Farewell, Bill Rogers!

Longtime St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub employee Bill Rogers is leaving the coffee shop for a full-time gig involving his biggest passion—music.

Rogers is exiting Elmo’s after five-plus years to be the public relations director at the new Bright Box Theater in Winchester, Va.

“It sounds lame and cliché, but I’ve learned so much while working here,” Rogers said. “I’ve learned a lot about business and coffee and really a lot about myself.”

Rogers’ last day at Elmo’s will be Thanksgiving, when the coffee shop will be open until 2 p.m.

Along with being an assistant manager at Elmo’s, Rogers has booked music acts at the shop and other venues in Alexandria, including Evening Star Café and the Four Mile Run Farmers and Artisans Market. He also was instrumental in organizing the annual Del Ray Music Festival.

Rogers said he has relinquished many of his event-scheduling duties over the last several months as his commitments to Bright Box have intensified to the point where the venue opted to bring him on full time (The theater is owned by Marilyn Finnemore, CEO and President of Alexandria’s Mind and Media).

Though he won’t be taking early morning coffee orders anymore, Rogers will still be seen around town; he’s going to continue his three-year run helping out at the Birchmere.

“The sense of community I’ve gotten working here at St. Elmo’s, it’s been amazing,” Rogers said. “It’s something I never really had before.”