A person hears a lot in a coffee shop. Most of it isn't worth listening to since it is random people living their random life without any concept of voice control. It's almost all loudly talking about trivial stuff. [four fingers are pointing back at me and I see the irony] But today, I overheard something that makes me sad. My favorite place to spend the day off or a free evening is changing. In the space of 3 weeks, the owner of our Beaners franchise is leaving. The place is being redone. No word on if it will be Beaners. [I know it is Biggby's now] or if it will be something new. I don't know if he will open something else. I don't know if my staffers will stay or if they are going somewhere else.
The Stations is gone. Many of my favorite stores to hang in are gone. I didn't even spend a lot of money in them. I spent time with the owners and soaked up the ambience. He's talking about the last day now...
Someone new is coming. Will they have as pleasant a personality as M? Will they mind how many hours I spend in the shop compared to how much coffee I drink? Will there be limits? Will the wifi be free? Will they change the feeling here so much that I won't want to come in anymore? And why can't things stay the same, at least for a little while longer? In these crazy uncertain times a place like this is necessary for refuge. It is a happy place. Ironically, Wil just posted a comment about happy places that took me somewhere I haven't been since I was 12. I spent a little time there and came back into my real world happy place to find that it is fading like Neverland under a London street lamp.
Where will I go? What will I do?
Yeah, Rhett... love you too.
You hit the nail on the head without realizing it. The reason these places are changing is economical. You even admitted you don't spend a lot of money there and I'm certain you aren't alone in that. Love and ambiance are nice, but they don't keep the lights on.
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