Working -- Amanda Fritzsche

SHE IS

Serving up a dose of get-ya-through-the-day medicine

WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR DRINK

She can see you coming, and she knows exactly what you want.

Just as you close your car door -- before you step foot into the shop

-- Amanda Fritzsche has already started brewing the espresso and

measuring out the nonfat milk for your drink of choice.

Fritzsche said she and her colleagues at Totally Coffee in Costa Mesa

pride themselves on knowing the drinks of their regular customers. The

energetic blond greets her usual patrons with a “hey hon” and hurries to

blend a harmonious cup of caffeine and flavor.

Although larger name coffee venues surround the small shop, Fritzsche

said the friendly atmosphere at her workplace keeps customers coming

back. Everybody knows everybody else, she said.

“It’s like Cheers, minus the alcohol,” Fritzsche said.

LAZY HAZY CRAZY DAYS OF SUMMER

Summertime is undoubtedly the best time to work and play at Totally

Coffee, Fritzsche said. The smooth blended ice mocha drinks are the

perfect cure for a scorching hot day, and the outdoor patio provides a

perfect place to enjoy one.

Families, city council members and high school kids alike can be found

lounging at the coffee shop. It’s the epitome of a community gathering

place, she said.

“You can always find students studying, people reading, playing cards

or chit-chatting,” she said. “It’s just fun.”

PART-TIME JOB, FULL-TIME HABIT

She has worked at Totally Coffee for about six months, but her

connection to the shop goes back five years.

“I remember being a sophomore in high school and coming here for

drinks,” said Fritzsche, who attended school in Huntington Beach.

The reputation of the family-run coffee shop transcended city

boundaries and enticed her and her friends, she said. For years, the

owner tried to persuade her to join the ranks of his employees. When she

started her first year at Orange Coast College, she took him up on his

offer.

While her education prompted her employment, it will also be the

driving force behind her resignation. In about a year, Fritzsche said she

will transfer to a four-year college and ultimately turn in her Totally

Coffee apron.

“But I’ll be a customer forevermore,” she said.

* Story by Lolita Harper