When Starbucks came into the country some 15 years back it was to be an ultimate success, as it had proven internationally. Then soon after other café brands came in, like CBTL, UCC, Seattle’s Best, and even McCafe. Equally competitive were our own local brands namely, Figaro, Bo’s Coffee and Kuppa. But more than the business side of the coffee shop phenomenon, however, lies a fascinating coffee shop culture that is perhaps unique to the Filipino coffee enthusiast: One patron who spends more than an hour at the table with one cup in hand.
For starters, it’s amazing how so many coffee places have become libraries where med school and law school students burrow into books until the wee hours of the morning for bar and board reviews. In so many coffee places, you begin to think you’re in a college library, with books strewn across coffee tables, laptops perched open, and even desk lamps atop table counters. Honestly, I’m curious at how these students can block off music and chatter to concentrate on reading such academic material. Intriguingly though, our universities have in fact turned libraries into a semblance of cafes as well. These days, the library is far from the utilitarian, glum and noiseless environment I grew up with. University libraries nowadays mimic the nearest coffee shop outside and seemingly are more welcoming, busier, albeit a bit noisier for some. And even more, you can actually order from a coffee bar put right up the library’s lobby.
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