Fuck, yeah I’ll take the air-conditioned recliner with a sound system that plays exactly what I want and doesn’t require me to walk 4 blocks to get a cup of coffee.
Coffee shops also often have air-conditioned environments indoors.
One large benefit of classic coffee shop style design is building community. Presumably you go to your local coffee shop (this obviously doesn’t exist in suburbia) and meet other local people there. It provides opportunity to just get to meet other people, which helps people feel more connected and less scared of each other, and also let’s them rely on each other when needed. It also creates a space people can use for organization efforts. You can advertise for local mutual aid groups or political organizations or whatever else to people with likely similar interests.
Car culture (particularly in America) has destroyed most people’s sense of community. You live in your space, drive wherevever you need to go in your private bubble, and never interact with people living near you. It’s not good.
We have local coffee shops too with all the little art shows and community organizing and a bunch of annoying hippies preaching about essential oils and salt lamps. There’s like 7 of them in my town of 20,000. But sometimes people just want a godamnned mochafrappabullshit on the way into the office, and a drive-thru is a great option for them.
Honestly, I usually just use the pot at work or grab a cup in the gas station. It’s been years since I used a Starbucks. But they have their place - especially if you live somewhere where walking down the street for coffee means you have to take another shower before going in to work.
It’s been over 100° for over 40 days straight.
Fuck, yeah I’ll take the air-conditioned recliner with a sound system that plays exactly what I want and doesn’t require me to walk 4 blocks to get a cup of coffee.
Coffee shops also often have air-conditioned environments indoors.
One large benefit of classic coffee shop style design is building community. Presumably you go to your local coffee shop (this obviously doesn’t exist in suburbia) and meet other local people there. It provides opportunity to just get to meet other people, which helps people feel more connected and less scared of each other, and also let’s them rely on each other when needed. It also creates a space people can use for organization efforts. You can advertise for local mutual aid groups or political organizations or whatever else to people with likely similar interests.
Car culture (particularly in America) has destroyed most people’s sense of community. You live in your space, drive wherevever you need to go in your private bubble, and never interact with people living near you. It’s not good.
We have local coffee shops too with all the little art shows and community organizing and a bunch of annoying hippies preaching about essential oils and salt lamps. There’s like 7 of them in my town of 20,000. But sometimes people just want a godamnned mochafrappabullshit on the way into the office, and a drive-thru is a great option for them.
Honestly, I usually just use the pot at work or grab a cup in the gas station. It’s been years since I used a Starbucks. But they have their place - especially if you live somewhere where walking down the street for coffee means you have to take another shower before going in to work.