Coffee shop lets customers pay it forward to health care workers

A shop at a Southern California hospital is giving its customers a chance to pay it forward to hospital workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

"I love Long Beach," said Harmony Fried, founder of Long Beach Bread Lab. "It's this big city that feels like a small town."

Fried, a classically-trained French pastry chef, opened Long Beach Bread Lab in December 2019. She and her husband Levi also own and operate the Long Beach Beer Lab, which they opened in 2017.

"Our coffee, pastries and bread are all made at the Beer Lab," Harmony said.

Once the coronavirus pandemic hit, Fried said that patrons were asking how they could buy a coffee or pastry for staff at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

"After brainstorming with our staff, we decided to roll out the program," Fried said.

Once customers visit the Long Beach Bread Lab website, they will have an option to buy a healthcare professional coffee, pastry or bread. The prices range from $3 to $6. Then the next time a hospital worker places an order at the Long Beach Bread Lab, they will receive their item for free.

"When I found out about it, I was like, 'Who paid for it?'" said Stephanie Aparicio, Director of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Services at Long Beach Memorial. "When I found out it was the community doing this, it gave me the feeling that our community is amazing here in Long Beach."

For more information, visit store.lbbread.com.