Jarrod Regan: Friendship, a Great Location, and Shared Experiences
City Smiles Book Club Host
TECC: Who are you, and how did you become an East Cafe regular?
Jarrod: My name is Jarrod Regan, and I’m the City Smiles Book Club Host three days a week. I’m just currently out of commission due to a broken ankle.
I’ve been working in the neighborhood for five years, and three years into that, I started walking around and checking out cafes. One day, I decided to try East Cafe. Amy was the happiest, smiliest barista I had ever met, and she immediately told me about the opening party by the new owner. After that, it was the atmosphere, the homeliness and friendliness of the whole place that made me come back all the time — the funniest thing is that I didn’t like the coffee in the beginning!
Back then, I only drank mochas and caramel macchiatos. East Cafe’s mocha was just fine, but at least it was two or three dollars cheaper and twice the size as the other ones around. It was really the staff, though, who made me want to hang out beyond a warm drink. When I met Josh, he started chatting with me about the technicalities and flavor profiles of coffee, which reminded me of cigars and whisky, which I very much enjoy. He got me into tasting the subtleties of coffee, and over time, we became friends. Before that, my only idea of coffee was that people are addicted to it and needed it to stay awake, so I never drank it.
Josh’s intention to build a local community was also a big part of my becoming a regular — and eventually the Book Club Host.
Photo: Shrinal Thakkar
TECC: What do you enjoy most about being the Book Club Host? Are there challenges?
Jarrod: This is gonna sound egotistical, but: making all the decisions. Not in an oppressive way, but in a way that lets me help other people appreciate what’s going on and keep our club grounded. We have members suggesting books or discussing rules, and I can now say from experience where that would go, and guide them with good reasoning. It’s a mix of hard nos and soft explanations. It also helps me personally practice the muscle of fatherhood leadership.
I’m very non-confrontational, so when people are going back and forth or have disagreements, I try to keep an open mind and love everybody. There were a couple of times when I wondered: What do I do about this situation? Thankfully, we’re all adults here and problems often solve themselves. So, conflict resolution is my biggest challenge. The other one is reading books I don’t want to read, and even more so, reading the chapters in time for our meetings. I often start at midnight on Tuesday for our 7 a.m. Book Club on Wednesday — so I get four hours of sleep and don’t always finish the usual 30 pages. But: I’ve gotten faster at reading over the past year!
Photo: Shrinal Thakkar
TECC: What does community mean to you?
Jarrod: That’s a tough one, a hodgepodge of a lot of aspects. There are a couple of things I consider essential, though. One is having a singular location where people gather. The other is a level of friendship. It doesn’t have to be a deep personal friendship, but given the context of where we are, it’s easy to form quick friendships in the moment of experiencing something together, for example, at Open Mic or Book Club. There, I can easily invite strangers inside the cafe to enjoy the music or involve new members in conversations.
One thing I focus on to create community is how I treat newcomers at Book Club. I greet them, introduce myself, make them known to the group, and then explain our proceedings. Casual and welcoming, with the goal to make them feel at home.
Another thought I have about community is kinda selfish and cozy at the same time: community will go on without you. It’s a unified entity made of a bunch of individuals that just continues. For me, that’s a great aspect of community, because it means I can break my ankle and text four people who will host Book Club for me.
Photo: Shrinal Thakkar
TECC: What’s your favorite thing to consume at East Cafe?
Jarrod: What if I say knowledge? But for real, it’s coffee. In all the forms, from smallest to largest: espresso, macchiato, cortado, flat white, cappuccino. I don’t have one particular favorite drink, but I change my orders up and choose from that array of coffee beverages. Except for lattes, they are too milky for my taste.
Photo: Shrinal Thakkar
TECC: Where is your second-favorite spot in Hastings-Sunrise?
Jarrod: I love the Princeton Pub! They have good Guinness and good freaking food. For a while, I was going there once a week. Now I go once in a while after a tough day at work, because it’s only a short walk away for me. I’ve even got my Book Club reading done there before.
Unfortunately, I live in a neighborhood that doesn’t really have any coffee spots, restaurants, or bars, so I come to Hastings-Sunrise for all that fun stuff.
Non-confrontational my donkey’s ass 🤣 we all know which button to push to get him all riled up
Yay, Jarrod! I love that thought that "community will go on without you". It means we can join and participate because we want to, because it's fun and nourishing, but not from a sense of burden or obligation.