The Vancouver Indy Coffee Scene

Your second home. That cafe down the street

I was reading an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal about New York City cafes that have started to ban the use of laptops. I thought it was a really unique issue that I personally have stretched on more than one occasion.

Back when wireless was still a buzz word and digital SLR cameras were only a professional’s tool. I would drive around the city of Winnipeg capturing my assignment and then file my photos from the nearest wireless cafe. Being a freelancer it was actually easier to purchase a coffee at a cafe and file my photos than it would be to drive back to offices on the edge of the city. I was known as the guy who transmited his photos first and ordered a coffee second. Telling the baristas that I was a news photographer and on deadline for the Free Press explained what I was doing and why.

When I arrived back in Vancouver I started looking for a list of wireless cafes. Caffeinated and Unstrung ~ A Guide to Vancouver’s Free Wireless Coffee Shops, became my bible of reputable wireless cafes in Vancouver. It is actually how I found Prado Cafe some four years ago. But since then I have seen some changes in our wireless culture.

Internet is a privilege not a right.

Covered Power Plugs

New owners of Bump and Grind Audrey Grant and Joe Peterson found that people were really abusing the privileges provided to them at the cafe spending hours in the cafe, taking up two three seats and even bringing their own food and drink.

“They would order the cheapest thing on the menus sitting here for 3 – 6 hours. We lost a few customers (when they covered up the plugs),” said Joe Peterson. “We knew it was going to happen. We lost a few people and gained a ton more.”

Joe says he kept the internet going for the customers that have respect for a small 20-seat cafe.

“It is a great workspace and people can work here. Wade (a customer) just finished his book here,” Joe said.

And for the people that have a dead battery or no battery and there is a plug on the wall in the hallway, you won’t be able to sit or lounge around surfing your Facebook profile.

“I don’t have a problem telling people to move during a busy weekend, but when we’re really not busy bums in seats are always a good thing,” he added.

Bump and Grind has accepted that we are becoming a more wireless culture and doesn’t foresee a ban on laptops, but that doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy a little humour around the subject.

“One of our passwords was talk to each other. We were poking fun at the fact that people weren’t talking to each other,” said Joe. “I got into coffee because I love coffee, not because I love laptops. If I see people having a great conversation over a French press I love that!”

There can be only one.

Laptops in Prado Cafe Photo By Margaret Kwan

Prado Cafe has been lovingly referred to as that place without anything on the walls and more recently that place full of mac laptops.
“What happens when you bring a windows laptop into that place?” was asked at a house party I was at once. Well nothing will happen, but according to owner Amy York it is more about the demographics of the neighbourhood than anything about computer segregation.

“I think it is more the type of clientel in the area. There are a lot of people in the arts and they tend to use macs,” said Amy York as she pulled a shot of espresso.

Prado has a different take on laptop usage: They only have one plug for the entire cafe. You’ll either need to sit near the plug or share the plug with someone who is. They freely give out the daily changing password and internet service is somewhat sporadic. In my opinion this cafe has made the best of both worlds. You have the laptop users mostly to one side of the cafe and you have the bookworms and newspaper readers on the other. It seem to work for them as this system has been in use since spring of 2007.

In part two I will look at some further wireless options.