Every morning I start my day with a Venti Chai: non-fat milk, 8 pumps, no water, extra hot (180 degrees), and no foam. The barristas at "my" Starbucks know my drink, so that I don't have to repeat the recipe. I knew I was a "regular" when my barrista not only had my drink ready when I walked in the door, but also knew the balance on my Starbucks card!
I am a Watcher at Starbucks. I go there to plan my day, read a little bit, and watch the people who come and go. I have visited Starbucks stores all over the country and have noticed that the "same" people frequent Starbucks. My technical writing background plays a big part in my wanting to "chunk" these people into granular organizational groupings. These groupings hold no matter where the store is (urban, rural, suburban) or what the make-up of its customers is (racially, culturally, politically, religiously, or by sexual orientation). So far I have identified the following groups.
1. The watchers. Watchers are individual frequenters of Starbucks. All the barristas know them by name and by drink. They come alone; they read; they watch. They sit facing the door or in the corner so that they get the best vantage point.
2. The men. This group depends on the day of the week. During the work-week, it is the business men; on weekends it is the runaway Dads.
3. The women. This group persona differs depending on the time of day. Early in the morning, it is the business women; later in the day it is the soccer moms.
4. The teenage children, sans parents. My barristas told me about this group. I haven't seen them myself, as they frequent the store after school. The barristas say these kids just stand around like they used to when they went to the mall.
5. The grandparents with grandchildren. They always buy a pastry or two and get the children a special kid's hot chocolate. They hover and try to connect conversationally with their wards.
5. The college students. They study; they work on group papers; they are there at all hours of the day or night. Last weekend, I saw a group about about 12 Mennonite college students at the Starbucks near James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. That was definitely different! One of the girls was barefooted. I wanted to ask her if her mother knew where she was!
6. The artists. These are the writers and illustrators that come to Starbucks and write or draw. My favorite of this ilk is a cowboy who goes to the Starbucks on Unversity Avenue in Fort Worth, Texas. He is actually a medical technician who works evenings at a local hospital. However, every morning you can find him, from about 8:00 - 11:00, seated by the window in the corner (regulars know this is his spot and honor it by not sitting there), dressed in full cowboy drag (from hat to spurs) in Starbucks making the most amazing pencil drawings of western life and landscapes.
7. The religious. Early in the morning, you can spot prayer groups huddled in the corners of Starbucks. Contrary to what you might think, these are not only Christian groups, but I have also seen Jewish and Buddhist groups. An interesting side note is that these groups are usually (always, in my experience) all men.
8. The fathers. These are the men who are either divorced and it is their turn to have the kids, or they are still married and letting their wives sleep late. My favorite of these is a fellow that frequents my Starbucks: I first noticed him in the dead of winter this year. He showed up with 3 little boys (7, 3, and an infant). The children were still in their pajamas and BAREFOOTED!!! He set the infant's carrier on one of the small round tables and told the other two to watch the baby until he got his coffee. I just held my breath and stood nearby...just in case. Sheesh!
9. The mothers. This is an extensive category that totally depends on the age of the child(ren) and the professional status of the mom.
10. The dog-lovers (a.k.a., men-with-dogs). In good climates, such as Southern California or in warm weather in other areas of the country, the dog-lovers sit outside in a strategic place where the women coming into Starbucks must walk past them to get to the door. The women (and men in gay communities) cannot resist bending down and petting the dogs. Enough said.
11. The couples. This category consists of those couple who are openly in love and those who think they are being discrete, but everyone in the place knows what is going on. ;-)
12. The networking groups. These folks can be very disruptive. They take ALL the chairs and pretend that the Starbucks is their personal conference room. Forget finding a quiet place to reflect when they are there.
13. The computer nerds. They strategically locate near the wall plugs and work for hours.
14. The business people. These folks make their calls, interview potential cadidates, meet other business people one-to-one, and talk to other business people doing the same thing at Starbucks. (I have handed out many business cards to people I've made connections with at Starbucks.)
13. The sports crowd. These are the people on their way to sports events and after they have finished playing their games or showing their horses or playing 18 holes.
14. Law enforcement. These folks come in the same time every morning and, in many stores, get their coffee for free...a time honored tradition that Starbuck continues.
We all fit into multiple groups at one time or another. Are you a Starbucks customer? What groups resonate with you? What other groups have you noticed? Tell me your stories.
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