Hey, we get it! This is a cool space! So much room. Beautiful art. Clean restrooms. Reliable internet. You are correct to want to be here for a long time and just spread out and make yourself at home. You’d be crazy if you didn’t want to! But of course as considerate, kind humans we know that there are other people that are in that same boat. So we have to use a shared space in ways that work for everyone. And that gets tricky sometimes. We get that too.
SO. What to do, what to do? Well, good news! We’ve created just a few simple thoughts (we don’t want to call them rules, really) to bring some clarity to this murky reality:
1. A general rule of thumb for time is 2 hours. Yes, we understand that a lot of people enjoy just officing out of coffee shops for hours. But we’re not trying to be that shop. We’re more of a “have your moment then free up that space for someone else” kind of place. And keeping your visit a little shorter helps with our next tip, which is…
2. We don’t have many outlets, but if you do find an available one don’t stretch your cord out where people might trip. Outlets isn’t something that we guarantee here, so try not to think of it as something you are owed. Maybe you’ll get lucky and find one, but we still have to be safe about it.
3. Save larger tables for parties of 2 or more. This one’s just kind of a “be a good neighbor” thing. We know those large tables are great for spreading out with all your stuff. And hey, if you’re the only one here then knock yourself out. But during those busier times we’d love for solo folks to sit at a solo-folks-sized table and leave the larger ones for the reason they’re here, which is parties of 2 or more.
4. The bleachers are not a playground. You’re not gonna believe this but now and then somebody turns their kiddos loose on those bleachers and they just have a little romp fest. Sounds fun, right!? Problem is, it’s also a good way to get hurt and for the people on the other side of that wall in the conference room it sounds like an elephant got turned loose with a jack hammer.
5. Speakers and earphones. Short message here? Nobody else wants to hear what you’re hearing. Music. Conversations. YouTube videos. Whatever. So use earphones or whatever, but if someone standing next to you can hear what you’re hearing, it’s too loud.
OK! That’s it! Just 5 little ideas that have big implications for how to keep our space safe with consideration for all. Thanks for helping out! And feel free to email us at info@storycoffeecompany.com if you have any questions or feedback.
In pursuit of simplicity and beauty,
Your friends at Story Coffee Co.