http://www.ajc.com/search/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2008/07/24/icecreamcl.html
JAKE'S ICE CREAM: They all scream at job requirements
By Bill Torpy
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/24/08
The empty storefront in the strip mall at Oak Grove and Lavista roads got the neighborhood buzzing when word spread an ice cream emporium was coming. But word of mouth took off when the owners posted a five-page list that was part employee guidelines, part company manifesto.
At first blush, the owners of the newest Jake's Ice Cream seem to be demanding taskmasters —- with a sense of humor, that is. In the old days, all one needed to scoop ice cream was pimples and a sturdy right forearm. But these days, some entry-level jobs are high-end.
To start with, applicants must have a 3.0 grade-point average. They'll check. You will say "yes sir and no ma'am to your parents and adults and you mean it." You will turn off your cellphone. You will take constructive criticism —- because they'll dish it out. You'll vow not to be late. "Two lates and we'll have to let you move on to your next career. You will sign a letter of understanding about this."
You will look people in the eye. You will know how to crack a smile. You can comfort a crying toddler. And you'll clean your room. (They'll check this out, too.)
Jake Rothschild, who is opening his fourth Jake's, said he wants to establish an old-time experience when folks come in for ice cream and coffee. So he wanted to establish some old-school social mores.
"The neighborhood has a feel of 'Father Knows Best' and 'Leave it to Beaver,' " he said. "It's married couples with kids. You see kids riding their bikes. People stop to talk to each other. It's like that neighborhood is frozen in time."
The surrounding neighborhoods in the DeKalb County area were built when TV was black and white, and families were nuclear. The families still are, although they now watch high-definition satellite TV.
Rothschild wanted the community and the applicants to know his standards were high. A tight jobs economy lets stores such as his raise the bar on its recruits.
"In the past, we've had employees who weren't alive and active in their attitude; it was just a job," he said. "We figured we'd have a different screening process this time."
The list of demands on the window has drawn a steady stream of neighbors reading and smiling. And there has been a line of young recruits, maybe 50 so far, said Amy Gregin, co-owner of the store.
She said she's getting a flashback to her childhood in Philadelphia.
"I was surprised people walked here," Gregin said. The recruits are "so very well-mannered. They're articulate and have great personalities."
One of the three kids who snagged jobs is Carson Koser, a rising sophomore at Lakeside High. She's excited about her first real job and is ready to rise to the challenge of the demanding owners.
"They got their message across, but they were clever," she said.
The sign caught the eye of Carson's mother, Karin, who did not know her daughter had already applied.
"I love the way they're putting it out there: how you comport yourself, getting good grades," the mother said. "They're setting some standards. That's important."