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The problem that gets touched upon by the article but never really explicitly stated is simple - these people are using a retail business as their office space.

The problem that gets touched upon by the article but never really explicitly stated is simple - these people are using a retail business as their office space. And they are doing so without a contract which guarantees the business owner any income. They are basically left running like a charity, in the hopes that these poachers will be gracious enough to throw enough money at them so they can stay afloat (which then requires them to produce food/drink, so it's worse/less than a charity). It doesn't matter if the cafe is mostly empty during a work day. They are taking advantage of the situation and the business. Many of the cafe owners want to create a certain environment, one of social interaction that is designed to be a pleasurable experience. I totally understand why they don't want to have zombies sitting there all day. Why don't these people either work from home or one of these shared workspace places that have become popular in recent years? I presume they want to get out of the house but also don't want to pay what is surely a higher amount of money to get a shared space. The article mentions that it was $100 more than that one person spends regularly on their cafe budget. I find that hard to believe that it can be that cheap, but apparently it is based on a quick search I just did. But that extra $100 also comes with 1) a contract and 2) no food/drink.

guiomie 9y ago
I completely agree. I usually go to Workshop Cafe in SF to work in a "coffeeshop". Everytime I go in a coffee shop to work, it feels awkward from a convenience (lack power, wifi or space) and social perspective.
- icc97 9y ago
  I never use power, the laptop battery lasts 3 hours which is as long as I stay. If there's no space I typically wouldn't stay. I just use my phone as a WiFi hotspot if the cafe doesn't have any. But yeah I get kind of odd looks from one of the café owners, although he's the one who has the least customers.
icc97 9y ago
The local co-working space costs the same as about 3 euros an hour, so the same as a coffee. But the co-working space is a 25 minute cycle which requires clothes and preparation and the coffee shops are 10 minutes. There's practically no one in the co-working space and it's not much difference to working at home. Further I'm really focused in a coffee shop, stick headphones on and some how the noise helps me work constantly whilst there, for typically 2 hours max. Almost entirely I'm the only one on a laptop. I come first thing in the morning when there's lots of empty tables.

guiomie 9y ago

I completely agree. I usually go to Workshop Cafe in SF to work in a "coffeeshop". Everytime I go in a coffee shop to work, it feels awkward from a convenience (lack power, wifi or space) and social perspective.

icc97 9y ago
I never use power, the laptop battery lasts 3 hours which is as long as I stay. If there's no space I typically wouldn't stay. I just use my phone as a WiFi hotspot if the cafe doesn't have any. But yeah I get kind of odd looks from one of the café owners, although he's the one who has the least customers.

icc97 9y ago

The local co-working space costs the same as about 3 euros an hour, so the same as a coffee. But the co-working space is a 25 minute cycle which requires clothes and preparation and the coffee shops are 10 minutes. There's practically no one in the co-working space and it's not much difference to working at home. Further I'm really focused in a coffee shop, stick headphones on and some how the noise helps me work constantly whilst there, for typically 2 hours max. Almost entirely I'm the only one on a laptop. I come first thing in the morning when there's lots of empty tables.