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Aug 24th, 2007

MONROE, Wash. – Workers at one coffee stand are taking a stand against their new boss.

The owner is implementing a dress code – requiring employees to wear skimpy outfits.

All the workers have quit.

"I make coffee, I don't sell my body, you know?"

That's what Barista Amy Klett told her boss at Lola Bean Espresso last week.

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Where do you stand on this?

"He said he was going with a franchise called Cowgirls and that the attire would be different, and that if we weren't on board, he would find other people," said barista Heather Cyrus.

For those of you who haven't visited Cowgirls, think of it like Starbucks meets Hooters.

Like a lot of similar stands throughout the Northwest, people come for the coffee -- and the dress code.

"Military Monday, Cowgirl Tuesday, Bikini Wednesday, Schoolgirl Thursday and Fantasy Friday," said Cyrus.

The girls at Lola Bean talked about it.  One by one, they went to their boss and told him they quit.

"I think it's demeaning to women and you shouldn't have to wear that kind of clothing to make a living," said Klett.

"I'm not gonna wear lingerie or negligees to work," said Cyrus. "It's not how I represent myself."

"I don't think he was expecting every one of us to quit," said Klett.

By the end of the week, everyone will be gone.  For Amy, the decision was all at once easy and painful.

"I have a mortgage to pay and I'm not sure how I'm gonna pay it now," said Klett.

Amy and the others are counting on their regular customers to follow them to other coffee stands.

"Coffee's coffee.  I'll go wherever she goes," said one customer.

"If they don't want to do it, they don't have to.  I wouldn't wanna do it," said customer Jan Woolery.

The owner of the stand tells KING 5 he was very surprised all of the baristas decided to quit. He says he has posted an ad for new baristas and the response has been overwhelming.