A Mellow Caffeinated Atmosphere

Personally, I love coffee shops. Though the quality of the coffee certainly impacts where I go, it is the environment that determines it. When given the food ethnography assignment, naturally I decided to merge my enjoyment of mellow-caffeinated atmospheres with the writing and research aspect of my student life.

On a Sunday afternoon around 2:15 I found myself sitting in a medium sized leather chair at Caribou Coffee. Caribou has always been one of my favorite places. They have an assortment of teas, coffee, specialty drinks, pastries and sandwiches. Developed in the northern state of Minnesota, it has the welcoming, local feel while still being a franchised coffee house. The rustic interior makes you feel like you’re in a lodge and the mountain backdrop out the west windows make this concept all the more real. There is an eclectic collection of lighting and seating alike in addition to the various table sizes. I often prefer to sit in the leather chairs in front of the fireplace, especially if I come just to do some reading, however they were both occupied upon my arrival.

The relaxed, casual atmosphere of coffee shops is what makes them so inviting. Not only do the chairs or beverages contribute to this overall feeling, but the soothing music playing in the background, often referred to as “coffee shop” music, adds to the ambiance. Just looking at the style of the patrons gave this stress-free mood. Because it was a rather gloomy day, everyone seemed to be wearing sweatshirts or long-sleeves, myself included. The damp weather had summoned a sweater, at least on my part, that morning and also deemed warm drinks the trend of the afternoon.

The majority of the individuals there sit alone; focusing on editing papers, studying scripture, journaling, pleasure reading, or even educating themselves on the unique features of the DSLR cameras. I also noted that everyone seems to be space conscious. What I mean by that is while many spread out their study materials across the various tables and placed their backpacks and purses on separate chairs, once space gets limited they are always willing to accommodate others. In addition, the chair in which I sat faced another one, prompting a conversation setting; however a gentleman came and sat next to me while sipping his warm beverage, never saying a word with exception to asking permission to join me.

With exception to the mild music, pages turning and the occasional beep from the espresso machines, there really were no other sounds. Some people require complete silence to study, but I find the slight distraction of coffee shops to be optimum for me. More people began to filter in, entering as pairs. After finding a table, they often pulled out books to begin their studies, whether it is required for school or simply for pleasure.

About thirty minutes into my observations, the first line started to form. As more people were arriving, the baristas started bustling around behind the counter. The noise level also started to rise with the increased amount of ordering. In some cases, the customer would ask for recommendations from the baristas about what tea they should order to suit their taste best. Within five minutes, space became extremely limited and many took their coffee to go. Since it was midafternoon by this point, more people began to order pastries and some even brought in pizza from the shop next-door to accompany their coffee and studies.

The social aspect of coffee became increasingly important as the day progressed as well. All generations were represented in the shop. Some came in with friends, some with family. The younger the individual was, the more likely they were to order something other than coffee. For example, a father came in with his young daughter probably about five or six. After she got her strawberry milk, she was instantly drawn to the large leather chair next to me. Her father came over; they talked for a while, and then ventured back to their day’s duties. In the same way, a teenage daughter came in with her mom- she ordered a “cooler” which is a blended drink and her mother a simple warm coffee. This is another aspect to coffee that delights me- it transcends all ages.

Toward the end of my study, as I was taking my final notes, I noticed only a few coffee cup sleeves and napkins littering the floor. Additionally, I realized that while many people had joined the coffee shop community since I arrived, nobody had left. It’s not uncommon when I go to Caribou to see the same people the entire two hours I’m there.

Mathew Klickstein wrote an article focusing on the culture of coffee shops. He discusses the importance coffee has played over the years, but also how it’s changing with the addition of technology to our society. It’s very common to enter any coffee shop, Caribou included, and see a sea of laptops open. This is what I saw as I crossed through the threshold. Some see this as a benign aspect to the culture; however some are rather disturbed by this factor. Klickstein writes that some shop owners will intentionally install poor Wi-Fi and fewer outlets to ensure the focus is on community social interaction rather than bringing the office to a new location. To find out more on this interesting perspective, feel free to visit Klickstein’s article at Coffee Culture.