It is my contention that the modern Starbucks Coffee Shop fufills a role similar in spirit to the Irish Pub, the British Card Clubs or even to a certain extent a Chinese Opium Den
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But what about people like me who zip in, buy an enormous coffee then bring it elsewhere, like a class? I often find other students with similar cups, of course...
People actually used to conduct business in coffee houses, and only retreated into offices when cheap gin made them less pleasant places. The pendulum may swing all the way back to that point when technology gets good enough that we can have a real paperless office.
There may be superficial similarities, but I disagree, because:
No-one ever got as happy on caffeine as they do on booze
On average, I'll take the direst pub lunch over Starbuck's stale pastries.
Starbuck's rarely offers seating space for more than a dozen patrons. No way can you get the friendly-crowd atmosphere going in that small a space - and it's small enough for IDIOTS ON CELPHONES to think that they've got the right to blow the collective bohomie by taking calls in the middle of the room.
Pint-for-pint, I think beer is cheaper than caramel macchiato.
I've yet to run into a random conversation worth barging into at a Starbuck's.
People are friendlier at pubs.
Now, the coffee houses of yore - ie, 18th and early 19th century - were, indeed, social nexii and I think closer to what you're envisioning.
PS - I doubt much conversation occurs in an opium den, but I'm only guessing. ;)
I think properly done a Starbucks type place could become like the Coffee Houses of yore, but the current Starbucks are frequently too small. But some are big enough, there is one near my house that is nice sized, and one at the local Barnes and Noble that actually is used as a meeting place. So it is Possible. Many people don't like bars and Good Pubs are hard to come by in America. So we are probably stuck with Coffee Places. So long as I can get Hot Tea no one will get hurt. By the by, I friended you.
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But what about people like me who zip in, buy an enormous coffee then bring it elsewhere, like a class? I often find other students with similar cups, of course...
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In todays society of drive thru windows and eating on the run, I suppsoe the social aspect is not as strong.
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No-one ever got as happy on caffeine as they do on booze
On average, I'll take the direst pub lunch over Starbuck's stale pastries.
Starbuck's rarely offers seating space for more than a dozen patrons. No way can you get the friendly-crowd atmosphere going in that small a space - and it's small enough for IDIOTS ON CELPHONES to think that they've got the right to blow the collective bohomie by taking calls in the middle of the room.
Pint-for-pint, I think beer is cheaper than caramel macchiato.
I've yet to run into a random conversation worth barging into at a Starbuck's.
People are friendlier at pubs.
Now, the coffee houses of yore - ie, 18th and early 19th century - were, indeed, social nexii and I think closer to what you're envisioning.
PS - I doubt much conversation occurs in an opium den, but I'm only guessing. ;)
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No-one ever got as happy on caffeine as they do on booze
On average, alcohol makes me very maudlin and very much a crying type person.
Caffeine overdose makes me happy, hyper, and flighty.
I'll take the latter.
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well said
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But some are big enough, there is one near my house that is nice sized, and one at the local Barnes and Noble that actually is used as a meeting place. So it is Possible.
Many people don't like bars and Good Pubs are hard to come by in America. So we are probably stuck with Coffee Places.
So long as I can get Hot Tea no one will get hurt.
By the by, I friended you.
Reply
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