Ever since the advent of the whole coffee-shop-as-satellite-office thing, some have operated under the notion that java joints should do what they can to cater to and keep customers sitting in seats for hours on end while they toil on their laptops. But one store owner says his business has actually seen an increase in sales after he decided to put limits on the laptop-lugging squatters. [More]
coffee shops
Coffee Shop Owner: Quit Asking Me To Offer Suspended Coffees Already
By 4.2.13
Last week, we explained why we think that the “suspended coffee” movement that allegedly began in Naples, spread all over Bulgaria, and exploded on Facebook isn’t such a hot idea. But don’t just take it from us: the owner of an independent London coffee shop weighed in on the movement. Her take: it’s insulting that people think independent coffee shops don’t already help people who look like they could use a warm cup of coffee, and you should support your local indie shop. Well, that second part was predictable. [More]
What’s The Best Way To Handle The “Hold On, I’m On The Phone” Customer?
By 7.10.12
There is a special type of bad consumer that is the bane of both retail employees and other customers waiting in line — the person who not only blabs away on their phone while waiting in line but also holds things up by refusing to pause their call when they get to the head of the line. So what is the best way to deal with this problem in a way that just won’t slow things down even more? [More]
Three Topless Female Coffee Shop Employees Cited
By 9.8.11
It seems that uniforms were optional at a Vietnamese coffee shop in San Jose, Calif., where three female employees were cited after they reportedly were caught serving customers while topless. Cited on suspicion of public nudity, but not arrested, the women will be forced to appear in criminal court. [More]
Never Click On "Free Public Wifi"
By 10.12.10
When you’re cruising for a hotspot at a coffee shop, never click on the “Free Public Wifi” wireless network. “Free Public Wifi” is a Windows XP quirk; when a computer can’t find any of its favorite networks it creates a network on-the-fly, but it doesn’t go anywhere. At best, you’ll never connect to the internet. At worst, you could be exposing your computer to hackers. [More]
Coffee Shop Owner Uses Twitter To Ban Breastfeeding In His Store, Seems Surprised By Reaction
By 8.3.10
Yesterday, a coffee shop called The DoubleShot in Tulsa, OK sent out a tweet announcing that breastfeeding was now banned on the premises: “Notice: No breastfeeding at the DoubleShot. Thank you.” (The tweet has since been removed, but a tipster saved it for us.) This set off a torrent of angry reactions on Twitter, partly because everyone loves to fight about breastfeeding and partly because it’s World Breastfeeding Week. [More]
Coffee Shop Owner Throws Cop Out Of Joint Because He's A Cop
By 6.9.10
Many small businesses like to have police officers as clientele because their presence is a deterrent to would-be criminals, but a Portland, Ore. coffee shop owner threw a cop out of his shop because he feared the officer would start a game of Taser tag. [More]
My Starbucks Had No Salt
By 2.26.10
Orlando Sentinel consumer advocate Greg Dawson was disappointed to discover Starbucks had no salt for his hard-boiled egg. The barista told him that he needed to head to some other place if he wanted to get his salt on. [More]
Coffee Shop Bans Lunchtime Laptop Users
By 8.7.09
Patrons working on laptops are a fixture of coffee shops, and with electric outlets and free wi-fi, shops aren’t exactly discouraging students and, uh, professional bloggers from hanging out there. Until now.
Meet The First Stealth Starbucks: Seattle's 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea
By 8.6.09
A few weeks ago, we shared a story about Starbucks opening new stores that are not branded “Starbucks.” The idea is to recreate the flavor and feel of the independent coffeehouses your neighborhood used to have before Starbucks came along. Shortly after that, the first non-Starbucks Starbucks, 15th Avenue E Coffee and Tea in Seattle, opened for business. What’s it like?
Economy Thwarts Man's Goal Of Visiting Every Starbucks On Planet
By 5.30.09
I was impressed when I heard that someone managed to visit every Starbucks store in Manhattan in one day. There were 171 at the time. Then I learned about Winter, who takes Starbucks-visiting to a whole new level, aiming to visit every Starbucks in the world (9,000 to date.) Not in a single day, or even in a single year, but still an ambitious goal that attracts some media attention.
Want A Thriving Coffee Shop? Open Next To A Starbucks
By 12.29.07
The funny thing about Starbucks is it’s helped to create a coffee culture filled with a significant number of people who don’t actually like Starbucks—which means that, despite conventional wisdom, it’s actually a good thing to be a mom & pop coffee shop with a Starbucks nearby, writes Slate.
Get Permission To Use That WiFi Hotspot, Or You Are Committing A Felony
By 6.2.07
Michigan charged Sam Peterson II with a felony for accessing a coffee-shop’s WiFi network from his car over several weeks. The police visited Sam’s car after a barber next to the coffee-shop mistook Sam for a stalker.
