The Changing Culture of Cafe's

Interesting post today in the Globe and Mail from Leah McLaren who writes about the clash between cafe's as places of interaction and the encroachment of those who are using it as an office and how that is killing or harming the discussion-oriented, social nature of what a cafe is meant to be.

Some interesting quotes from the article reflect the different way that people perceive the modern cafe:

Take my friend John, who, out of fear of inspiring a local java fatwa against him, doesn't want his real name used. Although he is a sophisticated, self-employed urbanite, John prefers, when it comes to coffee breaks, to kick it old school. Unlike so many people today, John actually goes to his local café in order to relax, chat and drink coffee. For him, the espresso bar is a place to forget about work rather than focus on it.

Another looks at what happened when one cafe went from plugged to (literally) unplugged:

Melanie Janisse opened her café, Zoots, just over a year ago in Toronto's west end. In addition to serving traditional French-roasted grinds and home-baked brioche, she provided patrons with free Internet service and computer outlets. Customers came in droves. But soon she noticed something disconcerting.

“As more people plugged in, the energy of the café began to sink,” she says. “People would turn up, buy a $2 tea, hunker down and sit there for five or six hours not buying anything or talking to anyone. It really started to bug me.”

So Janisse covered over the power outlets with duct tape.

Interesting. I agree that cafe's are not the social place they once were and that is a disappointment. But could it be that many of the 'workers' in the cafe might be using their digital devices to socialize in other, more electronic ways? If so, what does this mean for the cafe of the future?

Starbucks Via

Today is an auspicious day in the coffee world. It's the day that Starbucks unleashes on the world its new instant coffee called Via. I can't believe that this day has come and must admit that it is a very odd play for Starbucks. They do know their audience and clearly the java jolt on coffee breaks isn't happening as often as they'd like so they've opted to provide the convenient option of instant.

As a coffee fan I felt compelled to try it. So how does it taste? The answer: Not bad. It's always tricky to render a verdict on something after a single tasting, but halfway through my first cup I can conclude that the Via is palpable. Maybe even good -- by instant coffee standards.

So with that the safari begins, oddly at the office and not in a Cafe.