This article has come to my attention because of a local coffee house owner and good friend of mine and I had to comment on it. First of all, after reading the article it wouldn't take a brain scientist to figure out that the gentleman writting the article is over the age of 50. Now that doesn't mean that anyone in that age-group wouldn't be a fan of the coffee house scene, but from his argument he just sounds so old and well dare I say, crotchety. Is the coffee-house hurting anyone? No one put a gun to his head and made him by a latte versus good old decaf Folgers. Why would you want to be against a setting that brought neighbors of different ages and backgrounds together? A place that attracts people to move to our fair city? No ones ever been killed by a cafinated-drinker, and it makes a great alternative to the bar scene.
Anyone who compares coffee house coffee to the stuff that came from Gert in a brown apron on a formica table, is definately dating themselves. (He started the stereotyping not me) Another assumption I would make about our writer is that he is the type of local boy, that never left Iowa. I have to say I love Iowa too, but I didn't move back here b/c I could get coffee for 75cents at Denny's. I have returned to Iowa because its starting to get a new upscale personality that is recruiting internationals, and Gen-Xers. These Gen-Xers like to participate in their communites and are patrons of the arts and culture scene. (For more info on this check out Richard Florida's Rise of the Creative Class) In short, I believe this was a waste of space in my newspaper. I believe anyone with a brain, (remember he started it) could have taken this story and looked at it in several much more interesting angles.
1. Cedar Rapids rise in luxury income as demonstrated through our growing coffee house scene.
2. CoffeeHouses filling an unmet need for social interaction of multiple ages and races.
3. Coffeehouses and other cultural settings a must to become a community that can attract a diverse workforce and continue to be competitive with economic development.
4. An alternative to the bar scene, more and more people are attracted to non-smoky, non-alchoholic environments.
5. A Starbucks on every corner? Americans addicition to high-priced coffee is a marketing phenomenom where most rules don't apply.
1 comment:
I really like your picture and quote and thoughts. This is true mainly for the North, I think, because we in the South still have a lot to learn about the wonderful benefits of coffee houses. But I think we will have to encourage iced coffee, as the heat is probably what's slowed down our evolution in this matter!! But I really miss that environment from my Wheaton days!!
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