Week 4 Winning Stories (March 31 - April 6)

Winning Story:
A physician's recommendation doesn't carry the same weight as in the past. However, let this physician recommend Peet's coffee as a passionate devotee. Perhaps you have heard of them, but I doubt that it was from the television or the radio. Peet's does not have stores on every corner, nor does it advertise extensively.

Rather, Peet's has the best advertising - the favorable word of mouth recommendation from friend to friend. Before viral marketing was coined, Peet's developed a world-wide following of Peetniks, those who tasted Peet's and were hooked for life. These fanatics carried not just word of Peet's, but also Peet's beans, all over the world. One by one, sharing their precious Peet's, they planted converts everywhere.

So why do I like Peet's? I love their smooth dark roasted flavor, especially Major Dickason's blend. I look forward to enjoying my Peet's in between patients, to give me that little boost to get through the day. I love that their barristas are always friendly and bend over backward to give great service, whether it's making a new batch of coffee just for me, to filling a complicated order of beans for myself and for a friend - a couple different blends, some ground, some whole. I love Peet's philosophy, their passion and commitment to the freshest and finest coffee, because that shows in their people, their product, and their devoted and passionate customers. And I love that the experience with them is not diluted by overexposure - truly the extra effort to get Peet's adds to the enjoyment at the end!

So, how do you get Peet's? Even though Peet's is available over the counter (as well as over the internet, and by phone), here is a prescription to help you get started:

Dispense: Peet's coffee
Quantity: 2 pounds x 11 refills
sig: take 1 cup daily and as often as needed
-- NAME BRAND REQUIRED! DO NOT SUBSTITUTE! --

Winner #2: George Fogelson

Winning Story:
It's late at night and I am studying for my French Revolution midterm in my dorm at UC Berkeley. My eyes are drooping, but I know I need to study at least another hour in order to pass tomorrow’s exam. I lovingly look at my stash of Peets coffee on my counter, which gives me hope and a second wind. The next morning I awake in time to dash to class, but not before downing two cups of Major Dickinson's Blend, enough for me to be alert and sucessfully pass my exam. Yes, if it were not for Peets Coffee I may never have been able to call myself a CAL alum.

Growing up in Los Angeles in the 1960s the only good cup of coffee I could get was at my parent's home, My European mother made especially strong coffee, quite unlike any I could get at the local coffee shops in the neighborhood or in the homes of my friends. When I arrived in Berkeley in 1977 I was able to ward off occasional bouts of homesickness by stopping by Peets. I felt secure and welcome there, understood by my fellow customers. We all shared a special bond of being Peets coffee drinkers.

Peets coffee has been my constant companion through the best of times and worst of times. A good strong cup can calm my nerves when I am upset or unsettled. A visit to my local Peets can also mark a special occasion. You can often find me taking relatives or visitors from out of town to my neighborhood Peets where we will order a latte or freddo and talk over old times. I love seeing who the customer of the week is and chatting with the baristas who display pleasure in the daily serving of coffee to customers.

Yesterday, my fifteen-year-old son and I had run several errands which exhausted us, but before we returned home, we treated ourselves by a stop at Peets. It is never too early to introduce a new generation to the joy of drinking coffee and it is a tradition I hope will be continued throughout the generations of my family. I started my son enjoying Peets coffee by filling his cup with coffee, heavily laden with milk and allowing him to dip biscotti into the rich tasting brew.

Peets also has helped educate my son and me in geography as we sample coffees from several points around the world. Whether it is coffee from Africa/Arabia, the Americas, or the Indo-Pacific, a discussion can revolve around where the beans were grown to the features and characteristics of these countries and their people. An economic lesson can be derived while drinking Fair Trade blend as I explain how Peets helps deliver a livable wage to its growers.

We recently had a memorable father/son bonding experience at a comparative coffee tasting 101 class sponsored by Peets. An experienced tasting leader demonstrated various ways to brew the coffee, and we were both able to ask questions about the growing, production, and brewing of Peet's. After tasting several different coffees side by side we each came up with our personal favorite.

As my son gets ready to graduate high school and encounter the various experiences life has to offer, I feel better knowing that Peets Coffee will be there to help him along the way. As he encounters life’s ups and downs, he now knows that he can always find solace and a pause from life’s hurriedness by stopping into a neighborhood Peets. There he can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and if the mood strikes engage in conversation with other customers or the baristas.

I love Peets. Over the years it has become a true part of my life, and I am proud that the tradition will continue with the next generation.

Winner #3: Ashlee Rolnick

Winning Story:
My boyfriend was really sick and we were out of town and had no cough drops or anything of the sort to give him for his throat. We stopped at a motel to sleep that night and a women told us about Peet's and how she thought it would do wonders for his throat. In the end, he had some of Peet's and it was honestly like magic. His throat seemed to feel a hundred times better than before. THANKS PEET's :)

Winner #4: Dana Russell

Winning Story:
How do I love Peet's, let me count the ways...
by Dana Russell

My love of Peet's started back in Menlo Park, CA visiting the corner store on Santa Cruz Avenue on my way to teaching. No matter how long the line would be (and it was often very long), I'd wait even if it meant I was a bit panicked to get to work on time. My students knew, if Ms.Russell didn't have her coffee, then it might not be the most pleasant morning for anyone involved! Could it be that I was addicted to the coffee and the routine?

This love for Peet's followed me to the Pacific Northwest where I settled in the Irvington neighborhood of Portland, OR. Lo and behold, wherefore art thou my Peet's, but only a few short blocks from the house my husband and I purchased. Our world and transition out of CA was complete we thought. As my husband said, "I just have to have my Peet's each morning, along with the paper, to get my day started." I agreed, though we had our differences in how we consumed our Peet's. He'd brew Peet's and take it in a to go mug, while I liked the routine of stopping at the local Peet's, waiting in line, and taking my coffee to go so I could sip it in traffic.

When my husband died unexpectedly in June of 2003, Peet's provided a place for me to go in the midst of my shock and at least use my voice each morning to say, "I'll have a large coffee, room for cream." The Peet's employees didn't know the sadness I was facing, so their bright smiles, "Good Mornings" and interaction with me started my day off on a positive note when I would have rather truly stayed in bed with the covers tossed over me. I continued this morning ritual not only to have my java jolt, but also for the interaction I so desperately needed during the difficult times I was experiencing.

It was strange the first time I went into that Peet's store after my husband's death as it was something I "had to face". I would have never envisioned that going into a coffee shop would have been hard, but it was as my husband and I had spent many a Saturday or Sunday morning at Peet's. It was our ritual together, and now I had to face it alone. As with so many things since his death, I faced my Peet's "memories" and the warmth of the coffee and employees has continued to be a part of my new, widowed/single life.

At some point though, I switched gears and decided to honor my husband by purchasing a half-pound of coffee at a time and brewing it at home since he'd always tried to convince me to do so (his proclamations: cheaper, more eco-friendly, and the smell in the house was great). The thing is, I missed the interaction at the local Peet's, but for me, there was significance in such a simple thing as brewing at home vs. purchasing at the store. I knew my husband would be smiling down on my seeing me brew my first urn of delicious Peet's. Few might understand the significance of this, but thanks Peet's for being a part of my grieving process and helping me get my feet back on the ground towards a new chapter of my life.

I still visit my local Peet's each week for a half pound of coffee and stop in on the weekends for an afternoon latte or mocha. How do I love Peet's, definitely in more ways than I can express in words.

Dana Russell
Irvington, Portland, Oregon

Winner #5: Kevin Rosa

Winning Story:
The Night Before Tax Day.

‘Twas the night before tax day, when all through the firm
Not a partner was sleeping, not even interns.

The coffee mugs were all hung in the break room with care,
In hopes that St. Peetnik soon would be there.

The members were busy all strapped to their desks
While visions of mochas, danced in their heads;

And Rob with his French Press, and I with my mug
Had just settled down for a long evening’s chug.

When out in the kitchen there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my desk to see what was the matter.

Away to the pantry, I flew like a flash,
Tore open the cupboards and broke out the stash.

The smile on the faces of everyone there,
Gave hint of the joy, alive in the air.

When, what to my wondering nose should appear,
But the smell of fresh grounds and pastries, so dear.

With a familiar brown package so shiny and slick,
I knew in a moment it came from Peetnik.

More rapid than eagles, the partners, they came,
And shouted their favorites and called them by name;

“I want Major, no Garuda, how ‘bout Fair Trade, if you please?”
“I like Sumatra, New Guinea, or what about teas?”

From the top of my lungs, from the top of the wall,
I yelled, “Dash away, dash away, dash away all!”

“I can’t take all this bickering, you sniveling crew,
I’ve got an idea, I know just what to do.”

I straightened my tie and strode back to my desk,
And pulled up the website that I know the best.

I pulled up Peets.com, opened my eCups account,
Ordered samplers for all, in record amounts.

Now the firm is relieved, there is coffee for all
With plenty to spare, at least until Fall.

I finished my work, with a smile on my face,
All due to the love from one magical place.

If it wasn’t for Peets there’d be trouble no doubt,
For firms like ours would be caught in a bout.

We’d be stuck drinking the same-old, black drool,
found in most business offices and often in schools.

For the lesson we learned on that long April night,
LET THERE BE PEETS FOR ALL, AND ALL WILL BE RIGHT!

Winner #6: Felicia J Allen

Winning Story:
Dear Peets,

I am on active duty as a Chief Petty Officer in the
U.S. Navy stationed onboard USS DONALD COOK in
Virginia. Last year when our ship deployed for six
months, I was stressed out worrying about having to
leave my family. As I prepared to leave, I packed a
few of my favorite items: books, music, blankets. I
purchased a small grinder and a Bean Vac from Sharper
Image to store my Peet's whole bean House Blend. I
was finally ready to go.

During deployment, I drank a lot more coffee than
usual so the few extra bags that I took with me didn't
last very long. I ordered more, but with our port
visit schedule and the mail system, it would take up
to one month to receive my shipment. I would always
volunteer to help sort the mail so that I could look
out for my box from Peet's.

Throughout the six months, I introduced many people
onboard to Peet's and even got two of them to become
Peetnik's! We started to order other varieties such
as Jamaica Blue Mountain, Ethiopian Fancy, Ethiopian
Super Natural, New Guinea Highlands and Major
Dickason's Blend. Our "coffee club" was very
exclusive and it became our morning and evening ritual
to sit and enjoy a cup of Peet's as we prepared for
the day ahead or reflected on the end of another long
day underway.

Peet's got me through deployment and helped me feel a
little closer to home. Now that I'm back in the
States, I never leave my house in the morning without
Peet's in my travel mug. Thanks to the Peetnik
program, I'm able to have my coffee brought right to
my front door and I always order extra before we get
underway.

I'll be leaving again soon with my Bean Vac, Ethiopian
Fancy, and House Blend. Thank you for the excellent
product and unparalleled customer service. I love my
Peet's!!

Winner #7: Kim Lohse

Winning Story:
(you've read "Goodnight Moon," right?)

GOOD MORNING CUP
In the great beige room
There was a coffee maker and a stirring spoon
And a pitcher of –
some Peet’s that was delivered at noon

And there were 2 Splenda packets
And the whole family’s jackets

And a carton of cream
And a lingering dream

And an aroma of heaven
And a clock that said seven

And a pot and a cup
(And a hungry pup)
And a quiet sleepy mama who was drinking it up

Good morning room
Good morning so soon
Good morning Peet’s that was delivered at noon
Good morning coffee maker and the stirring spoon
Good morning packets
Good morning jackets
Good morning cream
And good morning dream
Good morning clocks
And good morning socks
Good morning heaven
And good morning seven
Good morning pot
And good morning cup
Good morning family
Good morning pup
And good morning to the sleepy mama drinking it up
Good morning sun
Good morning air
Good morning Peetniks everywhere.

Winner #8: Gilman Young

Winning Story:
Greetings, Peet's-

I'm a bay area native and began enjoying your coffee blends back in the 70's. I was visiting my father in the ICU of a local hospital late one night. The cafeteria was closed and the coffee vending machine was out of order. I asked the nurse on duty where I could find a cup of coffee and she answered that she had her private stash of Peet's that she would share with me. I never looked back after that.

I moved to Pennsylvania 6 years ago and became a Peetnik as there was no "real" coffee to be found anywhere. I would not patronize "the other" coffee chain that materialized here a few years ago.

You can't fathom what pleasure the entire ritual of grinding, brewing and drinking your exceptional coffee blends brings to my wife and I. Each sip brings us back home to the SF bay area. Life would not be the same without the simple daily dose of our "home brew" of Peet's here in northeast PA.

Our hats off to ALL your employees for keeping the quality & service of a truly extra-ordinary product coming to our door.....3000 miles away.

With best regards,
Gil & Shelly Young

Winner #9: Jeffrey Garner

Winning Story:
I have this Sunday ritual, at least I will only admit to Sundays. For the past 10 months I bust out of bed somewhere between 6 and 7, no lie I really am that excited, descend 66 steps, and head to Peet's in Laurel Village (San Francisco), which is about 17 blocks and twenty or so cafes and processed cofferies away from where i am.

My mission: grab a medium white mocha (with whip) and a strawberry scone. Why do i go to all this trouble when cafe after cafe litter my path to Laurel Village? Why not go for convenience? Why not give in to the over-processed blends. Because of the experience. When i open the back door of the Laurel Village Peets and the warm rush of roasted beans greets me I feel like i am coming out of a deep sleep. I see the barista smiling, hear the beans grinding as the milk whistles away in a tin can of promise.

I am almost there, i tell myself. With goods in hand i am back on the path to my Sunday ritual. I want to watch the sun crest the Bay from Inspiration Point, but its only half the experience if i don't have a Peets in hand. Each Sunday morning, there I am receiving energy, joy, and peace. Sitting down on a bench that overlooks some Monterey Pines before falling off into the Bay I close my eyes and smell. Peets is right there with me. Before i sip, i hold the warm cup of life in my hand, listen to the birds, watch the Bay come alive and then I taste. Its an experience. The bold espresso flavor courageously ascends above the milky mocha. After eight years of searching for white mochas I have found the one with the perfect balance of espresso and milk, mocha and bean, froth and goodness.

Simply put: Peets is the best. I get these Sundays once a week, i want to enjoy it with the best. Peet's commitment to excellence motivates me to be good at what i do, which will involve standing before a church and speaking from my heart. I want to be ready for that moment. Peets helps me.

Winner #10: Rich Camillieri

Winning Story:
Thank you Peet’s for all that you do, this is why, I Love You!

An ode to Peet's Coffee and Tea:

Peet’s coffee in the morning, Peet’s coffee at night,
Peet’s coffee everyday makes me feel just right.
The aroma so inviting, and the taste so right,
Can’t seem to get enough of Peet’s; morning, noon, or night.

From Africa to Sumatra, Peet’s knows how to blend.
It’s always the best to share with friends.
Online ordering to store front shops,
Whenever passing by, I must always stop.

Peet’s flavor so smooth gets me on the move,
Could never express how it’s changed my groove.
I’m committed to Peet’s, like I am to my marriage
To get there, I’ll take a horse and carriage.

Just like good wine, layered and complex,
Which amazing Peet’s blend will I buy next?
From Ethiopian Super Natural to Holiday Blend
Peet’s coffee is much more than a fad or a trend.

Peet’s made me a believer with its quality and flavor
And must always be sipped and savored.
Their beans are just so lively and bold,
Peet’s Coffee and Tea won’t be undersold.

Make time to drop by for their coffee so sublime,
Peet’s Coffee and Tea will always be mine!
So here’s to Alfred Peet as I raise my cup,
Thanks so much for creating this stuff!

Winner #11: Marcus Griffin

Winning Story:
Our family loves Peet's so much we:

Named our chocolate lab Mochapeet.

Signed up for church coffee hour so we could serve Peet's tea and coffee.

Gave away 25 pounds of Peet's beans as Christmas presents in 2004.

Bought Nana her own french press and tea cozy so she wouldn't borrow ours. And five pounds of Sumatra.

When sister received a box of Gevalia coffee on her birthday, she discreetly passed it on to someone else who, upon opening the box, found two pounds of Peet's Italian Roast and a funny card that read, "surprise!". Sister asked for the coffee back.

Peet's gives true meaning to the beverage known as coffee.

Peetnik's are sympatico, like Peet's employees. We understand each other in a world fraught with mishap, mayhem and missed macchiatos.

Many years ago when we were too poor to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, we ate defrosted wedding cake and poured ourselves some Peet's.

Every dinner party is capped off with a demi tasse of Peet's. Non Peet's drinking friends are not invited.

We love Peet's so much we can't live without it. Nothing in our lives is more true than that one, simple, bold declaration. Peet's coffee. Family. Love.