From the website of the Seattle Coffeehouse Victorla’s coffee roaster comes the photoset of latte images: designs and swirls and creations from coffee.
The site was in the news yesterday because they’d decided to shut down their free wireless internet over the weekends. Laptop users had turned the place into a library by taking over all the seats for hours on end, not buying drinks, and stifling discussion and human interaction between members of the public, a quality of the shop that had been previously very highly valued.
Free wi-fi is electronic cocaine.
Every staff meeting we had, the topic of wi-fi became the most heated. The cafe had become quieter, the tip jar was getting lighter and a small minority of difficult and demanding users were making things unpleasant for the baristas. At the same time, a great number of our favorite regulars were good citizens and managed to use the wifi at length while still being friendly, sharing tables, buying stuff, flirting with our staff, etc.. Pulling the plug wouldn’t be an easy option.
But as is being reported all over the globe, Victrola is pulling the plug on weekends. If this past weekend was any indication, its the right move. The place was noisy and jumpin’ - people actually conversed! A few customers were in painful enough withdrawal that they stayed home, finding time to send email about how upsetting it was. But the overwhelming response was positive.
tonx.org post and discussion
Wi-Fi Networking news
Victorola Coffee
Oh yes! Seattle do coffee like no other! (there are other things it does well too, of course, but this, rain and left-wing wonderlings is what it’s known for) I cant believe that doggy one, incred.
Roisin xx
These guys are so enthusiastic about coffee it’s incredible. It makes you feel charismatic just reading their stuff, I love it!