King’s Books in Tacoma Washington! And public libraries with squeaky wooden floors and librarians that LOVE books!! And, a sister who is a librarian! I am rich beyond measure.
You gave me the vibes here, and I didn’t even have to put on a bra and leave the house!
Silly as it is, the Cafe Nero in my town (no, not the one in the mall, the one *next to* the mall) gives me these vibes. We have a few other spots: the indie coffee shop but it’s all townies and I know too many of them to be able to focus on work there; the upscale bakery that has the best breakfast tacos but too many windows, all the better to get distracted by the passersby; 3 Starbucks and 5 Dunkins. (In a town if 26,000. Why?!) None of them hit the way Nero does with its leather couches and ceramic mugs and music with no lyrics to lead my brain down a Jason Mraz wormhole.
I could work there forever. Long as I leave my phone in the car.
This most certainly THE place. To have a go-to spot like this is part of my life blood, deeply important to me so it hurts me to say I have nothing like this in my life🥲 I live in a small rural town with only 3 coffee shops, none of which are conducive to sitting with a book. It’s amazing what an effect that has.
Thank you. Wild, knowing Stories on Sunset from a single memorable afternoon a few weeks ago, and connecting it (as you beautifully intend) to all of us, our other likewise hallowed spaces....
I moved up to Oregon last year and stumbled into my favorite shop after first seeing the space I now rent for my massage practice. I just googled coffee and it was close. The excitement of finding a place to run my business had me giddy when I first walked in. The kids staffing it are a stylish bunch and sometimes it gets really loud as all their friends come in. But they have a huge healthy Ficus, and a hanging chair which is almost always open for me. I snag the hanging chair and put my headphones to noise canceling mode and just swing swing swing as I do my work for a few hours. They also have a latte with cardamom in it which is exactly my jam and homemade hazelnut milk even though they’re sometimes out. Highly recommend Forage if you’re ever in Medford in southern Oregon 🤗
I'm from Medford and I remember distinctly the summer that place opened. I went home to see my family and was like "is this a trendy coffee shop?? in Medford??" -- I've had many a good friend meetup or writing session there. I can still remember when it was a weird little gas station, and then an abandoned lot, so it's been nice to see it come back to life.
Alex, I do miss this sort of experience. I think we were forced into these sorts of interactions a few years back, with no Zoom or smartphones to take us away. The coffee shop was the place to go to think, to write, to read. I miss that simplicity, but I also love the choice I have today.
Not local to me but the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT is one of the more spellbinding places I’ve ever stepped foot in. It’s one of those spots that has an employee comment on a sticky note in front of like every single book. Even a book like “100 ways to cook eggs” would have some note saying one of the employees tested every single way and 78 of them worked well, but here’s a story about every time the eggs sucked + pictures and two week bowl movement follow up log
I’ve been to the Northshire in Saratoga Springs, NY. It’s a feast for the eyes and wallet. If you don’t walk out of there with the perfect gift for anyone, you didn’t try hard enough.
I have of course devoted my life to ending you and your blighted pestilence of a brand, but I will say this, even though it physically hurts to admit it: this is a really great post.
my local indie place is a bakery specializing in lentil soup and where everyone smokes hand-rolled cigarettes and no one's on their phone because they're reading newspapers all under a big tree dripping honeydew all over the place but the people don't care they're there rain or shine and especially in winter when the sun sets at 3 and the cold wet ground is moving through your bones until all is good again because you've just put a spoon of hot lentils in your mouth. sometimes when i'm there it feels like the berlin wall never fell
At our local coffee shop the Wi-Fi passcode is something only adventure time fans would recognize which I love cause it’s also a family joke. My local bookstore knows me because I order lots of for our school which I’m proud of because previously all that money went to Bezos -still each time I ask if they applied my teacher discount to my order. It doesn’t get cooler than that, right? Also, I love that Talking Heads song and I feel like you should have quoted the lyrics at least once unless you did because now I read things at hyper speed thanks to Substack. “She folded up her wings...”
There's this tiny bookshop in Laramie, WY that definitely makes me think time doesn't exist. The coffee is EVERYTHING there too. They have mostly used books, some treasures behind glass, and piles and piles of books everywhere. Its glorious. Night Heron Books & Coffeehouse, if you are ever in the area or passing through.
Does “had a place” count? We, my partner and I, had a magical coffee shop, next to the cigar shop that smelled intellectual, yet cozy.
The coffee shop of soft comfy full cushioned fabric couches, beside the giant leather recliner and the big orange bean bag.
When I met him, my partner, we did a lot of quirky things like driving the long curvy road up & around over & over just because we wanted to see the mountain from the other side. We. I loved the sound and feel of “we” once the coffee shop & cigar shop patrons included ME - not just HIM. We would spend most every late afternoon thru the late evening, having new coffees & pastries we had never eaten. It was a bit of a second home. The section with the orange beanbag, the bags & boxes of new coffees to try, the plates of pastries to sample. The section was ours no matter the hour, the day or time. We were the “sobers”. The We that came straight from AA meets & greets of anonymous strangers. My partner was a stranger once upon a time, the AA that worked for the NA Crowd too. The strangers saw me and tested my being there with Him of AA for NA. Who was I to enter the hallowed halls of anonymity? How dare I take Him from THEM? I felt at home after the first comment of who I was? A drunk? A Junkie? A hanger on? A trophy to adorn his shelf? A groupie for the drunks a sober junkie of temptation? Would I take HIM? Would I make him fall? Would I take Him from them or would I fit in and have pastries & croissants with a coffee from the wall? Would I fit in with the giant orange bean bag crew? After an hour of the questions they had, of the stares and the silly answers I gave that showed He was still there it was just that now He & She we’re now a We. A single entity that sang Karaoke, and would smoke a cigar, who still smoked a joint once in a while. I had made it to that beanbag that held the WE, the He & Me.
After years of watching the Arizona skies change from late morning to evening goodbyes, there was an afternoon that had a big sign - space for rent, for serious bidders only m. What would happen to our section with the giant orange beanbag that we found in the back, in the giant orange dumpster.....it changed everything. We tried the beanbag in the cigar shop to stay and play cards. The sober group played cards we tried all of the games-pinochle was a hit, but only lasted a month, it just was not the same. The WE still makes time for a drive up the hill. Maybe another place will pop up one day-at least the sober group liked to say, but that time was over but I guess it’s okay, We are all still sober we just went our own ways.
I LURVE 826! I've never been to that particular chapter, though. Just their flagship Pirate Supply Store in San Fran. That concept is freakin' GENIUS! While there are many local places here, there were none that I visited as frequently as you did. My ex and I used to live in an apt in downtown Phx. Our complex was nearly a block long (3 separate buildings--we lived in the middle one) and Lola Coffee (local), Pita Jungle and a painting place were tucked in between our complex and a few condos. Our complex was the typical commercial space on the bottom/living space on top, so there were a few places to eat. Pita Jungle was the place I frequented the most. I tended to get the Fruit and Cheese Fantasia as a meal - no pineapple, no honeydew, no Jack cheese. I would order it so much that one of ladies who worked there knew my voice and knew that it was me ordering. LOL My ex would go to Lola Coffee every day before going to work, so when they saw him come in, they would just automatically make his order. LOL I love places like that.
p sure that place needs a lil nap nook and I would move right in
it'd be too good
King’s Books in Tacoma Washington! And public libraries with squeaky wooden floors and librarians that LOVE books!! And, a sister who is a librarian! I am rich beyond measure.
Im in Kent. I will have to check out Kings!
You gave me the vibes here, and I didn’t even have to put on a bra and leave the house!
Silly as it is, the Cafe Nero in my town (no, not the one in the mall, the one *next to* the mall) gives me these vibes. We have a few other spots: the indie coffee shop but it’s all townies and I know too many of them to be able to focus on work there; the upscale bakery that has the best breakfast tacos but too many windows, all the better to get distracted by the passersby; 3 Starbucks and 5 Dunkins. (In a town if 26,000. Why?!) None of them hit the way Nero does with its leather couches and ceramic mugs and music with no lyrics to lead my brain down a Jason Mraz wormhole.
I could work there forever. Long as I leave my phone in the car.
This most certainly THE place. To have a go-to spot like this is part of my life blood, deeply important to me so it hurts me to say I have nothing like this in my life🥲 I live in a small rural town with only 3 coffee shops, none of which are conducive to sitting with a book. It’s amazing what an effect that has.
Great post Alex!
Thank you. Wild, knowing Stories on Sunset from a single memorable afternoon a few weeks ago, and connecting it (as you beautifully intend) to all of us, our other likewise hallowed spaces....
I moved up to Oregon last year and stumbled into my favorite shop after first seeing the space I now rent for my massage practice. I just googled coffee and it was close. The excitement of finding a place to run my business had me giddy when I first walked in. The kids staffing it are a stylish bunch and sometimes it gets really loud as all their friends come in. But they have a huge healthy Ficus, and a hanging chair which is almost always open for me. I snag the hanging chair and put my headphones to noise canceling mode and just swing swing swing as I do my work for a few hours. They also have a latte with cardamom in it which is exactly my jam and homemade hazelnut milk even though they’re sometimes out. Highly recommend Forage if you’re ever in Medford in southern Oregon 🤗
I'm from Medford and I remember distinctly the summer that place opened. I went home to see my family and was like "is this a trendy coffee shop?? in Medford??" -- I've had many a good friend meetup or writing session there. I can still remember when it was a weird little gas station, and then an abandoned lot, so it's been nice to see it come back to life.
That place sounds amazing and if I ever make my way south I’ll have to keep that one in the memory bank!
Alex, I do miss this sort of experience. I think we were forced into these sorts of interactions a few years back, with no Zoom or smartphones to take us away. The coffee shop was the place to go to think, to write, to read. I miss that simplicity, but I also love the choice I have today.
I want espresso.
Not local to me but the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, VT is one of the more spellbinding places I’ve ever stepped foot in. It’s one of those spots that has an employee comment on a sticky note in front of like every single book. Even a book like “100 ways to cook eggs” would have some note saying one of the employees tested every single way and 78 of them worked well, but here’s a story about every time the eggs sucked + pictures and two week bowl movement follow up log
I’ve been to the Northshire in Saratoga Springs, NY. It’s a feast for the eyes and wallet. If you don’t walk out of there with the perfect gift for anyone, you didn’t try hard enough.
I have of course devoted my life to ending you and your blighted pestilence of a brand, but I will say this, even though it physically hurts to admit it: this is a really great post.
my local indie place is a bakery specializing in lentil soup and where everyone smokes hand-rolled cigarettes and no one's on their phone because they're reading newspapers all under a big tree dripping honeydew all over the place but the people don't care they're there rain or shine and especially in winter when the sun sets at 3 and the cold wet ground is moving through your bones until all is good again because you've just put a spoon of hot lentils in your mouth. sometimes when i'm there it feels like the berlin wall never fell
At our local coffee shop the Wi-Fi passcode is something only adventure time fans would recognize which I love cause it’s also a family joke. My local bookstore knows me because I order lots of for our school which I’m proud of because previously all that money went to Bezos -still each time I ask if they applied my teacher discount to my order. It doesn’t get cooler than that, right? Also, I love that Talking Heads song and I feel like you should have quoted the lyrics at least once unless you did because now I read things at hyper speed thanks to Substack. “She folded up her wings...”
There's this tiny bookshop in Laramie, WY that definitely makes me think time doesn't exist. The coffee is EVERYTHING there too. They have mostly used books, some treasures behind glass, and piles and piles of books everywhere. Its glorious. Night Heron Books & Coffeehouse, if you are ever in the area or passing through.
Does “had a place” count? We, my partner and I, had a magical coffee shop, next to the cigar shop that smelled intellectual, yet cozy.
The coffee shop of soft comfy full cushioned fabric couches, beside the giant leather recliner and the big orange bean bag.
When I met him, my partner, we did a lot of quirky things like driving the long curvy road up & around over & over just because we wanted to see the mountain from the other side. We. I loved the sound and feel of “we” once the coffee shop & cigar shop patrons included ME - not just HIM. We would spend most every late afternoon thru the late evening, having new coffees & pastries we had never eaten. It was a bit of a second home. The section with the orange beanbag, the bags & boxes of new coffees to try, the plates of pastries to sample. The section was ours no matter the hour, the day or time. We were the “sobers”. The We that came straight from AA meets & greets of anonymous strangers. My partner was a stranger once upon a time, the AA that worked for the NA Crowd too. The strangers saw me and tested my being there with Him of AA for NA. Who was I to enter the hallowed halls of anonymity? How dare I take Him from THEM? I felt at home after the first comment of who I was? A drunk? A Junkie? A hanger on? A trophy to adorn his shelf? A groupie for the drunks a sober junkie of temptation? Would I take HIM? Would I make him fall? Would I take Him from them or would I fit in and have pastries & croissants with a coffee from the wall? Would I fit in with the giant orange bean bag crew? After an hour of the questions they had, of the stares and the silly answers I gave that showed He was still there it was just that now He & She we’re now a We. A single entity that sang Karaoke, and would smoke a cigar, who still smoked a joint once in a while. I had made it to that beanbag that held the WE, the He & Me.
After years of watching the Arizona skies change from late morning to evening goodbyes, there was an afternoon that had a big sign - space for rent, for serious bidders only m. What would happen to our section with the giant orange beanbag that we found in the back, in the giant orange dumpster.....it changed everything. We tried the beanbag in the cigar shop to stay and play cards. The sober group played cards we tried all of the games-pinochle was a hit, but only lasted a month, it just was not the same. The WE still makes time for a drive up the hill. Maybe another place will pop up one day-at least the sober group liked to say, but that time was over but I guess it’s okay, We are all still sober we just went our own ways.
Stories is a terrific bookstore. When I was a publisher years ago, we used to hold author events there. So glad it’s brought you joy!
MTMEs
I LURVE 826! I've never been to that particular chapter, though. Just their flagship Pirate Supply Store in San Fran. That concept is freakin' GENIUS! While there are many local places here, there were none that I visited as frequently as you did. My ex and I used to live in an apt in downtown Phx. Our complex was nearly a block long (3 separate buildings--we lived in the middle one) and Lola Coffee (local), Pita Jungle and a painting place were tucked in between our complex and a few condos. Our complex was the typical commercial space on the bottom/living space on top, so there were a few places to eat. Pita Jungle was the place I frequented the most. I tended to get the Fruit and Cheese Fantasia as a meal - no pineapple, no honeydew, no Jack cheese. I would order it so much that one of ladies who worked there knew my voice and knew that it was me ordering. LOL My ex would go to Lola Coffee every day before going to work, so when they saw him come in, they would just automatically make his order. LOL I love places like that.