The Rise of Coffee Culture
While reading a neighborhood report that my friend’s parents got on their doorstep, I noticed an odd “crime” reported at the bottom. The report explained that the police had been called on a group of kids playing on the tennis courts at night. It said that they “refused” to leave and had to be escorted out. This ‘crime’ got me thinking, if kids can’t play in a public park, where could they go?
I continued to wonder about the lack of spaces for young people and thought about what my friends and I do. If it wasn’t a free party, there honestly isn’t much. Then, I remembered a staple part of our week, a coffee date.
Early risers and night owls now share one thing in common, their love for caffeine. Photo by Jd Preslicka
“Hey, wanna go get some coffee?” is a text many are all too familiar with. A simple $5 iced latte and a quick chat might be all you have time for. Or maybe all you can afford. Ubering to the club is too expensive. Sitting at home is so boring. A sit-down meal? You’re out of your mind. For many college students, coffee has become a new form of entertainment that pairs well with a side of gossip.
Because the price of everything has become costly, it’s almost suffocating to be a college student with zero access to the stereotypical college activities. For Cal State University Long Beach students, 36.6% are low-income, and the average tuition for four years is around 23 thousand dollars before aid. With tuition and income status alone, it is hard to imagine fitting in fun activities for a low price.
We have lost what is referred to as a third space; a communal, social area that is neither work nor home. For students 18-20, there are even fewer options for third spaces as bars, clubs and other 21+ activities are unavailable. There’s a lack of freedom, and it isn’t by choice. To combat this issue, many youth turn to a classic European pastime – coffee shops.
Philz Coffee Barista Angelina Trefz is a speech language and pathology major at CSULB. While she doesn’t frequent her workplace to hang out with friends, she can definitely relate to spending time at coffee shops with friends.
Although Angelina Trefz enjoys the perk of free coffee at work, she still frequents coffee shops with her friends. Philz Coffee is packed from morning to night on weekends with studying students and those who just want to chat with friends. Photo by Jd Preslicka
“I would say on the weekends especially, there are a lot of people that come in and just hang out. On Saturdays and Sundays, we usually have a full lobby,” Trefz said. “For me it really doesn’t matter where I am, I think spending time with people that I enjoy spending time with is important to me.”
A five-to-seven-dollar drink is still absurd, almost everyone can agree with that. But the drink is a means to an end. It’s a ticket into a space where you can chat freely with your friends.
Sometimes, if the cafe’s are nice enough, you can join a group without the purchase. It’s become the modern “Let’s catch up over dinner.”
In a business report article from a Los Angeles-based market research team, the trend predictions for the rise in coffee shops is “anticipated to rise at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2023 and 2030. In 2022, the market is growing at a steady rate and with the rising adoption of strategies by key players, the market is expected to rise over the projected horizon.”
It is no surprise that the uptake in coffee shop revenue is due to young adults trying to find somewhere to socialize. The pandemic, which many are tired of hearing about, still has relevance to this day. Although we aren’t staying indoors all the time, the lasting impacts from businesses and other third places shutting down has seriously impacted many social lives.
The worst part is, it isn’t just established places that were impacted.
Like the previously mentioned kids in the park, many have found it difficult to enjoy public places “after-hours.” Prior to the pandemic, most didn't mind the after-hours loitering of young people, unless it was a private area of course. Therefore, late-night coffee shops have become a saving grace for many. It is not uncommon to see cafes open until 11 p.m. and remain packed.
The baristas at Stereoscope are often busy with caffeine-deprived students looking to get their fix. The quaint shop is narrow, but most patrons don’t mind the space. Photo by Jd Preslicka
Stereoscope Barista Logan Reboja is a CSULB student majoring in studio art. While working at Stereoscope, a very small cafe on Second Street, he’s noticed the increase in young adults spending hours inside chatting.
“You go to a coffee shop and probably get one coffee. Whereas if you are going out and getting drinks you’re spending a bunch of money on a bunch of drinks. It’s a lot more friendly to come to a coffee shop and just hang out— to spend quality time with someone doesn’t necessarily need to be expensive,” Reboja said. “I think that really the only two options are coffee shops and bars. If people don’t like coffee or drinking, it’s a lot harder to find places to go to.”
While dinner and drinks may not be economically viable anymore for the average college student, coffee is. And with third spaces to chat being limited, a new culture emerges. While many may not realize it yet, coffee culture has manifested into a new form of youth culture. While spaces may try to push young adults out, broke college students will always find a way.