My Love of Coffee Shops
The smell.
The hustle and bustle.
The productive chatter and buzz in the room.
The industry as a whole reflects the microcosm of business and entrepreneurship in my eyes.
The coffee bean is one small bean in primarily South America and somehow a multi-billion dollar industry is based off this single bean.
It's just fascinating to think about it. For all the different and unique plants and seeds and beans that exist in the world, this one small bean has created an entire industry, funded hundreds of thousands of people’s livelihoods and fueled the passions of millions more. And it is through this industry that people form connections, pioneer ideas, meet to sign contracts, formulate business plans and everything else in between.
When you first step into the store, you are hit with the sweet aroma of roasted coffee beans, the familiar buzz of the coffee grinder and the intermittent squeal of pressurized air from the milk frother.
The barista takes your order and the rhythmic dull tap of the tamp can be heard to clear the left over coffee grinds after an espresso pour. The audible aeration of milk and the intense focus on the latte art pour with the precise back and forth hand motion for the pour. The abyssal black coffee swirls with the frothy white to create a light brown. The coffee oils reflected in the froth catching the rays of light from a nearby glass window pane.
I don’t know how else to describe it. There’s just something to the world of coffee shops.
So Why does it Matter to me? Why do I care?
I thrive off of an unprovoked FOMO of productivity. I want to be super productive. I want to be doing things, getting 'ahead' in life. It's my personal way of appreciating life for what it is. Sure, I acknowledge that for others it may sound like a rat-race burnout disaster in slow-motion waiting to happen, but I personally enjoy it.
I love being nosy and seeing what projects others may be pursuing.
I love hearing people speak about their craft or collaborating with other artists or professionals.
Coffee shops magically strip away some of the pretentious professional facade to the whole interaction though. Interactions become a bit more organic, a little less professional and more casual. They really put a spotlight on those that truly are passionate about their craft.
Characteristics or Features of a Coffeeshop
So, what makes a good coffee shop in my books? I've broken it down into a few things. Keep in mind, my ratings and values are shaped by my intentions at a coffee shop.
Cleanliness & Aesthetic
Creativity & Collaboration
Music Choice
Outlet Plugs & Internet Access (if it was just about the coffee, this wouldn't mean shit)
Coffee Quality
1. Cleanliness & Aesthetic
For me, a clean and minimal aesthetic is awesome. Wood accents, cement flooring, white subway tiles. Lots of sunlight, bright walls. I don't want fabric booth seats, cushions, anything that can collect a stain, hold a smell, feel un-wipeable or convey dirtiness. Especially during COVID19 times, even the visual of regular and frequent cleaning by staff is preferred.
For me, as a self-identifying millenial, those ideas are important to me. Sure, I understand the argument against a $5 coffee. Why the hell would anyone pay for a $5 coffee when a $1-2 is fine too from Tim Hortons.
The answer is the aesthetic. A premium experience justifies a premium price. Watching a teenager work a minimum wage job dragging a dirty mop on the ground doesn't communicate cleanliness to me. Furthermore, I’m going for the experience of the coffee tasting - Tim Hortons coffee just doesn’t compare. Sure, it is decent coffee but the taste profile isn’t as sophisticated, nuances, unique or enjoyable.
And if the intention for me is to work at a coffee shop, the $5 price tag to justify my stay is cheaper than a WeWork monthly price. So ultimately, it's a cheaper experience.
2. Creativity & Collaboration
Who is in the coffee shop also affects the atmosphere of the space. A coffee shop primarily of retired men reminiscing about the past is not going to have the same atmosphere as a coffee shop where artists and creatives are rushing to get a project out. And then there’s everything in between. There’s the studious quiet kids with a textbook. There’s the college kids who go to study but wind up spending all their time scrolling TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat. Depending on the demographic, the pace and feel of a coffee shop will change. Personally, the energy of the young professional demographic appeals to me at my current age. The chatter in the room is more relatable, relevant, contemporary. Furthermore, the pace and subject matter is morre relevant to me as a working professional.
So yeah. I love seeing people work. Whether it's the barista working on new latte art, an architect meeting clients to show a design, a real estate agent meeting potential clients, or a photographer and their model meeting to discuss a game plan for the shoot day. It is such an impactful motivator to see other professionals focused on their craft or passions. Maybe you're sitting beside the next Zuckerburg or a future heart surgeon.
Coffee shops have always been a place of connection and interaction. And seeing people foster those connections, grow their skills, hone themselves is an amazing privilege to see. It is a privilege to see others grow into a better version of themselves and to feel some degree of contribution to the vibe, to the atmosphere, is awesome!
3. Music Choice
Coffee shop music has become identity-defining. It can tell a story of the shop's cultural identity as well as their intentions in a community. Radio pop music is a safe bet. Not particularly offensive, but not particularly unique either. Consider it the stan of coffee shops.
A pure hip hop shop (looking at you, Nemesis) gives you street cred in my eyes. It also distinguishes a coffee shop's identity in its community.
Too bass-y music can be distracting if it penetrates or overpowers your own headphones or music. We're not aiming for club bangers or else we'd go to a club. Not enough bass though can be uninspiring because there isn't a beat to the shop — it doesn't feel alive or the spot.
Music choice dictates who is going to congregate at a location. It also indicates who is likely going to be attracted to a location.
4. Outlet Plugs & Internet Access - The Productivity Lifeblood
Outlet plugs are the life source of a nomadic worker. Especially now with Covid, the working remote life is so prevalent among professionals, that people are constantly looking for spots to work and power their electronics.
A stable, free wifi connection is the other life source for a productive working space. Now I understand that some coffee shops do not aim to support or facilitate prolonged stays. That's their prerogative and that's totally cool (looking at you, Elysian Coffee) but internet access is the way to my heart. Internet lets me do work.
If you have free internet, I don't need to sign up or log in with my email, and I can check my email, research things on the internet and connect to my online cloud-based services, then that's awesome!
5. Coffee Quality
Now, finally, the actual coffee. I wouldn't say I'm a coffee connoisseur but I do enjoy a good cup of coffee and appreciate well-prepared coffee. So when going to a coffee shop, having the experience of a bold or unique tasting coffee is a treat or experiment that I cannot have at a Starbucks or Tim Hortons.
I think most premium coffee shops meet the general standard for the premium price, but the things I consider include:
How do they prepare your coffee?
Am I being made a personalized coffee or receiving drip coffee?
What are the available coffee bean options and where are they from?
For me, I personally like a high elevation, small weight bean. Definitely more unique flavour profiles for me. Again, I would like to re-emphasize I'm not a coffee connoisseur — simply a man who likes to audit things and coffee enjoyment happened to be one of those things. Add in where the batch of coffee came from, the elevation and the flavour profile and bam....I've made some associations and correlations.
Which Coffee Shops Do The Best Job
In Metro Vancouver, here's a few that hit the mark for me. I do live in the downtown core so walkability is important to me.
Pallet Coffee - 980 Howe St, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1N9
✅ Spacious, has outlets, nice plant wall
❌ More professional, less chill vibe, not open late or on weekends
Nemesis Coffee - 302 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2N4
✅ Spacious, awesome music, bright layout and aesthetic
❌ No internet, no power outlets
Matchstick Coffee - 1328 Richards St, Vancouver, BC V6B 3G6
✅ Spacious, clean aesthetic, internet, some power outlets
❌ More for lounging
Honolulu Coffee - 888 Nelson St g1, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2H1
✅ Spacious, good internet
❌ Aesthetic is less clean nor minimal for me, awkward long narrow layout
Cafe La Foret - 6848 Jubilee Ave, Burnaby, BC V5J 4B3
✅ Spacious, tons of greenery, bustling vibe
❌ Pretty loud, uncomfortable seating, food isn't great
The ones on my list to visit include:
Foglifter Coffee
Kafka - the new one on 577 Great Northern Way, Vancouver, BC V5T 1E1
Harken Coffee
Pallet Coffee - on 395 Alexander St, Vancouver
Now, I 100% acknowledge my preferences for coffee shops are entirely biased towards my enjoyment of sitting in front of a computer for hours and working so maybe these ratings or considerations don't match up for you.
I would be interested though in knowing if I'm missing some awesome places. I do wish there was a study vibe bubble tea shop. That would be sweet but in the interim, let me know of some sweet coffee shops to explore.