Baristas quit in protest of racy dress code

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10:28 AM PDT on Friday, August 24, 2007
By ROB PIERCY / KING 5 News

Amy Klatt is one of the baristas at Lola Bean Espresso who's quitting
over the new dress code. MONROE, Wash. - Workers at one coffee stand
are taking a stand against their new boss.

The owner is implementing a dress code - requiring employees to wear
skimpy outfits.

All the workers have quit.

"I make coffee, I don't sell my body, you know?"

That's what Barista Amy Klett told her boss at Lola Bean Espresso last
week.

"He said he was going with a franchise called Cowgirls and that the
attire would be different, and that if we weren't on board, he would
find other people," said barista Heather Cyrus.

For those of you who haven't visited Cowgirls, think of it like
Starbucks meets Hooters.

Like a lot of similar stands throughout the Northwest, people come for
the coffee -- and the dress code.

"Military Monday, Cowgirl Tuesday, Bikini Wednesday, Schoolgirl
Thursday and Fantasy Friday," said Cyrus.

The girls at Lola Bean talked about it. One by one, they went to
their boss and told him they quit.

"I think it's demeaning to women and you shouldn't have to wear that
kind of clothing to make a living," said Klett.

"I'm not gonna wear lingerie or negligees to work," said Cyrus. "It's
not how I represent myself."

"I don't think he was expecting every one of us to quit," said Klett.

By the end of the week, everyone will be gone. For Amy, the decision
was all at once easy and painful.

"I have a mortgage to pay and I'm not sure how I'm gonna pay it now,"
said Klett.

Amy and the others are counting on their regular customers to follow
them to other coffee stands.

"Coffee's coffee. I'll go wherever she goes," said one customer.

"If they don't want to do it, they don't have to. I wouldn't wanna do
it," said customer Jan Woolery.

The owner of the stand tells KING 5 he was very surprised all of the
baristas decided to quit. He says he has posted an ad for new baristas
and the response has been overwhelming.