and the employee to feel heard, encouraged, empowered and protected. I try to model that and encourage my team to care about how to be more kind in the way we communicate with customers and one another. I only have a short amount of time with each customer that walks in the door but I strive to give them a good experience in the form of a drink. Hopefully they will also say, “That girl was also so kind!”
I want both the customer and the employee to feel heard, encouraged, empowered and protected.
WHAT DO YOU APPRECIATE MOST ABOUT BLUEPRINT & THE HIGH LOW COMMUNITY?
I decided to invest in Blueprint Coffee when I saw how much the owners and leadership team cared about the relationships between coffee and community, work and life culture and of course, the coffee itself. All of my coworkers are kind and curious and funny and authentic and that’s hella rare across three retail spaces and different leadership departments.
Working at High Low made me fall in love with St. Louis and the insane amount of creatives that come from here. Midtown is so diverse and fresh and I’m excited to see how the space grows with the community.
WHAT'S YOUR GO-TO DRINK ORDER AT BLUEPRINT?
Either an oat milk cappuccino, or a shot of espresso with a tonic water on the side.
HOW DO YOU BREW COFFEE AT HOME?
I prefer a cafe setting for coffee, but I’ve been known to brew a lil’ pot or two if anyone else is also drinking coffee. Right now it’s mostly tea at home, but I’m learning how to work with my Aeropress.
IF YOU COULD HAVE A COFFEE WITH ANY ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD IT BE?
There are so many people I could choose but in the Year of our Lord 2025? I would have to choose Ericka Hart and Ebony Donnley. They’ve already given us so much access into their lives but I would just love to chop it up in a more chill setting. I’m currently in a book club that Ebony has organized and it has changed my life for the better in so many ways. Give them a follow on social media and get your paper and pen out.
WHAT ARE YOUR PASSIONS & INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF COFFEE?
I love live jazz, musicals, listening to funny podcasts, and making food for people. Any new album that just dropped, I’ve probably already listened to it. BIG ROMANCE BOOK GIRLY.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO GO OR THING TO DO IN ST. LOUIS?
Read in the public library, park or browse around the art museums.
IF YOU COULD USE A TIME MACHINE ONLY ONCE, WOULD YOU GO BACKWARD OR FORWARD IN TIME?
Backward to June 1958, to share the week with Maya Angelou, her son Guy, and Billie Holiday.
WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A BIOPIC?
WHOOPI GOLDBERG.
