Tribe Coffeehouse

Delicious Matcha! The baked goods are very good too. The people that work here are always friendly, and the atmosphere is nice. My new regular coffeehouse.

Best little coffee shop in town! The coffee and pastries are top quality, coming from Seattle I was quite impressed .The barista’s were very friendly and helpful. The outdoor patio area is huge and very clean. I highly recommend checking this place out for your self .

Awesome almond croissant, great coffee. Thanks tribe!

What a wonderful place! Went there today for the first time, and I will definitely be going back. Claire is such a delight. It’s eclectic, super friendly and has a great atmosphere with superb coffee and pastries. It’s one of the coolest places around!

Voted best coffee stop by New Times, and anyone can see why. The smoothest coffee I've ever had.

Update: (Allegedly) The owner is unwilling to accommodate visually impaired employees. I’ll be going to Quintessa from now on.

Original: My favorite coffeehouse in the Grover Beach / Arroyo Grande area. I have tried 6 coffeehouses in the area but I always come back to Tribe. The coffee is very smooth / milky. They have alternate milk options. I get almond milk in my coffee. The whole shop has a very cute vibe. I’ve bought postcards, stickers, and a sweater from here. The greeting cards, calendars and bath products also look super cute.

Staff is so nice! Personally my favorite chai is from Tribe. They are my new go to hang out place with my friends. Has the best cafe lattes and the coffee in general is delicious. If you are just visiting for a warm cup of coffee you should really stop by. By far the best staff. Warm and cozy little coffee shop.

What a wonderful coffee shop. Great coffee and fantastic service. I ordered a cappuccino and it was delicious. Also, their monkey bread was fantastic. Wish we had time to stop and sit but we got our coffee to go. Worth swinging by.

Great atmosphere and vibe. Service was excellent. The layout is nice as there are several areas to tuck away into as well as a large outside patio to enjoy some fresh air. Beautifully designed interior, very sharp and clean all around!

Discrimination
A friend of mine. The situation as told by a former teacher of hers... my former student who graduated with honors from a local high school and is now at Cal Poly recently applied for a barista position at Tribe Coffee House in Arroyo Grande, Ca recently. She wanted to work at a small business and liked the vibe. She obviously impressed them at the interview as they hired her. She did not disclose her visual impairment during the interview as it did not come up naturally (and is not legally required to). At the end of her first two hours training with the manager, she casually brought up to the manager how great it was that the cash register was electronic and therefore, very visually accessible. She then shared that she was visually impared and the manager was very sweet and said they could accommodate her. Upon arrival at her next scheduled shift she was met by the owner and the manager and asked to explain her visual condition, which she did. The owner then gave her a series of tests to do to evaluate her vision. The only task she was not able to complete successfully was to read the measurement on a clear measuring cup filled with water and devoid of any contrasting markings from over 3 feet away. (I remind you she is visually impaired and I don't think I could do this accurately with normal vision on a clear measuring cup from a distance.) However, she gave the owner strategies that she would use to ensure that she had the correct amount in the cup including memorizing each level and visually confirming it before inserting it into the espresso machine. The owner then informed her that they would be removing her from the week's schedule and that she could go home and they would do more research on her visual impairment. The owner called her the following afternoon and informed her that the position was not right for her and that it might be a good idea to apply at Dutch Bros. or Starbucks where they could accommodate her visual impairment.

What bothers me most about this situation is that the owner did not even give her a chance and set her up to fail. My student had and shared strategies she would use and they were disregarded. She wasn't even given the opportunity to demonstrate how she could complete the task! Additionally, it seems Dutch Bros and Starbucks are better able to provide measuring tools with readable print on them than this small business and allow the individual to hold the cup where they can see it. I find this hard to believe. The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) protects employees of business with more than 15 employees. Since this business does not meet this criteria they are exempt from the same standards and can do as they please. So it seems that in the eyes of the law this sort of treatment is legal but it certainly does not make it right or ethical. A marked measuring cup doesn't sound like an undue burden for a small business to provide for an accomodation. This makes me sad, frustrated, and disappointed. While I’m certain that in the owner's mind she was just trying to reduce her own perceived liability and possibly ensure my students safety based on very limited information, the owner lost out on a great employee. But worse yet, she gave my student her first life lesson in employment discrimination due to her visual impairment.