When you want to go to exchange news, share ideas and get advice, you go
to a coffee shop. It has been that way for quite some time. Coffee shops
had been places of learning; of making business deals; scientific,
literary, political, philosophical, and economic discussions; and even the
typical gossip.
In the earliest point of its history, coffee houses
were already so popular that ideas born from there have been a source of
political forums and discussions ever since. The inspiration of brilliant
thinking is to the point that, at times, kings and nobility used it as a
method of determining public opinion.
During the 17th century when
coffee was introduced to Europe, the popularity of cafes followed the same
pattern as most coffee houses around the world. It quickly became a venue
for people to congregate, exchange views, write poems, plays, and
political testaments, conduct business transactions, participate in
cultural exchange and often relax with a good book. In those earlier days
when were the were no postal addresses, the popularity of coffee shop had
also served as a mailing address, because many people were regulars.
A
typical coffeehouse shares a common characteristic with a bar or a
restaurant. They differ in that a coffeehouse focuses on serving coffee,
teas and snacks. In some countries, however, a coffeehouse does serve hot
meals, deserts, sandwiches, soups, and alcohol, aside from bakery products.
Today,
coffeehouses continue the tradition set by coffeehouses of the past. They
still remain to be a very popular venue for people who would want relaxed
and calm atmospheres where they can talk, read, catch up on the day's
event, meet with people and have excellent quality coffee. This desire is
evidenced by popular coffeehouses with franchises around the globe such as
Starbucks, Seattle's Best Coffee, Peet's, Cup O' Joe, The Second Cup and
the Coffee Bean.
Depending on the country and region, coffeehouses
have adopted variations. In the United States, coffeehouses or cafes may
offer a variety of coffee styles, hot chocolate and teas served as well as
light snacks while others serve full menus. Alcoholic beverages may also
be offered.
Cafes in France almost always serve alcoholic drinks.
Like most cafes anywhere in the world, they serve light snacks. Other
coffeehouses may have a restaurant area where the guests could be served
from the full menus. The popularity of cafes in France, especially Paris,
gave way to subtle coffeehouse variations like the brasserie where single
dish meals are typically served, and the bistro.
The cafe
experience in Europe spawned other variations of coffeehouses around the
world. These coffeehouses offer curb-side seating and other outdoor
seating like the sidewalk, pavement or terraces. The seating is usually
clustered along busy streets and operated by private local establishments
that could very closely resemble parties, especially during weekends.
These
patio coffeehouses provide more open public spaces commonly preferred by
customers wanting an airy and very casual atmosphere for relaxation and
conversation.
Recently, a new type of coffeehouse entered the
industry: the Internet cafe. Internet cafes may not appear to be your
typical coffeehouse like the bistro, brasserie, cafeteria and the coffee
chain establishments but they certainly share the same basic
characteristics. Coffee, tea and chocolate are served together with light
snacks and chatter. The chatting, though, is done online.
It may or may
not replace the traditional coffee shops, but nevertheless, Internet cafes
are a hub for political exchange, learning, journalistic, literary and
commercial enterprise. Only the styles of coffee shops have changed over
the centuries, but in respect to why people frequent them, nothing has
really changed.
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