Coffee that Bites Back
I know that I had some strong words to say about our newly reopened coffeeshop. I have more things to say.
I realize that in my intolerance of my resistance of the new and different, I was only resisting resistance, which is a vicious cycle and leads to lots of unpleasant things. Over the week, I have been allowing myself to accept my resistance and see it as just my reaction of a deep love and comfort with what was and a fear of what might be. Now that I have *some* tolerance within me, I have some new thoughts on this coffee conundrum!
I and just about everyone that I have spoken with wants a coffeeshop to be in and succeed in the neighborhood. Most of the neighborhood doesn’t care what it is like, barring that it isn’t Starbucks (or similar chain) or a Crazy Mocha — I have to agree with everyone on this.
Ultimately, I am just upset that The Vault is no longer *my* coffeeshop. The manager is very nice and has a great attitude about the project in her hands, but lacks the funk and cynicism that I like with my coffee…ergo so does the coffeeshop.
I want a non-corporate coffeeshop in the hood, so since it is convenient for me to stop in when I hit the community garden (which is right behind the coffeeshop), I will continue to stop in. However, I won’t *live* there like I once did…I’d rather call Affogato my new home or ‘third place’.
I love your thought process on this. Still bummed for you in your grieving of the loss of the funk and cynicism. Might you (and others who enjoy it) bring that edge? We are chain city here and I felt your loss if only in my own longing for the place that you had…
Comment by Sarah Parent — August 11, 2008 @ 11:40 pm
It’s really weird. I have this association with coffee being extremely ‘male’ or ‘masculine’…I prefer my coffeeshops to be overflowing with testosterone behind the counter. This one used to be and it was great, but now it is so ‘girly’ and void of almost all testosterone that it’s just not ‘fun’ or ‘angry’ (anger in a ‘good’ way…if that’s possible) anymore.
Well, I’m not sure how much this new manager is for clientèle making the shop ‘theirs’ with items, art and other measures of comfort. We’ll see how things progress.
Comment by michele james-parham — August 12, 2008 @ 10:03 pm
California Ave is on one of my paths into/outa Downtown by bicycle, and I was meaning to stop in at the old Vault but it had closed when my schedule finally permitted. Sigh. I’ve been in Quiet Storm a couple of times, and, like you, won’t even set foot in a Starbucks. I’m not as finicky, but do have my preferences, so I’ll have to check out the new place & see if it still rates.
Comment by Stu — August 27, 2008 @ 7:57 am
Hey Stu, you should definitely stop in and give it a whirl…it is deserving of that. Here’s the thing, outside of them cooking horrible (horrible because the smells get trapped & it’s a coffeeshop for crying out loud…oh and I’m vegan!) things such as dogs & kraut or hamburgers, it’s a ‘nice’ place and probably does and will feel very comfortable for plenty. But for anyone who loved the place before, or who isn’t ‘the kind of person who enjoys it now’, well it probably won’t rate hi on their list of places to hang out.
Comment by michele james-parham — August 27, 2008 @ 9:08 am