15 Years
15 years ago to the day, on April Fools’ Day, 1995, I left San Francisco, heading east across the southern part of the US and finally toward Chicago with my wife, Emily to start Intelligentsia. Leaving was bittersweet and I swore I’d make it back that way some day. The world and coffee is so different now than it was then. Coffee has evolved. Coffee companies have risen and fallen. New characters have stepped on the stage; some have shined like the brightest stars, others have flamed out quickly. To burn brightly for a long time requires a great deal of cleverness, innovation and determination. One’s trajectory can be assaulted in so many different ways, that staying on course is among the most difficult things to do. So many changes in technology and global politics have transpired that it is almost hard to believe that only 15 years have passed.
6 months and 8 days after April Fools’, 1995, financed by everything we had saved and money I’ll finally pay back to my Dad this September, we opened the doors of the first Intelligentsia, having little idea of what we were doing or what we were getting into. Looking back on it today, there are a lot of things I would have done differently had I known then what I know now. But if you gave me back the 15 years, I’d gladly do it again. Here’s to another 15. I wonder what it will all look like then?
Nobody like you Doug, and for 15 years I can not imagine you being better at what your company is doing, from stem to stern. Good eye for people and plenty of passion. Congrats for this last 15 and we will be watching the next. Your a pretty good writer too actually.
Beautiful, congratulations on what you have achieved so far and I wish you many, many great years to come. What you wrote reminds me of the E. E. Cummings quote.
“To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.”
Best wishes,
Chris
Congratulations Doug.
I can’t wait to experience Intelligentsia venice in just 12 days…
congrats!
in the old days, april 1 was when we celebrated the anniversary of the founding of peet’s. now it’s when i celebrate the beginning of my stint at my current employer. now i see it’s a fortuitous day for you as well.
may your continuing journey be as challenging and rewarding as these first 15 years.
p
Congratulations Doug. I know the sacrifice it takes to make a business successful. It’s amazing how Intelligentsia has worked its way to the top of our industry. You’ve done some great things. I wish you all the best in the future.
Congrats, Doug!