What do Po Dog, Matt’s in the Market, and Stumptown Coffee Roasters have in common? These local favorites – in addition to hundreds more – use our breads and pastries to complement their own delicious menu items.“We have over 480 wholesale customers, and it’s growing every month,” says our Wholesale Sales Manager Rebecca Early. “The secret of success is growing with your demand, and we’re doing an amazing job meeting that.”Rebecca came to Macrina nine years ago when we were comprised of just two cafés, one in Belltown and the other in Queen Anne. At the time, Rebecca was working toward a degree that would place her in the world of radio and television, unaware that the future had something else in store.“My sister lives down the street from our McGraw location with her three boys, and I would go over and nanny and walk the baby by Macrina every day. I had to get a part-time job to afford my quiche and latte every day.”It wasn't long before that part-time barista job at McGraw flourished into a manager position, with Rebecca overseeing both cafés and 35 employees. Years later, as we looked for opportunities to partner with other local companies, Rebecca's love for our customers and products made her a natural choice to head up our wholesale department.“We make close to 500 different products for wholesale, our wholesale customer service is parallel to no other, bar none, and our offerings make us a one-stop shop,” she says with a huge smile. “You can’t get the quality of pastries and the variety of bread anywhere else in the city.”With her natural charm and finesse, Rebecca keeps our current wholesale partners wholly satisfied and welcomes new businesses with open arms.“It really helps that this is such a great product and people really love Macrina. I couldn’t be more proud of who I’m representing. I feel like it’s what I was supposed to be doing all along.”
Life has a way of giving us subtle hints when we’re on the right path. That’s exactly how McGraw Café Lead Michael Beblowsksi found his way into our family five years ago.A native New Yorker, Michael moved to Seattle the same way many are lured here: good music and great coffee. With a stack of resumes highlighting his food service career, Michael canvassed the streets around Pike Place Market and Belltown in search of a café to plant roots. That’s when our sign at the corner of Wall Street and First Avenue caught his eye.“Everything happened swiftly when I entered Macrina Belltown,” remembers Michael. “After having an informal conversation with the [former] manager Krishna Chancey, who now tends bar at Brouwer’s in Fremont, I decided that I only wanted to work at Macrina.”As café lead, Michael wears many hats. A typical day includes delegating responsibilities to the McGraw team, assisting customers with everything from food selections to allergen questions, and placing vendor orders. And, while customers fuel their day with his perfectly crafted Americanos and lattes, he thrives on his interactions with them and his team.“While working at Macrina I have been fortunate to meet fascinating, creative and inspiring people on both sides of the counter. Our founder, Leslie Mackie, is a Seattle industry icon who continues to stimulate our palettes while doing something that she is passionate about.”That energy pervades all facets of the company and draws people in, he says. Amazed at how quickly the last five years have gone by, Michael is thankful to have spent them in good company.