My observation at Intelligentsia was that the barista didn’t have to point the customer toward where to pay because there was usually someone standing right next to the barista who would eagerly jump forward and offer to take the customer’s money. (before the customer even had time to wonder about it…)

I’m a somewhat obsessive fan of a well-prepared cappuccino, too… but I’ve never been inspired to make a movie about it! That’s a new flavor of obsession. I approve. ;)

I’ll be very interested to see how Intelly’s new LA setup works. I think it could be pretty neat so long as *anybody* behind the bar can take your order or prep your drink… if they have to resort to pointing people “over there” to order or to pay, that’s not a good thing.

But, no movie trailer online?

Poul -

If ever there were a thread that invites self-promotion, this is it! And welcome to it. So that was *you* that snagged one of Hoffman’s tazzas from the WBC? Good on you!

Cheers,

Poul Mark.

I’ve got a real great, good place for you: the doubleshot coffee company in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I’m in the middle of making a documentary on the cappuccino and American coffee house culture, and I found this place while making the film. It is stupendous - the real deal. (You can read about it on my blog: http://cappuccinoreview.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html)

Another one - not a coffee shop - is this ice cream joint in L.A. called Scoops. (on Melrose and Heliotrope, down near LA city college.)

It’s been my observation (and I think Oldenburg says this too) that there are certain qualities that real third places have that are inherently at odds with maximizing profit. Great, good places tend not to be too crowded - you never feel hurried to get your coffee and get out. They also tend not to be all that clean, fancy or spiffy - or maybe they’re not in the most desirable retail location. And when the owner cares way more about making a good product than kissing the customer’s a**, that’s huge. Think about it: when you’re out and about in American society, what are you doing? Usually you’re making a purchase of some kind. And most people’s experience of talking with strangers involves someone selling them something or waiting on them or generally interacting with them in a way that suggests that they are valuable because of the contents of their wallet. So when someone treats you in a way that lets you know that they don’t give a crap if you buy what they’re selling… well, it’s incredibly liberating. I think it makes people feel at home and it makes them more likely to open up and talk to the person standing next to them.

I also think store layout can have a lot to do with creating a good third place. I’m curious to see how the new Intelligentsia in Los Angeles will evolve. They’ve created a coffee bar that’s much more like a BAR bar. There’s a huge, three-sided bar, and the cash registers are flush with the counter and not visible when you walk in. So there’s no obvious flow of traffic or place to stand in line. People mill around in front of the bar and… they wind up talking to each other. And then there’s all that wonderful shared space at the counter… This is SO UNLIKE most people’s experience with coffee shops, which often have very clear signs about where to order, where to pick up your drink, etc. You go to Starbucks, and you feel shuffled through an extremely efficient assembly line. And this has become our idea of what’s “normal” in a coffee shop, so you can see people getting a little confused when they walk into Intelligentsia. But why NOT have your coffee bar be more like the corner pub? We all know how to order a beer at a bar - it’s not that confusing. So why not have a coffee experience that’s similar? I really hope Intelligentsia sticks to its guns.

OK, this turned into a bit of a long rant. Sorry. :) Thanks for reading.