<p>is it because they emulate some aspect of the ancient tribal life absent in urbanized america? to me it seems it has to do with the coffee shop being more than a food service. but how would you say what else it is?</p>
<p>Would emulation of ancient tribal life necessarily make something appealing?</p>
<p>of ancient tribal * social * life, Yessssssss.</p>
<p>But i'll pass on the hyenas.</p>
<p>They're only appealing to hipsters... hipster</p>
<p>Coffee shops are way too mainstream for hipsters.</p>
<p>Lots of coffeeshops have free wifi so all the bums end up going there to play runescape or blog about how much money they made from busking that day.</p>
<p>Ray Oldenburg and his disciples might say the coffee shop is attractive because it functions as a crucial third place.</p>
<p>"The third place is a term used in the concept of community building to refer to social surroundings separate from the two usual social environments of home and the workplace. In his influential book The Great Good Place, Ray Oldenburg (1989, 1991) argues that third places are important for civil society, democracy, civic engagement, and establishing feelings of a sense of place."</p>
<p>part of me is cautious of this theory, but part of me resonates with it.</p>
<p>What wiscongene said. Free wifi.</p>
<p>Free wifi, thinking you're 'cultured' and 'sophisticated' because you're listening to some obscure jazz music while drinking espresso. It's all to feed the ego...</p>
<p>That's what my go-to caf</p>
<p>I dig it, but why is the paint peeling off the ceiling?</p>
<p>It's gritty-romantic. Perfect combination of mould, stench and awesomeness. </p>
<p>keeps the iPhone-yiedling hipsters away</p>
<p>Does Dunkin' Donuts count as a coffee shop?</p>
<p>weed.</p>
<p>sorry, i thought you were talking about Amsterdam coffee shops :P</p>