Mom left us six years ago. Tomorrow would have been her 96th birthday and we are reminded that there are so many things we remember and celebrate about her. But most of all, she was quite simply a sweet, warm, friendly person, and her Starbucks story is one that personifies those qualities. So, in her honor, we offer a reprint of one of our original posts, “BettyBucks.”

BettyBucks

Are you wondering what the heck Bettybucks is? As you have probably guessed, it has to do with coffee. Getting a coffee was the highlight of Mom’s day. She loved to dawdle along to her local coffee shop, rain or shine, (stopping to pet dogs, speak with strangers and marvel at babies) and over time we referred to her destination as Bettybucks….aka Starbucks.

The Tradition Begins

Starbucks was a part of Mom’s life for a long time. She and Dad would visit there daily, spending time enjoying their drinks and making new friends…well, Mom would make the friends. It would start with a smile and a pleasant comment and Mom would take it from there.

When Dad passed, Starbucks was an important “anchor” for Mom…..a continued tradition that helped give her day structure and something to look forward to. In the minds of many, she became synonymous with Starbucks. Her friends would often make a point of asking if she had been to Starbucks yet.

“The Betty”

Her drink was always the same, and over time the baristas got to know her order off by heart. If we went to Starbucks without Mom, we only had to say the first few words and they often knew we were ordering a “Betty.” And what a drink it was…….a calorie laden:

• Grande
• Decaf
• Caramel Latte
• Single shot
• Extra foam
• Extra Caramel drizzle

The Staff

The staff at Starbucks treated Mom like she was the most important customer of the day. They always greeted her with a welcoming smile, and a friendly hello. Everyone knew her. Even the new hires knew who she was, and what she liked to drink. If they saw her at the back of the line, they would often have her drink ready by the time she reached the counter and they routinely personalized her cup sleeve with a “cute message of the day”.

Two of the younger staff took a special interest in Mom and at one point arranged to take her to a movie. They even paid. Imagine Mom’s surprise when the two girls arrived to pick her up, and the mother of one of them was driving! Mom had just assumed that the girls were old enough to drive.

Mom is in the News

Starbucks Wherever You Go

When Dad passed, Big and Middle Sis took Mom on a cruise along the East coast of the US and Canada. Starbucks became a “cruise theme.” We decided that we would make a point of finding a Starbucks in as many of the ports as possible, partly because Mom needed her daily “Betty” and partly because it was just fun.

In fact, it was pretty much a given that no matter where she was, or what her daily routine, Mom would be looking for a Starbucks: at the pool, going about her day or keeping up with her correspondence

The Last Drink

Over the last few months of Mom’s life there were numerous stays in the hospital, but fortunately there was a Starbucks on site. The staff there got to know the three of us very well, because whenever we visited her, of course we brought her a coffee. When other family, and friends visited they made a point of bringing her coffee as well.

When Mom passed, one last Starbucks drink was placed at her grave site. As a wonderful testimonial to her joyful and friendly personality, her memorial service was also attended by Starbucks staff.

It might sound “corny” but in our minds, it is impossible to over state the significance of Starbucks to Mom. It gave her a sense of a caring community and an acknowledgement of her as a person. Elderly women are often overlooked in our society but Starbucks staff truly appreciated her sweet, friendly approach to life and always added a bright spot to her day. Thank you Starbucks!

We will do a new blog post every Monday, so stay tuned for the next one entitled “Turning Tables”