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Laptop Users Not Wanted At Some Coffee Shops
By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 6, 2009
Modified Aug 6, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 6, 2009
Modified Aug 6, 2009
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Have laptop, will head to neighborhood cafe, right? Well, that might be more difficult at some—the Wall Street Journal looks at the growing trend of some NYC coffee shops telling laptop users they're not wanted: "In some places, customers just get cold looks, but in a growing number of small coffee shops, firm restrictions on laptop use have been imposed and electric outlets have been locked. The laptop backlash may predate the recession, but the recession clearly has accelerated it."
It's a double-edged sword: Laptop users nursing a single cup of brew over hours make the shop look busy, but then they may also be taking away table space from those willing to buy more. Some customers think no-laptop policies are fine: One Cafe Grumpy (Chelsea location) told the WSJ, "This is too small of a space to have laptop users here. People come here for their coffee, not to use the internet."
The WSJ also cites this review of Park Slope's Cocoa Bar on Yelp, which complains about being thrown out of the cafe because it doesn't allow laptop use after 8 p.m. on weekends (even when the cafe is near empty). Cocoa Bar's owner Masoud Soltani said the reviewer is no longer welcome at all!
Last year, an Upper East Side coffee shop made the news for charging laptop owners $12/day (for $3/hour) of electricity use. Don't worry: Starbucks will still allow laptop users in, though the coffee chain charges for WiFi. You may have better luck at Barnes & Noble locations, which have free Wi-Fi AND Starbucks cafes inside.
Tagged
cafe
coffee shop
electricity
laptop
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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