Cafe for this Americano

Last night as I stood at the end of the counter, I took a minute to pause and look out at the lobby of Starbucks Store 3402. It was 8:45 pm and our lobby was packed. At one table I saw 3 college students with their papers sprawled out, flashcards dispersed, books open and highlighters in full gear as they frantically tried to prepare for their impending final. Sitting near the window were 2 older gentleman, who were engaged in a conversation while they both were looking at newspapers. A larger group had pushed together 3 tables to form a circle. Each person sitting in the circle was holding a book and listening attentively to the person speaking. I noticed another table that had 3 girls laughing and giggling while looking at some pictures they had just printed.

As I stood there, soaking in all the different scenarios that were being played out in my store, I couldn't help but smile. Each of these people in the lobby were there for a purpose--to study, to catch up with an old friend, to discuss politics, or to hold a book club. All very different people. All very different reasons. The only common denominator in this entire scene was coffee.

I love coffee for what it extracts from a person. In the students' case, the tall mocha extracts concentration and hard work. For the 2 gentlemen discussing the paper, coffee extracts debate, challenged points of view and a feeling of vulnerability when talking about what you believe in. The book club that gathers over coffee to discuss character flaws and plot twists extracts from one another a sense of belonging, a thirst for knowledge and the contentment of finishing a novel. And the girls looking over their pictures, coffee is there to accompany them down memory lane and to strengthen their bond of friendship.

As I see so many people of all different places and stations in life come through the doors of my store, I can't help but wonder if coffee is the one thing that truly ties us all together.

You may think I am crazy for putting so much thought into a simple coffee bean, but sometimes the simplest things can define the most complicated things of all.