Somewhere Else Café Has A Place For Everyone
The Somewhere Else Café sits about 10 kms north of Hope on Hwy #1 in Dogwood Valley. For more than 35 years, owner and head cook Gail Marlatt has served up bountiful fresh home cooked meals to truckers, travellers and locals alike, earning trust and loyalty in return.
We spoke with Gail and her staff about their experiences with employing people with disabilities.
“We are a small place, we’re family. Everyone has a place here.”
Why is inclusivity important to Somewhere Else Cafe?
Everyone needs a chance. The staff are very protective and support each other. We just take it as it is, working together, learning from each other, and staying flexible.
How has working with employees with disabilities impacted your other staff?
The staff at the café care about each other, they are all are very understanding of each other’s needs. Having co-workers who experience disabilities has helped the team realize that effective communication is very important and that listening is key. There are two young men who work at the café on a casual basis and working alongside colleagues with disabilities has not only taught them compassion and understanding but has also helped them gain perspective on their own challenges.
Have you noticed any impact on your customer experience by hiring persons with disabilities?
Customers have all been just lovely when they see that the restaurant is an equal opportunity workplace. The staff are responsive to each worker’s needs and they work as an effective team; respecting everyone’s abilities and ensuring a positive work experience for everyone.
One member of the kitchen staff, who has a visible disability, is happy to tell anyone who asks that he is saving up his earnings to buy a boat and motor. He is so committed to this dream that he is very frugal with his spending. He resists spending $1.50 on a pop, choosing to either charm the servers into buying his pops or instead saving his money and drinking water on shift. He has a cognitive disability and he is smart like a fox. He knows how to get what he needs at work and the staff enjoy learning more about him every day.
One of the café’s servers shared that customers enjoy interacting with staff and charming interaction between customers and staff will often happen throughout the day. The Somewhere Else Café is one of those comfortable places where total strangers will chat across tables. There’s lots of laughter and story telling and it’s a safe and friendly place for everyone.
What would you say are some of the benefits to being an inclusive employer?
We don’t think about it. Everyone deserves a chance. We take everyone as they are. Hiring people who have disabilities is not new to the Somewhere Else Café. Some disabilities are visible and some are not. The staff is diverse and inclusive and always have been, inclusive hiring has never been a conscious decision. It just happened by being open and receptive and accepting people for who they are.
Ready to diversify your team and become an inclusive employer?
Learn more about hiring people with disabilities and how Free Rein Associates can support.
