** Here is a write-up of observation notes I took while seated at a Starbucks this week. I tend to think in a more narrative tone, so while I took shorthand notes on a notepad, I took the time to type this up after the experiment. Enjoy**
Observation: Starbucks, Centreville
Pulling up around 2:30 p.m. I noticed the parking lot was practically full. An odd sight for being the middle of a work day. Grabbing my bag and phone I trudged towards the Starbucks. At the sight of the sign my stomach grumbled. “Yep. I know” I muttered. The choice for this location was two-fold. I’ve noticed in the past that coffee shops are a prime location for people watching. And I’m addicted to coffee. But mainly, it’s a good observation spot… mainly.
I pushed through the door and immediately was taken aback by the vast amounts of people. There was narely an empty seat, much less standing room to order. I weaved around a crowd of businessmen to reach the register, noticing that in recent weeks they had completely revamped the furniture and layout. A pretty blonde barista in her early thirties poked her head around an espresso machine and smiled. “What can I get you dear?” she called over the whirring of a steamer. “Umm, a grande iced caramel macchiato please.” She strained to hear me over the commotion but repeated the order perfectly. I smiled and thanked her while a younger girl with an exotic olive complexion approached the register and voiced my total. I awkwardly pulled out an old Starbucks card a student had given me and apologized for not knowing how much was left on it. “Not a problem,” she swiped the card and punched in a few random buttons. Handing me a receipt and the card back she gestured to the waiting line by the pick up table. I took my place and glanced at the girl in front of me. Dressed unseasonably warm, the girl of about 20 was furiously texting on her iPhone. She wore a wine colored fedora and kept absent-mindedly adjusting it between texts. Looking very uncomfortable and a bit agitated, she shifted her weight and looked up at the blonde barista expectantly.
A loud horn sounded outside, drawing the attention of the entire coffee shop. A girl with large Audrey Hepburn-esque sunglasses was backing out of a parking spot without looking both ways. A man in his forties was sitting idle behind her in his BMW laying on the horn and mouthing obscenities. The girl in the Nissan Versa braked quickly causing her hair to fall around her face as she looked back and waved apologizes. The man shot up a choice finger and roared away. Looking a bit shaken, the girl pulled back into her spot and paused before attempting to reverse again… this time twisting fully around to see what was behind her. The customers in the Starbucks, obviously over the excitement, went back to their
coffee and conversations.
“Iced caramel macchiato” the blonde barista called and tossed a straw on the counter along with the drink. I thanked her and turned to see if any spots had emptied out. One solitary leather chair in the corner sat untouched so I made a beeline for it. Plopping into the overstuffed furniture, I had to wriggle forward for my laptop to begin typing up notes I was taking while waiting in line.
The agitated fedora-adorned girl finally got her hot coffee and stomped outside. An attractive man in his thirties opened the door for her and gestured for her to exit ahead of him. Without thanking him she brushed by him, dialing a number on her phone. The man looked after her for one long moment with a furrowed brow. I smiled to myself knowing that he was thinking the same thing as me. “Rude.” He stepped inside and swept his eyes across the room. The man was tall with sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He ran his fingers through his hair and I noticed a simple white gold wedding band. Catching the barista’s eye, he smiled and called out a double order. Obviously rushed, he already had credit card in hand. Thanking her he waited patiently by the pick-up stand, only once checking his watch.
Loud laughter pulled my attention away to a string of tables pushed together. Korean men dressed in suits and ties were laughing about a comment one of the men said. They began talking excitedly in Korean and gesturing to one of the men’s folios. A group of hipster teens were seated next to the long make-shift conference table. One of the girls twirled her hair around a finger and shifted her weight to return to her conversation with friends. I absently wondered why they weren’t in school. Perhaps they were actually older than they appeared to dress. I overheard one of the hipster boys complain loudly about the new coffee roast and how coffee should never be a “light roast.” I looked from him to a poster board that sat beside him describing the new Blonde Roast coffee that just was released a few weeks back. Personally, I loved the roast so his comment made me scoff under my breath.
A rumble above my head made me glance up. I was seated right under an air vent and the heat had kicked on. I shrugged off my sweater as the heat pounded over my head. It was about 60 degrees outside so I was a bit confused as to why the heat kicked in. I looked over to the two baristas who also seemed to notice the uncomfortable shift in temperature. Likewise, a large man with a ruddy complexion took off his blazer and leaned over his companion who was typing on a laptop and seated. The robust man pointed to a few figures on the screen as the man with the laptop made wild gestures with his hands, trying to explain his response. Both men smiled and shook hands, leaving a few moments later.
The next fifteen minutes or so were spent listening to a plethora of accents and languages, only a few of which I could easily decipher. The Starbucks never lessened in busyness as I sat there typing. A steady flow of people rushing in and out kept my eyes moving from the tables to the door. Packing it in for the day, I grabbed my heavy bag and the remnants of my coffee. As I left I held the door open for a man near my age with a kind smile. He thanked me and held the door open for two girls clad in George Mason University sweatshirts walked in behind him. Upon leaving towards the parking lot I saw the Korean businessmen standing outside by a line of cars and chatting. Though I had seen them seem to rush out of the coffee shop as though they were late for something, they were leisurely chatting in Korean and loosening their ties. I nodded a greeting as I slipped past them and back to my Jeep where I typed up the four pages of what you have just read. Now that my coffee is empty I am looking back towards the Starbucks and contemplating if I should get another drink for the road. One final thought as I looked back: it was amusing at how rushed everyone seemed running in and ordering, but how jovial and relaxed (most) seemed as they leaved with coffee in hand. Was it the power of the cappuccino or the realization that the race does not always mean needing to rush? I’m going with the cappuccino.
- Megan Tucker – February 28, 2012 – 3:18p.m.
