Holly Skourpa
Holly is from Firth, NE and began working at Reactor Coffee in August of 2021, just a couple of months after Megan Castor opened the shop herself. Holly was Reactor Coffees first employee and has been crucial to fostering the community that Reactor Coffee now has.
What does Reactor Coffee mean to you?
“To me, Reactor is more than just our physical building. What we do and the impacts we have reach far beyond our walls."
Do you try to build relationships with new/returning customers?
"Absolutely, and not even because of a business mindset, more so because I want to, for me."
What do you enjoy about working in a small business?
“Megan makes me feel so supported, and has fostered an environment where I don't feel ashamed for making mistakes or asking questions”
When did you join the Reactor Coffee team?
"I started working at reactor in August of 2021, just a couple months after Megan had opened the shop by herself"
How did you discover the opportunity to work here?
"So Megan and I were actually friends before she hired me, we met earlier in the year because she was working at 402 creamery with one of my roommates. They would all come over to hangout and I met Megan through them! She also worked across the street from my coffee shop at the time so her and her coworkers would stop in often.
During that summer, Megan and I had run into each other downtown, and she told me she was opening a coffee shop! I told her that I’d love to help out if she ever had any questions or needed help during a grand opening. After she had soft-opened the shop, I stopped in just to say hi and to get a drink. I asked her what she was planning to do once classes started (as we were both college students) and she told me that she was actually looking to hire another barista.
It just so happened that I was completely free on the days she needed covered…and the rest is basically history. We’ve been working together ever since."
What has been your favorite thing about working at Reactor Coffee?
"My favorite thing has been rediscovering my passion for coffee in an environment that fully supports me. I was working at a coffee chain that had recently gotten automatic machines. Reactor gave me the opportunity to rekindle the love I have for making actual coffee."
What attitudes do you bring to work everyday to ensure Reactor Coffee functions properly?
"I try to bring in the funniest, yet most inadvertently welcoming attitude I can everyday. What people like about Reactor is that we are human, and aren’t afraid to act like it. We make mistakes, we say things that probably wouldn’t be said in a normal workplace, and we aren’t afraid to joke around with our customers.
And people like that we are real and relatable. So I try to remember that when I come into work, just to be myself because that's what people like about us."