I once met a gal who bought a coffee shop even though she hated the taste of coffee. Coffee drew her in. There was something happening that she wanted to be part of. She referred to her time as coffee shop owner as “the most fulfilling season of my life.” My family utilizes coffee as a tool to draw neighbors togethether in a weekly ritual called “Free Coffee Friday”. I will share more about this in a future post.
There is a growing interest in coffee today. At the two local shops I frequent people are working remotely from the shop, meeting with neighbors and sitting at the bar having long conversations with their barista through the steam from the espresso machine. There is no mistaking it; coffee draws people in. Here are a few perspectives on this question from local experts.
Why does coffee draw people in?
TYLER: Cafe manager, coffee educator, competitive barista.
Coffee carries a spirit of connection inside of it. The lineage of coffee from crop to cup connects blue collar farmers in Africa or South America, to exporters and importers, to roasters and cafe owners, and then connects them to hipsters and business people gathering around the beverage in their favorite shop. The very reason coffee is able to exist is because diverse people, with different passions, work together to make it all happen. This is what makes coffee special and unique.
A coffee shop also gives people something to own. This is “my” favorite coffee. This is “our” neighborhood cafe. This is the best barista “I” know. People want something to be proud of. With the elevating culture of coffee and cafes, it’s giving people an opportunity to own their city and neighborhood and be proud of it.
SEAN: Author, urban expert and coffee bon vivant
People dig being connected to the roasting process, being informed of where the beans are being sourced, and then the way coffee is served (e.g. pour over, drip, espresso, cold brew, etc.). The process alone is connected with the slow food movement which means people are as much attuned with the process as much as the consumption. People are seeking high-quality artisanal coffee, the ethics and ethos of products made in the artisan economy, and to be more in touch with the people and the products made. It is much more than coffee.
YEMI: Cafe co-owner & Community Developer
While good wine and beer lend themselves to the promotion of community in the late afternoon and evening, coffee is the only beverage that promotes community during the morning and afternoon. In the longest recorded conversation in the Gospels Jesus utilized the “water” as the focal connection point with the Samaritan woman at the well. Coffee serves the same purposes. It naturally fosters connection and creative conversations. Great coffee and varied methods of brewing coffee further advance these values.