Talk About Choices: People Who Love Their Work

Sarah Kueker’s smile could light up all of downtown Wheaton. 

As manager of Caribou Coffee on Front and West streets, Kueker says her clientele includes commuters, moms, students, business people meeting for networking and couples enjoying an after-dinner latte, “a huge mix” of people she enjoys serving.

“I love my job,” Kueker said, taking a moment to be interviewed during a busy morning at the coffee shop.  “I’m encouraged to be myself, and I love talking to people and being involved in their lives.”

A favorite part of Kueker’s job is her role as liaison to the community.  The store sponsors such projects as the recent “Go Fly a Kite” event, “Rockin’ with the Troops” at Cantigny and Operation Support Our Troops of Illinois.  Caribou Coffee also has a presence at the Cosley Zoo Run for the Animals as well as the upcoming Taste of Wheaton, an event held in June and co-hosted by the Park District and the . 

“We also ‘adopted’ the students at [parochial school] and we display their artwork on our walls,” Kueker said.    

Kueker was a student at College of DuPage when she began working at the Caribou Coffee on Roosevelt Road.  She worked her way up from team member to supervisor to assistant manager and she now manages the Front Street store.

Another part of the job she loves is working with her team members.  “I enjoy training, working with different people and seeing what makes them tick.  I get to help them use their strengths to make the store more successful,” she said.  The fast pace of the store means the staff have to respond “super, super fast,” as Sarah says, and she relishes the fact that she and her staff often know the drinks their “regulars” prefer and can get a jump on their orders.

“Sometimes, we chase after them with their drinks if it looks as if they aren’t going to make their train,” said Sarah.

She’s also learning how to refine her business and people skills by studying improvisational theater in Chicago.  Sarah belongs to the Vagabonds, an improv group based at the Playgound Theater at Belmont and Halsted.  Last summer she spent a month in New York City for a performance during the Del Close Marathon.  Improv has helped her be “quick, funny and outgoing,” she said.  “Working here gives me some great character studies,” she added with a grin.

When asked about the prevalence of homeless people in Wheaton who tend to gravitate to the coffee shop, Sarah thought carefully before responding.  “We try to be accommodating and treat everyone equally,” she said.  “They are part of our community—they are our guests.”  Additionally, Caribou is currently talking with people from the Public Action to Deliver Shelter () to develop a project that would support the homeless in the Wheaton area.

What’s next for Kueker?  “I’d like to become a better business woman, a better trainer, someone who can see the big picture,” she said.  For now, it’s enough for her to hone her customer service skills in her current role.  Based on her experience serving coffee to the masses, “I can start a conversation with anyone,” she said.  “I have the best job—I can’t imagine not working here.”