EMPLOYEE OWNER PLANT SWAP

Last Friday, we hosted a plant swap at the beautiful parklet in front of our Solano Avenue location in North Berkeley. We had a blast sharing clippings, seeds, gardening books, and plants (of course!) with our community.

Zachary’s is an employee owned company via our ESOP. We have an ESOP Committee that is comprised of nine employee owners from all locations. Our ESOP Committee has a two part mission: One, educate our crew and our customers about employee ownership at Zachary’s, and two, create space for employee owners to build community and grow together. The plant swap was one event in a series of workshops based on our employee owners’ interests.

A table with a yellow cloth displays various potted plants and a glass jug of lemonade outdoors. There are chairs around the table and vehicles parked in the background near a building.

Three people work together at a table covered with potted plants and gardening tools. They are outdoors on a sunny day, with a street and buildings in the background. A yellow tablecloth adds a bright touch to the scene. Employee owners Suzanne, Charlotte and Katie

A person stands at a table covered with potted plants and gardening tools, smiling and holding two small plants. The scene is outdoors, with parked cars and a building visible in the background.

Employee owner Robert and LOTS of plants!

People are gathered around a table with yellow tablecloth, displaying potted plants and a large container of lemonade. The scene is outdoors, with a bank in the background and a blue sky above.

Customers, Suzanne and Troy

Three people standing outdoors near a table with potted plants. The person in the middle holds a bag labeled Big Green. It is sunny, and there are shops and cars in the background. Close-up of a lemonade dispenser with a chalk label on a table. Next to it are potted plants, including succulents, under bright sunlight. A piece of paper is visible in the background, partially obscured.

 

TEACHIN’ TUESDAYS: EMPLOYEE OWNER BEER TASTING CLASS

Two of our fantastic employee owners, Nic Crocker and Tyler Wood, know A LOT about beer. They brew, they indulge (responsibly, of course!), and they’ve spent hours and hours learning all they can about this special beverage! Since our customers frequently have questions about beer, we wanted to create an opportunity for Crocker and Woods to share their knowledge with the rest of our crew. What better way to do this than a beer tasting class!

Four jars on a table contain malted barley, an empty jar, hops, and yeast. A paper titled Beer Tasting 101 with instructions and discussion points is partially visible in the foreground.

The Four Basic Components

 

A group of people sits around a wooden table tasting beer. A man standing in the middle is speaking while holding a glass. Others are seated, some lifting their glasses for a sip. The room has large windows and wooden walls, letting in light.

Sniffin’ IPAs

A group of people are gathered around a table with jars. One man is pointing at an object, while others listen attentively. They appear engaged in a discussion. The setting is indoors with large windows and natural light.

Tyler and Nic

A man seated at a wooden table holds a jar filled with green hops. Other people are sitting beside him, and a large white container is on the table. The setting appears to be a rustic, indoor space.

Logan Sharing a Jar of Hops

A woman smiling broadly holds a jar filled with grains. She is seated indoors next to a person wearing a red plaid shirt and a cap. The background features wooden chairs and tables.

Chloe Posing with the Barley

Five glass jars on a metal table containing different items: two with dark and light liquids, and three with dried ingredients like hops and grains. The background is blurred, emphasizing the jars in the foreground.

Hops, Barley, and Beer

 

 

TEACHIN’ TUESDAYS: PIZZA MAKING

A person tossing pizza dough in the air, wearing a blue plaid shirt, in a kitchen or restaurant setting. The dough is caught mid-air, showcasing the persons pizza-making skills. The background is softly blurred.Zachary’s ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) Committee is always looking for ways that it can foster community and bring employee owners together.

Inspired by all of the amazing talents of the Zachary’s crew, the committee decided to sponsor a series of classes and workshops dubbed Teachin’ Tuesdays. Topics range from wine and beer tastings to pizza making (for our front-of-house crew) to financial literacy and planning for retirement. The ESOP Committee is also planning some fun field trips to our various vendors so that our employee owners can learn a little bit more about what it takes to make Zachary’s tick!

A woman in a red shirt is pulling a deep-dish pizza from an oven, while three people watch attentively in a kitchen setting. Shelves and kitchen equipment are visible in the background.A group of people are standing closely together in a kitchen or workspace. Some are wearing casual clothes and hoodies. Shelves with dishes are visible in the background. Their focus is directed toward something on a counter out of view.

This week, employee owners Alicia Theodos and Darren McCann led a pizza making workshop for our San Ramon crew. Everyone had a blast! Several folks who normally work in the front of the house were surprised at how labor intensive each pie can be. It takes a lot of work to make pizza perfection; this was an awesome opportunity to show off the impressive skills of our kitchen crew!

Three people are in a kitchen setting. A woman in a gray shirt and another in a red shirt are focused on preparing pizza dough. A third person in the foreground is slightly blurred, smiling and working. Various kitchen tools and ingredients are visible nearby.A person with a beard and dyed hair is holding and stretching a piece of dough in a kitchen. They are wearing a black long-sleeve shirt.A group of six smiling people in a kitchen, posing together. Two women at the front sit with two men, one holding shredded cheese. Behind them, a woman and a man wave. Shelves and wooden cabinets are in the background.A person wearing a black hoodie and glasses prepares a pie by placing pieces of meat into a pie crust in a kitchen setting. They are wearing gloves and appear focused on their task.

Two women prepare a meal in a kitchen. One in a red shirt holds a pan while the other, in a gray patterned sweater, helps. Others work in the background, blurred. The kitchen is busy and active.

 

ZACHARY’S HOLIDAY PARTY 2017!

Zachary’s celebrated the holidays at Lake Chalet in Oakland! We ate, we laughed, we took too many photo booth pics and we danced the night away! It’s always a blast to see everyone gussied up for a special event. We are truly lucky to work with so many AMAZING employee owners!

A group of five people posing at a party. They are wearing various fun and oversized glasses, and some have beaded necklaces. The background is a plain white curtain. They are smiling and appear to be enjoying themselves.A man with a beard smiles while holding another man wearing a red bow tie and black shirt, who is laughing. They are posing playfully in front of a white curtain. Three people posing against a white curtain. One wears reindeer antlers, another has a red cowboy hat and oversized yellow glasses, and the third person holds a microphone, leaning in while smiling. They all appear to be having fun. Four people pose against a white curtain. The person in the center wears a red hat and holds a staff, while the person on the right wears a crown. The people on the left and center right smile, creating a lighthearted atmosphere. A group of six people posing playfully in a photo booth. They are wearing oversized glasses and hats, with one person holding a magnifying glass. The background is a white curtain, and everyone appears to be having fun.

Three men pose for a photo. One wears a red cowboy hat, another holds a decorative sword, and the third holds a pipe. They stand in front of a photo booth backdrop with text at the top.

Four people posing for a photo in front of a white curtain. Three men and one woman are standing together, dressed in casual to semi-formal attire, holding drinks, and looking in different directions.Three men stand together outdoors at night, smiling. The man in the center wears a scarf and casual outfit, while the other two wear suits and ties. They have their arms around each other. The background shows a building with lights.Four men are standing closely together and smiling in a warmly lit indoor setting. One is wearing a festive red sweater with a Christmas design, while the others are dressed in dark, casual attire. Holiday decorations hang from the ceiling.Two men smiling and standing together in a warmly lit room with a wooden ceiling and exposed beams. The man on the left wears a white shirt and dark suit jacket, while the man on the right wears a dark coat. People and lights are visible in the background.

A man wearing a crown and a woman with reindeer antlers smile and embrace in front of a white curtain. The man is in a dark shirt, and the woman is in a white top.

ZACHARY’S CELEBRATES EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP MONTH

Happy National Employee Ownership Month!

Zachary’s is an ESOP. What is an ESOP, you ask? ESOP stands for Employee Stock Ownership Plan. All of Zachary’s stock is owned by the employees. ESOPs are federally governed, defined contribution plans. More info here: National Center for Employee Ownership.

When Zachary’s founders, Zach Zachowski and Barbara Gabel, decided it was time to retire, instead of selling to a third party buyer or (gasp!) dissolving our beloved restaurants, they sold the company to the employees. Little by little, the Zachary’s crew bought more and more of the company until we became officially 100% employee owned in 2010.

A group of people seated in a classroom, attentively facing the front. The room is filled, with a variety of individuals of different ages. A whiteboard is visible in the background. The atmosphere appears to be focused and engaged.To kick off employee ownership month, we hosted our Annual ESOP Meetings. This is a chance for our whole crew to get together to learn about our business and learn about the ESOP. In the photo on the left, employee owners eagerly await the start of the meeting… and the unveiling of Zachary’s 2016 share value!

ZACHARY’S IN THE WOODS

Five people wearing sunglasses pose for a selfie on a sunny day during a hike. They are smiling, with trees and a dirt path visible in the background. One person has their arms raised in excitement.One of the many things that makes Zachary’s a special place to work is that we are an ESOP. This means that all of the employees at Zachary’s own all of the stock in the company. See more information about Zachary’s here and ESOPs in general here.

TPeople walking on a sunlit dirt path through a forest, surrounded by lush greenery. Shadows are cast by sunlight streaming through the trees, creating a peaceful, natural atmosphere.his year, the ESOP Committee has a theme – Fit and Clean 2017! Our first event was a yoga class at Zachary’s (check it out!). Our second event was a hike at Redwood Regional!

Regional Manager and ESOP Committee member Kate Erickson bravely and excitedly choose the path (East Ridge Trail!) and led a group employee owners. Fun! We will have many more Fit and Clean adventures to share in 2017, so stay tuned!

YOGA AT ZACHARY’S

A group of people practicing yoga indoors, standing in the tree pose on yoga mats. They are smiling, balancing on one leg, with hands in prayer position. The room has bright lights and artwork on the walls.Big news! The first ever Zachary’s yoga class took place on Thursday, January 5th and it was AMAZING!

Zachary’s is an employee owned company (read more here: https://zacharys.com/about-us/our-people/) via our ESOP. We have a committee of dedicated employee owners who work to educate the crew about the ESOP itself and the benefits and responsibilities of being an employee owner. This year, the ESOP Committee decided to focus their efforts on a theme: Fit and Clean 2017. To kick off the year, Zachary’s hosted a yoga class, right here at our College Avenue location in Oakland, CA.

The fantastic and fun, Molly Pearson, agreed to lead the way. Amidst the cacophony that is an early morning at Zachary’s (think drilling, hammering, an industrial grater slicing major amounts of mozzarella, trucks delivering loads of produce, flour, pizza boxes and more, the whirring of the Hobart, the playful banter of the morning crew… you get the picture), a brave bunch of employee owners donned their yoga gear and stretched and twisted and Warriored together.

Though peaceful it was not, the morning was certainly full of beauty and joy. Yoga, pizza and some pretty fabulous employee owners made for a special start to another day at Zachary’s.

HAPPY NATIONAL EMPLOYEE OWNER MONTH!

Two people stand smiling next to a uniquely styled wooden holiday tree adorned with photos. Behind the tree, large green letters spell ESOP. The background features a decorative tapestry and photos displayed on a wall.October is National Employee Owner month! Woo-hoo! We kicked off the month by sending two of our fantastic employee owners, Katie Leary and Tabitha King to the ESOP Association Conference in Tahoe.

Tabitha and Katie came back from the conference filled with ideas and employee-owner enthusiasm. Here are some of their highlights from the conference:

  • Being around people who were super enthusiastic about engaging their employees and fostering the ownership mindset
  • Learning more about how an ESOP can benefit the company and individual employees
  • Getting lots of ideas for fun ESOP events and ways to engage employees in what it means to be an employee owner
  • Seeing other companies’ displays of how they celebrate their employees
  • Nerding out with fellow SF bay area ESOP members like Recology
  • Playing beginner’s poker and not knowing how to bluff
  • Getting a glowing review of Zachary’s pizza from Jackson Hardware CEO and ESOP Conference president Matthew Olson

Two smiling individuals wearing name tags, one pointing at the others tag. They are seated indoors at a table, with other patrons visible in the background. Warm lighting and casual attire suggest a social or networking event.As you can see, Tabitha and Katie stayed busy, learned a lot and had some fun. We are so excited that they were able to attend the conference and come back with so much to share!

JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE OUR 10th ANNIVERSARY IN SAN RAMON!

TUES 9/13 WE CELEBRATE 10 YEARS IN SAN RAMON! Please join us!

$1 PINTS (ONE DOLLAR = BEER!)
$20.06 AWARD-WINNING LARGE STUFFED SPINACH & MUSHROOM PIZZA
$10.00 LARGE THIN CHEESE PIZZA
FREE LIMITED EDITION TSHIRT WITH PURCHASE OVER $50 OR MORE
LIVE MUSIC AT NIGHT The Lost Weekend
FUN FOR FAMILIES AND KIDS!

Dine-in or take-out ($1 beer not available for take-out)
Come for lunch or dinner – MAKE YOUR RESERVATION NOW – SPACE IS LIMITED 925.244.1222

3110 Crow Canyon Place, San Ramon

Yellow flyer for Zacharys Pizzas 10th anniversary in San Ramon on 9/13. Offers include $20.06 large stuffed pizza, $10 large thin cheese, $1 beer pints, free T-shirt for orders over $50, live music, and family activities. Call 925-244-1222 to reserve.

 

 

A slice of Chicago-style deep-dish pizza being lifted from a metal tray. The pizza has a thick crust, topped with tomato sauce, melted cheese, and visible layers of vegetables and toppings. Strings of cheese stretch from the slice.

VISIT CALIFORNIA AND CALIFORNIA DREAM EATER COME TO ZACHARY’S!

We’re super pumped about being featured in this video from Visit California (California Travel & Tourism Commission) and California Dream Eater! CHECK IT OUT – click on image or HERE!

Two people sit at a table in a restaurant, smiling and talking. The person on the left wears a black shirt, and the person on the right wears glasses and a jacket. A banner at the bottom reads Now taking orders @CaliforniaDreamEater #DreamEats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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