Quote:
Originally Posted by thistleclub
I've never thought of Mex-I-Can as a Hispanic-centric cultural centre. What I was getting at was the idea that you might be able to draw more people to somewhere like Mex-I-Can if you dressed it up for maximum market penetration, but that in doing so you would sacrifice something ineffable about what makes a place great. The Gown and Gavel, for example, as opposed to The Winking Judge.
It's also possible that for people who've frequented James North for more than five years (some of them WASP!), the "cultural" valuation of the street doesn't merely hinge on the gallery set.
That said, coffee places seem to be fairly blue chip. (I wouldn't have thought three blocks of Locke South would need four java joints, but there you are.) I'm sure it'll serve a market.
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I understand what you're saying, and I agree... you don't just want to stick a Starbucks on the corner, but that may be the only way a coffee shop (in some areas) would get enough business to thrive.
I've been a barista at chains and independents, Toronto and Hamilton, and my current perspective is coming from the International Village area of King Street... where two cafes have opened and shut down, another one survives by being a restaurant as well, and the last is a nonprofit staffed by volunteers. People have tried to make it, and even with foot traffic and everything else they can't make a single cafe survive on that stretch on its own merits.
Thinking of the non-gallery nights in particular, when one doesn't have a somewhat-guaranteed clientele, I'm just emphasizing that there needs to be a good business model in place, and people need to be aware of what goes into making a successful coffee business and business in general.
Coffee's not so much of a niche market (like authentic Mexican food in the heart of the city!) that people won't just wait till they come upon a boring-but-familiar Tim Hortons instead if it's not welcoming.
It doesn't necessitate anything being watered down, but it does mean things as boring as good lighting and a well-designed entryway are important if someone does hope to open a coffee shop that will thrive on the day-to-day foot traffic in the area.
Adam/sabbatical! -- that is a fantastic idea, and all the best. Keep us updated here!