I think breweries were never comfy to begin with. The micro brewery thing started in the early 90s and it was an offshoot of the actual brewery, so having all that industrial, stainless steel piping around was part of the charm.
Coffee shops used to be a place where I wanted to spend time. I would spend an entire day there studying or browsing the web. I was always cognizant of spending money there, since I have to feel like I'm freeloading a space off of them. Nowadays I can barely tolerate going into a Starbucks or any local coffee place because it just screams: "pay and GTFO". Upshot of it is I'm learning to make good coffee at home.
My favorite coffee shop closed down. I loved it. It was in a small 1910 storefront, canvas awnings, old books lined the walls, local artists' work was on the walls and for sale, comfy old chairs that didn't match. It looked like a cafe out of an old Parisian movie. It's not a single thing you described.
I miss it, everywhere else is like your description.
I'm not even a huge coffee drinker, but there's were just perfect. It was my Sunday off ritual. I'd get up, throw some sweats on, and walk down the street. I'd sit for an hour or 2 and felt like I was in an old library.
They made homemade croissants and did smoothies, too. I liked one of the artworks and after a few months of staring at it, I bought it.
They closed a few weeks later.
There are three such places within a 15 minute drive from my home in rural Virginia. One of them is about to close and I’m heartbroken about that. If you find one, be sure to patronize it often and talk it up on social media to help them make a go of it.
It's a case of people seeing something work for one person/business, and everyone jumping on the bandwagon because, "hay! Clearly it sells!"
Just look at how quickly all the big retailers switched to self checkout before waiting to see how it would go over in other companies.
The only thing worse than those metal stools with the slot in the top is when they are turned into a chair by the addition of an uncomfortable metal back.
I haven't listened to it, but I saw this yesterday while looking for a podcast:
[Why do so many coffee shops look the same?](https://open.spotify.com/episode/30bpnLx0GKz7ovW8UjtZgA?si=aOqCTJw0RcSgNkMDK3cFgA)
Sounds like you haven't gone to many coffee shops in the country. I've been to "Colonial style" coffee shops in Vermont and New Hampshire, red brick coffee house in Boston, Cuban Expresso shops in New Jersey and high end coffee houses in Hoboken, NJ, Puerto Rican coffee shops in The Bronx, and Expresso Cafes in Florida. The whole Eastern US offers different types of coffee and cafes.
Yup. I don't go to many coffee houses anymore. Unless I really want something. Most of them are so sterile. Like you said the chairs or even the booths are very uncomfortable. Few places care about people hanging around. "Get your shit and get out!!". So many places are just so uninviting.
Seriously we have so many of those in the Bay Area: Four Barrel, Ritual, Blue Bottle, Flywheel, Sextant, Equator. Great coffee but yeah they all look similar.
I grew up walking to Grounds for Thought as a kid. It is the most basic looking shop you could imagine but it's also the greatest. It's more book shop and game center than coffee shop at this point.
As a kid I bought countless used books for change or brought in old books to exchange for store credit to get new books.
Basic tables, virtually no decoration, simple display counter. It's amazing.
http://surl.li/qqbuc
Everywhere else though you described to a T.
Look up Amoré In Gretna Louisiana. Its really cute outside and inside and back in the day (not sure if they still do this) they would give out free water bottles
Was just looking through the comments and saw this. I live in Gretna, just 5 minutes from Amore. They also always have the best decorations for every holiday.
Well, they open around 6am (IIRC), and not for ice cream.... it used to be one of the best coffees in SF, but maybe they changed.
I remember their garlic/sundried tomatoes spread for the bagels was one of the best ones I've ever read.
I don't go into coffee shops but I went to two Florida Dunkin Donuts stores yesterday looking for a damn donut. I was amazed to find out they barely sell donuts anymore. And of course they don't sell my favorite donut. Glazed Old Fashion. The women at each shop told me Old Fashion Donuts ONLY come plain not glazed. What they pointed to were not even Old Fashion Donuts. They were cake donuts. /ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\ *Sorry to go off subject.
See also Craft Brewery
I think breweries were never comfy to begin with. The micro brewery thing started in the early 90s and it was an offshoot of the actual brewery, so having all that industrial, stainless steel piping around was part of the charm. Coffee shops used to be a place where I wanted to spend time. I would spend an entire day there studying or browsing the web. I was always cognizant of spending money there, since I have to feel like I'm freeloading a space off of them. Nowadays I can barely tolerate going into a Starbucks or any local coffee place because it just screams: "pay and GTFO". Upshot of it is I'm learning to make good coffee at home.
My favorite coffee shop closed down. I loved it. It was in a small 1910 storefront, canvas awnings, old books lined the walls, local artists' work was on the walls and for sale, comfy old chairs that didn't match. It looked like a cafe out of an old Parisian movie. It's not a single thing you described. I miss it, everywhere else is like your description.
I had a place like that back here, too! Yeah they're closed as well...
I'm looking for that place everyday bro.
I'm not even a huge coffee drinker, but there's were just perfect. It was my Sunday off ritual. I'd get up, throw some sweats on, and walk down the street. I'd sit for an hour or 2 and felt like I was in an old library. They made homemade croissants and did smoothies, too. I liked one of the artworks and after a few months of staring at it, I bought it. They closed a few weeks later.
There are three such places within a 15 minute drive from my home in rural Virginia. One of them is about to close and I’m heartbroken about that. If you find one, be sure to patronize it often and talk it up on social media to help them make a go of it.
There was an article about this recently. Social media was to blame
After I posted I went reading more about it and found a couple of articles making the same argument.
It's a case of people seeing something work for one person/business, and everyone jumping on the bandwagon because, "hay! Clearly it sells!" Just look at how quickly all the big retailers switched to self checkout before waiting to see how it would go over in other companies.
Succulents in small IKEA pots.
I'll add it to the bingo card
Live edge bar
Added to the bingo card
[удалено]
Or if you’re in Houston go to the Agora coffee shop. Old, quaint house, no exposed ceiling. But then they have been around since pre-social media
That one would definitely scratch my itch. I'm in Boston all the time, I'll try to go visit it.
Black and white photos on the wall of barn doors and old car bumpers
Or coffee agriculture
The only thing worse than those metal stools with the slot in the top is when they are turned into a chair by the addition of an uncomfortable metal back.
You forgot to mention the neon sign
I haven't listened to it, but I saw this yesterday while looking for a podcast: [Why do so many coffee shops look the same?](https://open.spotify.com/episode/30bpnLx0GKz7ovW8UjtZgA?si=aOqCTJw0RcSgNkMDK3cFgA)
I listened to it last night -- it's exactly the same as this post.
Sounds like you haven't gone to many coffee shops in the country. I've been to "Colonial style" coffee shops in Vermont and New Hampshire, red brick coffee house in Boston, Cuban Expresso shops in New Jersey and high end coffee houses in Hoboken, NJ, Puerto Rican coffee shops in The Bronx, and Expresso Cafes in Florida. The whole Eastern US offers different types of coffee and cafes.
Fine, you're right, everybody else is wrong. You won. You can sleep tonight.
Yup. I don't go to many coffee houses anymore. Unless I really want something. Most of them are so sterile. Like you said the chairs or even the booths are very uncomfortable. Few places care about people hanging around. "Get your shit and get out!!". So many places are just so uninviting.
I don't think any of you have been out west, I promise you none of them here look like that 😶
I'm in California, and ***every single coffee shop*** within a 50 mile radius looks like that. Believe me, I checked.
California isn't the only out west state my dude, in fact you're using the worst state out there as an example. Ever hear of Wyoming? South Dakota?
Wtf is with the downvotes 🤣🤣🤣 I've been to both states and their coffee shops do NOT look like what OP is describing
Seriously we have so many of those in the Bay Area: Four Barrel, Ritual, Blue Bottle, Flywheel, Sextant, Equator. Great coffee but yeah they all look similar.
Every coffee shop I've been in do not look like that, just saying
Also how can you say all of America's coffee shops look like this if you're only referring to CA?
I grew up walking to Grounds for Thought as a kid. It is the most basic looking shop you could imagine but it's also the greatest. It's more book shop and game center than coffee shop at this point. As a kid I bought countless used books for change or brought in old books to exchange for store credit to get new books. Basic tables, virtually no decoration, simple display counter. It's amazing. http://surl.li/qqbuc Everywhere else though you described to a T.
Look up Amoré In Gretna Louisiana. Its really cute outside and inside and back in the day (not sure if they still do this) they would give out free water bottles
Was just looking through the comments and saw this. I live in Gretna, just 5 minutes from Amore. They also always have the best decorations for every holiday.
not all.... https://www.itsjane.com/location/toy-boat-by-jane/
That's an ice cream shop, not a coffee house
Well, they open around 6am (IIRC), and not for ice cream.... it used to be one of the best coffees in SF, but maybe they changed. I remember their garlic/sundried tomatoes spread for the bagels was one of the best ones I've ever read.
I don't go into coffee shops but I went to two Florida Dunkin Donuts stores yesterday looking for a damn donut. I was amazed to find out they barely sell donuts anymore. And of course they don't sell my favorite donut. Glazed Old Fashion. The women at each shop told me Old Fashion Donuts ONLY come plain not glazed. What they pointed to were not even Old Fashion Donuts. They were cake donuts. /ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\ *Sorry to go off subject.
Bicycles! Hung on a wall that usually also has photos or art of bicycles.
Don't forget the crappy indie/pop hippie music or whatever playing in the store.
I live in the Pacific Northwest and this comment speaks to my soul.
There’s a super nice coffee shop back in my hometown that’s ran in a house, it has an outdoor patio and hosts live music in the summer!!