Starbucks…not a real coffee shop

Many people think Starbucks is the best thing in the world when in actuality the only great thing about them is…they are everywhere.    People flock there becasue it is the only place to go, having frequented many Starbucks this is what I see:  People meeting for business, grabbing a coffee to go, or just sitting at their computer with headphones in ear.  Starbucks has the corporate feel and you know what to expect when walking in the same colors on the walls, same displays, same coffee none of which stand out above the other, and same over priced cup of joe or frappacino.  They are uniform, and you see the same people at all of them no matter where you are:  business man on the cell phone and lattop waiting for his next client, socceer mom stops in on the way to take the kids to their never ending list of events for the day (this is the only stop that keeps her sane…oh and she gets a frap for the kids), pretencious apple guy doing who knows what, over zealous baritsta, and the occasional high school girls swaping gossip.  There is nothing unique about Starbucks except they are all over and slowly taking over.

If you are so luck in you community there may still be the local coffee shop to rescue you from this comformity…oh yeah and free wi-fi.  I am talking about the places where the people know you not just your name, they know your drink (which is their specialty becasue it doesn’t all taste the same), people who are having conversations about changing or saving the world, people who are there to be known not alone but together, with unique decor which makes you feel at home, and has the vibe compelling you to come back again and again.  I envy those people with this option.  Where I live it is all uniformed conformity with Starbucks plus all our brick buildings even taco bell is brick.  I miss the local coffee shop…the real coffee shop with people smoking out front grubbling about the government or school, people playing chess inside, people with nothing better to do than congregate.  I love it.   I am forunante today to be at a great local coffee house formerly Standard & Pours now Opening Bell Coffee here in Dallas www.myspace.com/openingbellcoffee .  I drove 25 mintues to come to this place for the above mentioned things.  As I sit here writting and listening to the people, I feel at home, relaxed.  I want to hangout in this foever…if my wife was with me.  These are the dying gems we need to support and hold onto.  If you are so blessed to have a place like this next time you go in let them know how much you appreciate them. 

Hanging out and envious,

HERE I AM

I have given in to the world of blogging.  I can see this to be either very good, or highly addictive.  I would like to thank those who have brought me here:  Aaron Ivey and Bush.  I was so engaged by their post and thoughts that I did what anyone would do… start their own thing for people to read.  Hoping to be embraced by the blogging community,

Clay