Tuesday, June 15, 2004


what coffeeshops mean, part iii

"people need a place to express their opinions, listen to others and develop a sense of identity beyond set social roles."

bingo! this charming little article gets to the heart of coffeeshop culture the world round. you can't do this over coca-cola in the food court at the local mall.

as i've said before, it's just the nature of coffee: of the world's most social, romantic, and intellectual fine beverage. it's ever been thus, as the cranky and curmudgeonly austrian author polgar so eloquently detailed nearly 80 years ago.

one of the subjects of this piece says people hang out in coffeehouses because they "don't go to bars anymore." au contraire!

look, i appreciate a glass of bordeaux, of champagne, of sauternes, of oregon pinot noir -- even a fine scotch. but none of these beverages have the intellectual and social history of coffee.

hanging out in the coffeehouse is about becoming involved in the lives of those around you, in discussing the wider world; history has proven that it inevitably results in profound social change. hanging out in a bar is about crying in your beer, even if you have friends to weep with.

but the human race doesn't go forward on misery. that the stock exchanges began at coffeehouses, not at the admittedly great last exit to brooklyn, is signficant after all!

finally, what i also like about this article is that the owners of the independents explain what keeps them thriving in the face of competition not only from the mermaid, but also peets: catering perfectly to the needs of their customer community by knowing them and the neighborhood intimately.

this is something no chain coffehouse can ever do. (sorry jim r.! i love you so very very much, but it's true, it's true. . .)

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