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Comment by noarchy | Hacker News Reader

I am never in a Starbucks for long enough to really notice the music. There usually isn't any place to sit, as the place seems to turn into an office or study space, with Macbooks (rarely something else) taking up nearly every seat.

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I hate Starbucks in America. Usually looks like a sh#tty library with people all on laptops. If you want to actually sit, drink coffee and talk there is no space for you. I never go as a result.

That's the whole idea of Starbucks - it's the third place.

My Starbucks has a large oval desk with a raised central oval with lots of plugs (as a kind of divider), very reminiscent of University. Not a coincidence. They also have some soft chairs, some standard cafe tables and chairs. A real mix. Designed for each person to find their place.

Shame it takes them 10 minutes to make an Americano: they're often very busy washing the sugary goop out of the blender containers...

I have never been the kind to want to work from a cafe, but I know plenty who do it. Fair enough. I'm more of the kind who wants to meet friends to have a conversation at a cafe, which we really can't do when the seats are gobbled up by people who are camped out there all day long. There are cafes where this doesn't happen, and they seem to be the ones without free wifi. I guess there's a market for each.

For those unfamiliar with the reference:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_place

The Starbucks at Lawrence and El Camino in Santa Clara recently removed all the outlets from their back room.

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