Alex A.
Yelp
I've been going to the Wydown since 2019 and love most things about it. Their chai is exceptional, their syrups are all made in-house, they use quality oat milk (Oatly), their baked goods are delightful. I like the ambiance for working, I think the use of the Apollo's lobby is brilliant, and they prize quality above all else, even using locally roasted beans. I even moved to the Apollo in 2022 in part due to the Wydown. It's so nice to have my favorite coffee shop right downstairs -- almost too nice! It's dangerous!
I've had the good fortune of getting to know their baristas over the years and have enjoyed the charm and skill they bring to the work; it takes talent, and they have it, and deserve as much support as possible. Unfortunately, the Wydown has been actively anti-unionization as their employees have sought to build a better workplace, hiring union-busting attorneys instead of recognizing the union and its demands for better and more consistent staffing as well as a clean and safe work environment. I am disappointed to see this, as the staff know their workplace well and bring everything to what they do. It is skilled work that demands respect. The turnover lately has been abysmal, and many longtime employees are gone. The quality is not as good, because the people who know how to do their jobs best are not given room to excel. Until they recognize the staff's union, I feel uneasy about supporting something that actively mistreats people.
While I'm here, I have to add that their pricing structure has become obtuse. Their up-charges for my go-to of an iced vanilla dirty chai with oat milk mean that I'm tacking on an oat milk charge, a vanilla charge, and an espresso charge. If other coffee shops can ditch upcharges for non-dairy milk, I think the Wydown can, too. I'm not 100% but I think their rewards structure has become less generous, too.