It's wild how Starbucks went from classic "third place" to the cutting edge of hostile architecture in a span of like a decade.
An underrated element of the 2010s Millennial Lifestyle Subsidy was that there used a reasonably comfortable place to sit and work with free WiFi and a power outlet every few blocks in every city in the country.
@mnolangray We need more places like college libraries with cafeterias
@mnolangray Now it’s only YIMBY cities. Austin has hundreds of good coffee shops with fast wifi
@mnolangray And they were staffed by relatively attractive young people as opposed to who works in every cafe now
@mnolangray I think it was the stinky mentally ill “unhoused” that took that away from us
@mnolangray Are you saying you miss using someone else’s power, wifi and space for the cost of a coffee? I can’t imagine what that wasn’t sustainable
@mnolangray "hostile architecture" in the London tube - no sitting, just some weird thing to lean against x.com/NiallMcDiarmid…
@mnolangray Too many homeless and mentally ill people. Low trust society.
@mnolangray Exactly the reason I hate Starbucks. Table for 4 taken up by one laptop.
@mnolangray Starbucks isn't even particularly affordable compared to other coffee shops. In NYC most neighborhoods have independent shops that are simultaneously cheaper, higher quality, and more comfortable
@mnolangray I also especially liked that that place also came with free coffee refills
@mnolangray We used to use our laptops, but now we have a laptop in our pockets with even longer battery life
@mnolangray I've been away a while. How have they changed it? Hard uncomfortable seating?.
@mnolangray I know some people do, but why would you want to work at a Starbucks instead of at home