- Coffee:
Usually, that means espresso. I DO have an espresso maker, but it's the $25 Mr. Coffee version. It makes some yummy stuff...but simple stuff. It's not really good at pulling shots. The steamer is sketchy sometimes and my foaming attachment broken. I can make a latte, sometimes a cappucino, but that's it.
And that's assuming I have espresso beans handy. Not usually the case with my budget.
I also don't keep the same level of flavor syrup, mocha powder, etc etc that your average Starbucks does. If I want something sweet and jolty, I usually have to go out for it.- Atmosphere
Coffee shops are typically hip, y'know? Places of activity. People around, nice music playing. It typically beats the pants off whatever I have going on at home. It's a nice place to get my think on, because the people and the noises around are vaguely stimulating, but easy to tune out. A nice background noise if I'm planning on writing or reading.
- Friendship
Just read the last few posts about different coffee shops. I was at nearly all of them to meet someone or hang out with someone. Some people think about hanging with friends and go, "Let's hit a bar." Me? I say, "Where can we get a cup of coffee?"
- It's a Treat
Just the other morning, I realized I hadn't had a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee for over a month. There's one down the road...sort of on the way to work. I could leave a few minutes early and have myself a nice lil treat. I thought that'd be a good thing, since I've been so careful with my money since vacation. I ended up not doing it, but just thinking about how I could get some yummy coffee was a bit of a pick me up.
So while you have all those things against going to a coffee shop...there's some key things you just can't get at home. That's what a successful coffee shop needs to bank on: providing what the customer doesn't have and can't easily get themselves.
