Cafe Culture Essay

Starbucks: The Growth of Café culture As I walk into the Northern Pacific Coffee Company, a local café, I am greeted with a smile and casually asked, “Hey, what have you been up to?” I enjoy a short conversation with the café owner or one of the baristas, as I wait for the gourmet coffee or tea that I ordered. By the time I reach a table to sit down and relax with my beverage, I’ve already experienced several short conversations with some of the other regulars. I learn much of the local news and discuss art or social issues with a few people. My experience isn’t uncommon. For hundreds of years, cafes have been a hot spot for local artists, writers, and social activists to interact with likeminded individuals. However, it wasn’t until

Some offer live music, while others offer poetry reading nights. Most independent coffee shops provide a homey feel with comfy furniture and eclectic décor. Also, they often display art made by local artists. People seeking a more bohemian environment, something that inspires creativity, are likely to seek out a small, local shop instead of Starbucks or one of the other big chains. Starbucks has popularized café culture by bringing awareness to the independent shops that were once relatively unknown. Now James Bullock, a Seattle software consultant says, “Starbucks does not define the coffee conversation anymore. It’s defined by independents,” (Clark). By forcing independent shops to compete, Starbucks has inspired café culture to flourish. Zachary Gray, owner of Paper Tigers in Vancouver, WA, holds a poetry reading night every Thursday (Buck). As he discusses his love for coffee and the environment he tries to create in his establishment, Gray mentions the European coffeehouses “where anyone could rub shoulders with writers and other creative types and emerge the wiser” (Buck). Finally, Schultz has brought the European coffee culture he loved so much to the United States, but not by way of Starbucks, but through the multitude of independent gourmet coffee shops that have sought to become an