Ryan Stakes has been a dedicated member of the Blueprint team since 2017. He currently serves as the General Manager at the Watson location.
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT THE CAFÉ, AND WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB?
I started at Blueprint kind of out of the blue — I had no experience in the service industry, much less as a barista. I was moving to St. Louis and knew my buddy had gotten a job at Delmar, so I figured if he could do it, I could too.
I went from barista to shift lead to general manager over the course of a few years and have been managing our Watson location for 5 years now!
WHAT HASN'T CHANGED SINCE YOU STARTED?
The intentions we set every day. There is beauty in precision.
WHAT COFFEE/DRINKS ARE YOU INTO THESE DAYS?
I always have double shots, espresso + tonic, drip coffee, shrubs, and iced cortados.
HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE COFFEE INDUSTRY NOW VERSUS WHEN YOU STARTED?
The coffee industry is huge and there are so many aspects of it that I still have so much to learn about. I would say that the biggest difference in my perception of it now vs. when I started is my awareness of the real hard work that the coffee growers, pickers, processors, exporters and importers do. The appreciation I have garnered for this industry as a whole is much more vast than when I started. Getting to go to Colombia with Cher last year was eye-opening and life-changing in that way.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR JOB?
This is a loaded question! For real, though, I think the hardest part of any manager's job is managing people—no one is perfect (especially not me), and we all love to complicate things! That said, while it is a difficult part of my job, it may also be my favorite thing.
WHAT DO YOU STILL HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH AT BLUEPRINT?
I hope to successfully accomplish a tulip at some point and also compete!
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE ENTERING INTO THE COFFEE INDUSTRY?
Don't lose sight of the core of what we do — we are here to serve. If you stay focused on that, you will succeed.
HOW HAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH ST. LOUIS CHANGED BECAUSE OF YOUR JOB?
My job has had a massive impact on my relationship with St. Louis. I didn't live here before I started working at Blueprint. I have Blueprint to thank for almost all of my relationships with St. Louis. I moved around a lot as a kid and never lived anywhere longer than 5 or 6 years. Having been in St. Louis now for more than 7 years, it feels the most like home more than any place ever has. I love this city and all y'all in it.
WHAT NEVER GETS EASIER?
Decaf almond milk cortados 🙂
ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW?
You are the reason we do what we do! Thank you for sharing your time and lives with us every day you come in; it means the world to us.