I like coffee and I like coffeeshops. What do I look for in coffeeshops? Good (friendly) service, a good product, environments that are comfortable and where I feel welcome. I've never been to a Starbucks where I didn't find all of the above whether it was a local Starbucks or one in Europe. Having said that, there is a part of me that will lower those standards when visiting a locally owned coffeeshop. At the same time I realize I shouldn't have to lower my standards!

Every Starbucks I've been to the workers (Baristas?) smile and behave as if I was a friend of theirs. Yet at my favorite locally owned Indy coffeeshop, easily 1/2 of the time the workers go through their motions, drone-like, and have a look on their face like I've asked them to go out into the cold and pick the coffee beans for my plain, black libation (I don't drink the fancy stuff). I don't actually feel they are angry with me, but there are too many times that the look on their face would indicate so.

Coffeeshops are essentially service driven businesses. Perhaps there are many people out there that have the same standards I do but aren't willing to lower their standards for a local cup of java. If their experience has been the same as mine but they are not willing to lower their standards, is it no wonder that Starbucks is the coffeeshop giant?

Lest one think I avoid locally owned spots because of the few experiences mentioned above, think again. I enjoy finding a good, locally owned coffeeshop. Two come to mind immediately. One in Zionsville, Indiana and one in Ashland, Ohio. Unfortunately neither are along the paths I travel very often. Speaking of thinking, getting all of this out in print has caused me to re-think what I previously mentioned as my favorite locally owned coffeeshop. I'm now wiping the slate clean in that category. What WAS my favorite, as of this writing, no longer is. Now after a night out dining or gallery hopping I'm going to avoid my old local favorite and seek a new local favorite.

Thank you Kevin for your post "Map of Independent Coffeeshops". It inspired me to do this one