Local Coffee

Posted on July 11, 2009

This is a necropost imported from AudioBoo. It was originally an audio recording, but has been transcribed for this archival post. This content was originally posted on 11th July 2009 using the AudioBoo app.

Now, I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the downfall of the traditional town centre, how so many local businesses seem to be falling by the wayside whilst big corporations seem to be thriving. I live in Reading and it’s made me really sad to see so many empty shops on the once thriving High Street here.

Anyone that knows me knows that I love coffee, whether I’m at home grinding my beans and that isn’t a euphemism, I promise, or I’m sat in my local Starbucks. I can often be found with a soy milk latte or an ice black filter coffee. I’ve always defaulted to Starbucks if I’ve been near one. It’s consistent and with free Wi-Fi and a loyalty card, it’s always seemed like the best choice for someone who likes to be as connected as I do.

I’m also a big fan of online shopping. The vast majority of things I buy are online. It’s just so much easier to buy stuff and I can compare different products really easily, kind of side by side.

So it came as a bit of a surprise to me that I found myself ditching my usual Saturday Starbucks experience to sit with a friend in the newly opened Workhouse Coffee in Reading. It’s an independent coffee house with fantastic coffee and some of the most amazing quiche I’ve ever tasted.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not about to start dissing Starbucks, but my experience in Workhouse Coffee today has been outstanding and I realise that for all of the consistency and speed of service that I get in Starbucks, the personal touch that this quaint little coffee house provides is something that I’m really enjoying. Perhaps this place is something for the weekend, a place that’s different, more personable and that takes me away from the fast paced world of work that Monday to Friday brings.

I guess that’s my final thought for this boo. If there’s a local coffee house or family-run business near you, give it a try sometime. You might find it a welcome respite from the ultra-convenient world that forms a part of the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Bye!

This is a necropost imported from AudioBoo. It was originally an audio recording, but has been transcribed for this archival post. This content was originally posted on 11th July 2009 using the AudioBoo app.