Coffeehouses And The Art Of Social Engagement: An Analysis Of Portland Coffeehouses

Abstract

Coffeehouses have been a part of America's cultural landscape since the seventeenth century. Their fortunes have risen and fallen with the changing demand for coffee and consumer preferences. This paper examines their historic function of promoting social engagement as so‐called third places among independently owned coffeehouses in the city of Portland, Oregon. Individual coffeehouses were evaluated to determine the extent to which they provided a supportive physical environment for social engagement in which a space is transformed into a place and detailed patron behavior was recorded over a three‐week period. Few coffeehouses provided a supportive physical environment. The majority of coffeehouse patrons during the weekday and weekend ordered drinks ‘to go.’ Among those who stayed during the weekday most sat alone and worked. Coffeehouse are spaces to ‘be alone together.’ It was only on lunchtime weekends that coffeehouses were full of the sound of conversations. Further study should consider the effect of eliminating free Wi Fi and banning laptops on social engagement and whether other place attributes need to be incorporated to promote social engagement.

Key words:

• Coffeehouses
• Portland
• Public Space
• Third Place

This research was supported with funding from the College of Arts & Sciences, and the Provost's office at Northern Michigan University. The paper has greatly benefited from the reviewers' comments, any errors are the sole responsibility of the authors.

This research was supported with funding from the College of Arts & Sciences, and the Provost's office at Northern Michigan University. The paper has greatly benefited from the reviewers' comments, any errors are the sole responsibility of the authors.

Notes

This research was supported with funding from the College of Arts & Sciences, and the Provost's office at Northern Michigan University. The paper has greatly benefited from the reviewers' comments, any errors are the sole responsibility of the authors.

1. Hutchens profiles many of the city's modern coffee pioneers in Caffeinated PDX (2013).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michael Broadway

Michael Broadway, Ph.D, Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan 49855; [[email protected]].

Robert Legg

Robert Legg, Ph.D, Department of Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Michigan 49855; [[email protected]].

John Broadway

John Broadway, independent scholar, Vancouver, Washington 98683; [[email protected]].