Ask HN: Entrepreneur/Startups-friendly cafes in NYC | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Entrepreneur/Startups-friendly cafes in NYC

7 pointspghimire13 comments

I am not sure if this has been asked before. As many of you can relate to, I tend to get bored working at home and try to go out and about in the city hoping to find a good spot to get some work done. Startbucks does not do it for me - WIFI is too slow and I lose my patience waiting for the bar to go 100% when I FTP a file. Very frustrating. Aren't there places that can relate to this and are catering to startups? I might just not be aware of them - can you guys share some spots? My schedule is not consistent - I can be very productive at home - so I do not necessarily want to rent a cube or workspace. Just looking for a change of scenary where I can be productive as well. Thanks!

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None of these are explicitly startup-friendly, but they're all good for doing work at:

http://newyork.timeout.com/restaurants-bars/restaurants/6328...

I answered this on Quora: http://www.quora.com/WiFi/What-are-the-best-wifi-enabled-wor...

Not exactly a coffee shop, but maybe you're looking for something along the lines of the Wix Lounge on 18th street? I can't think of any startup-specific coffee places but this is close.

How is Wix Lounge? I have never been there before, but will definintely check it out. Yelp seems to have pretty good reviews. http://www.yelp.com/biz/wix-lounge-new-york

Here is a map that may be helpful: http://hotspotr.com/wifi/map/115-new-york-ny

Small business idea - a walk in startup incubator type deal that has internet, books, coffee, cool furniture, possibly whiteboards, no mentors!

General Assembly is one step ahead of you:

http://www.generalassemb.ly/

Doesn't sound like a drop in 'cafe'...although its pretty cool what they are doing

There are actually quite a few of those - New Work City, Sunshine Suites, and a few more. It's on the order of ~$30/day for walk-ins, last I checked (a year ago) and you can get much cheaper if you are more regular (around $100/month for 2 days/week, $250 for full time).

Internet connection is valued too highly, though - Clear 4G gives you ""unlimited"" ""nationwide"" mobile internet for $45/month (and occasionally you can get the wifi hotspot in exchange for a contract). I put unlimited and nationwide in quotes because I don't know how true that really is, but if you are in NYC it works reasonably well. You are likely to spend more than $2 extra per day (==$45/month) extra in coffee/food working at Starbucks or Argo Tea or Think Coffee.

Personally, I find I can't do work at a starbucks because of all the auditory and visual noise - YMMV.

(Also, if you actually have any sort of income, you can expense the mobile internet connection, whereas you usually can't expense the coffee).

Interesting - I'll definitely have to check these out

And...upon evaluating, they found that Starbucks has chairs ergonomically adjusted to discourage long use

Thanks, I will have to check them out.

How do you suggest the business generate revenue? It's gonna be rather complicated business model. Charge entry fee? Charge for coffee?

Thanks everyone! I'll definitely check them out.

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