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Alli Linn, Annie Hakes and Ashley Keul have a lot in common.
The three friends and roommates love to shop for different items at thrift stores in Mankato and across the region, enjoy hanging out at St. Peter and Mankato establishments, and pretty much just live to have fun.
But the one thing that originally brought them together and keeps the bond strong is River Rock Coffee in downtown St. Peter. Without it, all three say this unique friendship never would have evolved.
“We’re all unique, but we all buy into River Rock,” said Linn, 23, who has been at the coffee house since attending Gustavus Adolphus College. “Without River Rock, I never would have met them. They’ve had a huge impact on my life.”
All about the fun
Annie Hakes says one word — enthusiastic — describes not only the three “Covergirls,” but also the other baristas at River Rock Cafe.
“We all just kind of feed each other,” Hakes said. “It started out as a co-worker relationship, but has evolved into something much more. We’re always together and having fun.”
For those regulars at River Rock, and even those who occasionally stop by, it’s not uncommon to see the baristas dressed up in theme costumes.
Not too long ago, as part of River Rock’s “Festival of Love Week,” the baristas dressed up as their favorite super heroes. Hakes dressed as Superman, Linn as Cat Woman and Keul as Aqua Girl.
And during the holidays, the River Rock gang took part in St. Peter’s “Discover St. Peter Holiday Celebration,” once again donning costumes and taking to the streets to sing Christmas carols.
In the celebration’s costume contest, the “River Rock Stars” took first place. And in the window decorating contest, River Rock Coffee was a first-place winner as well.
Showing their zany side, the women of River Rock also came up with their own version of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” which they sang as they went from storefront to storefront.
“It’s difficult to stay in a bad mood when you are at River Rock,” said Lisa Gault, a senior vice president at Nicollet County Bank and a frequent patron of River Rock. “They’re really lively and participate in every community event.”
And that’s just part of the fun, according to Keul.
“River Rock is so much more than a job,” she said. “It’s a community in and of itself. The relationships are none like I’ve ever had.”
Keul also credits the people of St. Peter for helping make her job so much fun.
“We exchange a little bit of our lives each morning and that’s cool to me,” she said.
On a personal level
While the “Three Baristas” love what they do at River Rock Coffee and truly enjoy the fun they have working together, the relationship goes beyond that. According to all three, they have been blessed with finding “great” friends.
“It’s so cool how we can carry on a relationship all day long and then go home and make a meal together,” said Keul, 23, a graduate of Minnesota State-Mankato. “Everything is just very fluid.”
You’ll get no argument from Linn on that point. She believes the relationship with her two roommates and all of the baristas has grown to new heights because they are together at work and outside of River Rock.
“I never do get sick of them,” Linn said. “We have our little issues, and all of us are busy with our own stuff. But even though we are constantly in each other’s company, we get along really well.”
More than friendship
While their friendship has continued to grow not only from being roommates and from working together, so too has the ongoing learning process that the three have encountered working together.
“I’ve been empowered by these independent women, with education from this job and the relationship with these people,” Keul said. “Because the owner (Tamika Bertram) looks at every situation as a learning opportunity, I have grown so much.
“This is the first time I’ve ever felt connected with the people I work with and hang out with without any hiccups. It’s very well balanced.”
In Hakes’ mind, it’s that balance between work, living together and hanging out with one another that has made the relationship with her girlfriends more meaningful.
“I would put a million dollars on saying that these will be lifelong friendships,” Hakes said. “I look at them as my sisters.”