Starbucks coming to Queen + Bathurst!

[PukeGreen]

Hmm. I'd rather have my coffee at home than at SBUX or Timmies. There's something I honestly don't understand about Sbux-types: how do you feel comfortable "working" online at sbux? And can you really accomplish much? Is there a certain amount of money you've got to spend per hour at sbux? Do they kick people out if say you spend 2 hours there and buy the cheapest coffee? All questions that have puzzled me for years and I look forward to the answers!

I work from home every day, with the exception of a few meetings each month. I do 99% of my work there. However, I have these moments where cabin fever sets in and I can't stand to spend one more minute in my rather small condo. If I have a lot of work to do and can't spare time for a real break, this is when I might bring my laptop to a nearby coffee shop (I prefer some neighbourhood independent places to a Starbucks, though) and do an hour or so of work. It gets me out of the house and gives me a chance to maybe have a quick chat with another human being and feel a part of society I actually tend to get a lot of work done on those occasional outings because I'm away from the distractions of home (dishes, laundry, guitar) and then I often come home with a clearer head and get even more done.

I've never seen anyone get kicked out of a coffee shop for lingering too long, though some do seem to abuse the wireless privileges. I'm always mindful of how long I've been there, and if many tables are full I won't stay as long. If I'm going to be 45 mins to an hour I usually buy a large sized latte and a snack of some sort and make sure to tip -- this can easily run $5-6 which I think is more than enough to justify an hour or so of peace at a quiet corner table. I know some coffee shop owners don't like the laptop campers, but others advertise their free wireless -- hey, business is business. People linger for a long time in conversation or with a book, too.

Personally, I think the habits of a few oblivious idiots who overstay for 3 hours on a 99 cent coffee and spread their work out over a table for 4 -- all while yammering loudly on a cell phone -- shouldn't be held against everyone else. I hate 'em too.

 

[MetroMan]

The developers of a popular Mac application called Delicious Library actually use a coffee shop as their official office.

The Zoka coffee shop in Seattle's university district is the central office for employees of Delicious Monster. They pay the coffee shop "rent" by buying cup after cup of coffee. The tab runs to several hundred dollars a month.

source

 

[MetroMan]

I work from home every day, with the exception of a few meetings each month. I do 99% of my work there. However, I have these moments where cabin fever sets in and I can't stand to spend one more minute in my rather small condo.

Same here... except I get cabin fever all year round. I live alone. Not seeing people for days on end can get the best of you. Yesterday the weirdest thing happened. I had been holed up working on a big project for a couple of weeks now. I've of course gone outside but I haven't seen my friends nor spoken to people for a few days.
I walked into my local Starbucks, spotted a couch but this one guy had his jacket on it. In my mind I asked him: "Is there anybody sitting here?" but what I really said was "Erf weuih weoh wekljw wkejh?". I forgot how to speak english for a split second.. LOL! It was both scary and funny at the same time. I cleared my throat and asked again. In english.

So to avoid that, even in the summer I'll hop by to any one of the many parks in my area, sit up against a tree and work like that. Occasionally I'll get a pretty girl setting up shop near me to do some yoga or pilates... something like that, I'm really paying attention to the girl, not the workout..lol

 

[Dilla]

The developers of a popular Mac application called Delicious Library actually use a coffee shop as their official office.

Mac users in a cafe? I've never heard of such a thing!

(sorry, i couldn't resist)

 

[urbandreamer]

^Actually, I prefer Cherry Bomb coffee served at home.

Thanks folks for answering some of my sbux-related questions. They've always puzzled me.

I work from home too==and accomplish very little (especially today with stockhouse down I hate being around people, but occasionally I like looking at pretty girls. My solution? The Reference Library!

I also like checking out indie coffee joints--Ideal (Ossington, as I hate the small town vibe of K-market know-it-alls), and others. Sbux coffee is horrible tasting and a total ripoff.

I'm rather a private person and have never felt comfortable working/eating in front of others, especially with the kind of work I do. (It's not really work though....)

Given the choice between Coffee Time and Sbux: Coffee Time wins!

 

[JasonParis]

The coffee shop for unemployed people who'd rather be homeless than live in a condo is called Galaxy donuts.

Indeed, the only chain to make Coffee Time look acceptable!

 

[Admiral Beez]

My prediction: Tim Horton's eventually drives Starbuck's out of business on that corner.

The new Starbucks at Parliament and Amberdeen will have to fight it out with the Tims across the street. Hopefully they'll both kill Coffee Time.

 

[egotrippin]

Just so I'm 100%, the St. Christopher House is the old bank building on the NW corner, and Starbucks is going across from it on the NE corner?

This is good news, as Queen West West (I honestly hate using that term) has some really nice restaurants and shops already, and I'm really warming up to it. Really the worst parts are the annoying weirdos who litter the street with their presence; and of course the god-awful Pizza Pizza building. Their colours and exterior finishings are an urban abomination.

And yes, some of the clubs attract some truly annoying idiots (especially the Big Bop) but for the most part I find some of them pretty fun for a night out. Hopefully Starbucks, and a well-done redevelopment in the place of the destroyed buildings will really get this area going.

 

[junction_parents]

My fav Starbucks is on Bloor st W and Ellis (beside High Park entrance), it's really cozy, a great hangout for local runners (from the Running Room across the street) and local parents, everyone is talking to everyone else, the friendliest coffee shop in the village.. and the cleanest

 

[MetroMan]

Just so I'm 100%, the St. Christopher House is the old bank building on the NW corner, and Starbucks is going across from it on the NE corner?

Yes, that's the one.

This is good news, as Queen West West (I honestly hate using that term)

It's West Queen West. Sounds better doesn't it?

And yes, some of the clubs attract some truly annoying idiots (especially the Big Bop) but for the most part I find some of them pretty fun for a night out. Hopefully Starbucks, and a well-done redevelopment in the place of the destroyed buildings will really get this area going.

Actually, I find that the Big Bop doesn't bring any problematic patrons. Odd looking? Uhh..yah. Eccentric? You bet. Violent or criminal? Not at all. They're actually polite and well organized. They don't flood the sidewalks in weird lineups. They actually line up in a straight queue against the wall.

The problematic ones are the squeegee kids that choose to be there during the day. Concert and club goers don't seem to cause any problems at all.

The same can't be said for the rich kid suburban crowd with big egos that inundate the club district and start fights.

 

[adma]

Don't destroy the Big Bop--restore it. Though now mansard-less and puked-up with paint, it marked the effective beginning of E. J. Lennox's architectural career.

As for Pizza Pizza; something very New Yorkian about it--maybe if it were Ray's Pizza (or Gray's Papaya), one would be more charitable.

As for Starbucks: given the company's fortunes lately, something very 15-minutes-after-midnight about its popping up here. It makes better sense as part of the proposed power centre over on the film studio lands on Eastern Avenue. (Now, there's clumsily veiled sarcasm for you.)

 

[egotrippin]

Yes, that's the one.

In that case it's great to see a building put back into use.

It's West Queen West. Sounds better doesn't it?

Haha, yeah a little bit. Perhaps once it becomes a bit more "upscale" they'll just refer to the whole stretch of Queen shops as Queen West.

Actually, I find that the Big Bop doesn't bring any problematic patrons. Odd looking? Uhh..yah. Eccentric? You bet. Violent or criminal? Not at all. They're actually polite and well organized. They don't flood the sidewalks in weird lineups. They actually line up in a straight queue against the wall.

The problematic ones are the squeegee kids that choose to be there during the day. Concert and club goers don't seem to cause any problems at all.

The same can't be said for the rich kid suburban crowd with big egos that inundate the club district and start fights.

Yeah, come to think of it I rarely even notice the Big Bop patrons; it's more my experiences of going there a couple times. It's too "sketchy" for my liking, more than the other clubs in the area. It really is the wandering locals who are the biggest pain. As for the club district, I personally like it, but I agree with the suburban crowd bit. They have the least respect of anyone, I really wish they had their own clubs to go to. Get rid of the problematic clubs, focus on a more upscale club/lounge crowd, and perhaps even enforce 21+ policies in some places. It's the freshly-turned-legal spoiled brats who ruin the fun.

 

[egotrippin]

to all who post that Starbucks coffee is overpriced and not great tasting, surely this is all just your own personal view ? I personally find their brewed coffee (mild/bold/whatever) to be a little acrid, so don't bother with them, however the Americano(lets call it the triple shot, I can stand the pretentious names they are given) is fine, a reasonably priced, fresh pulled coffee..its not cheap, but its not that expensive either(I am from London), I have tried pretty much all the competition from Timmys to locals back through 2nd cup et al, none has the consistency I am looking for.

Actually an Americano is a diluted espresso, originally created for overseas troops during World War II who found espressos too strong. It was (more than likely) meant to be a derogatory name in jest, and it stuck.

 

[egotrippin]

Thanks Ego-I do know what constitutes an Americano......The point being it hasn't sat festering away like the bold/mild stuff, which is prebrewed and stored in those dispensers, this makes a difference(to me at least).

Ah yes my bad, I thought you were grouping in Americano as a pretentious name; and I actually do agree about the slight pretentiousness of some of the names.

I do like the coffee however, but you're right, going with the choices that haven't been pre-brewed is the key (americano, espresso, latte, cappuccino, etc).

 

[urbandreamer]

I haven't had an Americano from sbux in years....so I'll try one sometime soon and see how it compares to Cherry Bomb or Ideal Coffee.