While we are busy fretting about the loss of a place to shop, don’t forget about the people who lost jobs. Nicole Stotts says she worked at Rainbow for three years and was the operations manager. You could often find her behind the counter at the juice bar. She agreed to answer a few questions and tell us about Rainbow’s closure from the inside.

1) CHS: Some people have left comments on the CHS site saying that “rude employees” were one part of Rainbow’s downfall. With Rainbow’s closure, do you have any recommendations on where people can get their fill of rudeness without leaving the neighborhood? People at QFC, for example, are frickin nice.
Nicole: Rainbow was my home for three years and I personally put my heart and soul into it to try to keep it alive. I know that everyone there wasn’t always pleasant but it was extremely difficult at times. When you are constantly out of product (which was happening on and off for the last two years) and you don’t have any answers for the dozens of questions that you get everyday because you yourself are not being told what is going on, you get a little iffy sometimes. I just want to say that the employees tried to be positive even if that wasn’t so apparent at times. The problems with rainbow are much much deeper than employee attitude and it got spoiled from the inside out. Places I like to go where employees are rude… I really don’t want to go there because it really sucks to hear people talking shit about you.

2) CHS: Any rumors of what’s going to happen in the space next?
Nicole: There is talk of another natural market and juice bar. But that’s all I know.

3) CHS: We’ve been worried about Rainbow going out of business for months now. Were you really caught off guard? What are you going to do next?
Nicole: I’ve been worried about Rainbow going out of business for the last year. I was told time and time again though that we were going to be around forever. So I tried to convey that hope in those little signs that I posted to comfort customers. Two weeks ago I was again told that we were going to make it, but last week when our overdue major order didn’t arrive for the umpteenth time I knew and I was told the next day. However we were told we had a week and half and it turned out to be 3 days. I was so invested in Rainbow that I feel like a rug has been pulled out from under me and my entire reality has changed. All of the employees are shocked and upset. Despite all of the problems Rainbow had we all loved it and are extremely sad and depressed about it finally closing. None of the employees have found jobs yet. Personally it has been difficult for me to find something because I was the Operations Manager and finding management jobs in the natural foods sector can be hard when you do not want to work for corporations. I am planning on opening my own cafe/juice bar in the next few years.

4) CHS: To end on a happier note, funniest/weirdest/coolest moment in your three years at Rainbow?
Nicole: The best moment at Rainbow… well my two favorite things about rainbow… all of the conversations and connections I had with my regular customers. I had the best customers. They were all so positive and engaging and always wanted to contribute to my life. The juice bar often turned out to be a hub of community conversation and exchange and it was a beautiful thing. and the other favorite thing was chopping vegetables for soup in the early morning with the sun coming in through our big windows while talking about anything and everything with the morning crew.

Thanks for sharing your side of things, Nicole and best of luck. Hopefully we’ll continue to see you around the neighborhood. If you’d like to contact Nicole, drop her a line at [email protected].

–j