May 17 2010
Coffee House
Coffee house is another term that used for the coffee shop and has been around since the 17th century when coffee was first brought into Europe. The coffee shop has been a place where friends meet to catch up on news, businesspersons gather to make deals and others just go for relaxation or to meditate.
Some coffee houses have been the home to brilliant poets and musician who come in to share their art. Book readings, folk music and many other arts have gained their popularity first in the local coffee house and then later in the masses of the public. Many of these artists would possibly have not become major celebrities had they not had the stage of the coffee house to perform.
The coffee house is somewhere between a restaurant and a bar. It doesn’t typically serve a full menu but does offer lighter fare by way of pastries and sometimes sandwiches. It resembles a bar in that it is a gathering place that many people frequent often to socialize. No matter what classification the coffee house is put in, the fact remains that the popularity has risen immensely in the past few years and shows no signs of going away.
There are coffee house chains with popular names that most everyone knows and they offer some excellent coffees. However, some of the best coffees and socializing are in the local coffee houses that are owned and operated by a local community person.
These are the coffee houses where the latest news and even gossip are shared and where the best baker in the town, often someone’s Grandma, serves up delicious cakes and pies. The owner of the local coffee shop knows the competition of the giant chain is stiff and so goes out of his way to make sure and serve only the best coffee and coffee drinks with the best service around. Not many people would argue the superiority of some small coffee houses. They just can’t be beat by the corporate giant who only wants to offer things one way.
Both large and small coffee houses are conscientious of changes in the economy and have to find ways to work with it rather than be overcome by it. The competition from fast food restaurants and even the local stop-and-shop becomes fierce when finances get tight and people’s budgets can fit in a six-dollar cappuccino. This is when the shops must make concessions and offer less expensive options while at the same time adding social options to make their coffee shop more inviting than grabbing a cup of coffee and running out.
In order to accomplish this, most coffee shops offer Internet access, newspapers and magazines as well as cozy reading areas to relax while reading. These are excellent marketing tools for keeping the customers coming to the coffee house.
The local coffee shop or coffee house will always be around. There may be more at one time than at another but the promise of a steamy, frothy cappuccino will keep the customers coming and the doors open for as long as the coffee bean grows.
-Sharon Chapman