Coffee shops

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Coffee Shops
They’re Everywhere!

Coffee Shops seem to be on every corner. Both in the city and the suburbs, you can buy every type of coffee imaginable. If you want a latte, a mocha, an espresso, or even just your favorite beans in dark roast coffee, you can get one (or two or three!) while chatting with your friends.

These little nooks and crannies, whether a chain or a local name, have become such a deep part of our social arena that drinking coffee is the natural extension of being around other people.

So why have Coffee Shops become such an integral part of our social realm? It’s really hard to say, but the recent history of coffee may hold a clue. Coffee changed during the 1990’s; it went from Black or Cream and Sugar to Lattes, Espressos, and Dark Roast with a shot of Hazelnut flavoring.

These new coffees deserved an equally upscale setting, not your classic diner. And so businesses started setting up figuring out the right combination of music, lighting, and seating to deliver just the right atmosphere and draw the customers buying coffee by the dozen.

Once these shops started popping up everywhere, people began taking notice. They started talking to their friends, telling them about the fabulous new concoction of coffee they tried last week on the way to work.

Soon, people started going together to the shops, each trying a different thing and evaluating just how much they liked the various coffees. One thing led to another, and these places became gathering grounds to see and be seen.

Now, Coffee Shops are deeply ingrained in our social scene, much to the pleasure of those who own stock in the major chains. The joke that you can find a shop on every corner doesn’t seem to be far from the truth. What these chains lack in individuality they make up for in convenience and access.

The small, independent diners are more prevalent in the artsy parts of the large metropolitan areas of the country than the mid-sized markets and suburbs, but they still have a lot of influence on people involved in independent arts and entertainment.

If you’re out there in the dating scene, you know that “Let’s grab a coffee tomorrow” is much more common to hear from someone you’d like to get to know better than “Let’s have dinner tomorrow.” Coffee Shops are crawling with singles on the prowl and couples canoodling.

Many of these establishments are setup just for such a social gathering, with cozy, plush chairs organized in full and semi circles around coffee tables perfect for resting coffee. The lights are dim, there’s jazz playing in the background – what better environment to get to know someone better without the pressure of having to stay longer than it takes to down the coffee.

Coffee Shops are not just the realm of city dwellers any longer. Many of the larger chains are now setting up in suburban malls and strip centers. Soccer moms can grab their coffee without leaving their minivans and SUVs at the convenient drive-thru.

Tired new moms drink coffee that someone bought for the entire playgroup while letting their little ones crawl all over each other and share toys. And lines snake out the door toward the end lunch hour when Corporate America’s employees need a quick fix to get through the rest of their day.

Gone are the days of the diner where you could grab a cup of joe for a quarter. These days, Coffee Shops and their endless menus and options reign supreme.

Coffee Shops in:

Green Bay, WI

Manitowoc, WI

Two Rivers, WI