You know what downtown needs...

[BrushStart]

a coffee shop with couches and tables and a laid back atmosphere where I can walk down and do some work, read a book, and hang out with people from the neighborhood.

[Stosh]

a coffee shop with couches and tables and a laid back atmosphere where I can walk down and do some work, read a book, and hang out with people from the neighborhood.

You first! I'd like you to make that a priority in your master plan for Detroit. I'm sure that banks would be streaming in to give you capital.

Isn't that what is usually called a living room ? Or an office? I can't imagine having people hang out all day sipping on one coffee would be profitable.

[narnarnar]

a coffee shop with couches and tables and a laid back atmosphere where I can walk down and do some work, read a book, and hang out with people from the neighborhood.

Sounds like Starbucks. [[not that there's anything wrong with that)

[n7hn]

sounds like an episode of "FRIEND'S"...... I hope it's that easy.

[DC48080]

Sounds like a hipsters doofuss's nirvana.

[Hermod]

Truly amazing how the denizens of Detroit Yes have so many ideas on how to spend other people's money.

[Lt. Dan Bassett]

get 'er done this winter and Detroit's homeless will thank you for a warm place to park their cold-in-the-D butts.

[Capnhook]

Wait, there was a great coffee shop downtown a few years back.
Cafe DeTroit over by the puppet theater. The couple that ran it moved out of the area for work.

[DC48080]

Truly amazing how the denizens of Detroit Yes have so many ideas on how to spend other people's money.

Exactly. If someone thinks it is such a great idea then he or she should create a business plan and raise the necessary capital to start such a venture.

Oops, I forgot, that would be too much work and would take away from whiling the workday away at the coffee shop posting on Detroit Yes and coming up with inane ideas about what would make Detroit all neato and swell.

[iheartthed]

Sounds like half the establishments in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

[DetroitPole]

Woah, all that aggression! Real cities have coffee shops like the above described say, oh, every other storefront. As someone pointed out in another thread, Detroit has essentially 3 real coffee shops.
Currently, Cafe 1515 is our only real coffee shop downtown.

[n7hn]

I think its more about sarcasm .... as in "Oh, THATS all we have needed to do" type of ribbing. Cmon, really?

Good thing I didnt comment that I hoped there would be adequate parking

[DC48080]

I think its more about sarcasm .... as in "Oh, THATS all we have needed to do" type of ribbing. Cmon, really?

Good thing I didnt comment that I hoped there would be adequate parking

But you won't need parking as long as the magic Woodward choo-choo train stops right out front.

Maybe "we" can open a House of Blues or a Cheesecake Factory next door.

[n7hn]

see......... I am guilty of presenting only Part of the facts. shame on me

[DetroitPlanner]

Its been tried. The Starbucks in the Bhul was put out of business by the cafe in the Guardian that serves a superior cup of coffee illy.

There is also a similar place at Washington and Congress. Oh and several Tim Horton's. Come to think of it there are still Starbucks in the RenCen and the MGM. Oh and there is a coffee place in the Book Cadillac. Isn't there one in Greektown too? Hmmm... me thinks you've not been looking hard enough for your coffeeplace!

[softailrider]

There's one on Congress across the street from Subway. If they know you, they might even let you use the bathroom.

[DetroitDad]

Brush, I really like what you're thinking, and I'm glad you brought this up. I have some old reports conducted by Wayne State University in the early 1970s, a time when Renaissance was the big buzzword and rally cry. It is said in one report that the issue with Downtown Detroit wasn't attracting people into the core city, but rather the problem was keeping them here long enough to spend additional money outside the venue. In other words, Detroit had built enough super projects and attractions, but didn't have enough smaller things to complement them. There was not enough for people to do once they were here. There wasn't enough complementing business.

That was in 1972.

Forty years later, would you say that we have the same problem today? Your idea is dead on, that is among the types of places Detroit could use more of. Yet, they are still busy building casinos, sports arenas, movie studios, skyscrapers, and other mega projects.

a coffee shop with couches and tables and a laid back atmosphere where I can walk down and do some work, read a book, and hang out with people from the neighborhood.

*Photo courtesy of MSNBC.

[BrushStart]

Wow.

I'm a downtown resident. I've been to every coffee place around here. There are some good ones, including 1515, the place in Kresge's, and the one over by COBO. I've been to every Starbucks and Tim Horton's in this city, yet that's not what I'm looking for. It's not remotely the same environment where I can spend 3-4 hours getting work done without feeling strange. It's not a place where people from a neighborhood meet up, relax, and feel comfortable.

Secondly, I am not in the coffee business, so I don't intend on opening a coffee shop. I merely pointed out that such a place would be nice to have. And, STOSH, I don't think it's a bad business model. I've see many places like this, only they were in cities other than Detroit. I don't know where everyone else lives, but downtown does not cater to a residential population. It caters to event goers- people who come downtown for a game or a show, blow a bunch of money on food and drinks, and then drive back home. Because of this, prices are jacked up, there's nothing open late except bars, strip clubs, and casinos. Places where I can grab a cheap meal, sit and read the paper, and have coffee with friends do not exist. I'm talking about basic shit.

You want to know why living downtown is expensive? It's not because my rent is astronomical. It's because getting a decent sandwich for under $8 on a Sunday is next to impossible. Downtown Detroit is like an amusement park. Sure, there are great rides everywhere that I can walk to, but basic amenities are almost non-existant. Businesses that cater to anything but event goers are few and far between. I can get an expensive fish dinner at 5 places within a mile of my apartment, yet I can't get an omelette with toast without going for a car ride. That is F'ed up no matter how you slice it. I love living downtown, but after several years, it truly boils down to the small things that I want/need as a resident that make me want to jet for another city. It's not the crime, it's not the crap schools- it's the lack of the usual things that make urban living worthwhile. So mock me all you want. People are not going to want to live here until such amenties exist. I just thought I'd point out something that would be nice. Maybe it will inspire some young entrepreneur.

[jtf1972]

It is truly amazing the negativity that is expressed toward any positive thought regarding Detroit. And people wonder why things are as they are.

[DJ Tom T]

Wow.

I'm a downtown resident. I've been to every coffee place around here. There are some good ones, including 1515, the place in Kresge's, and the one over by COBO. I've been to every Starbucks and Tim Horton's in this city, yet that's not what I'm looking for. It's not remotely the same environment where I can spend 3-4 hours getting work done without feeling strange. It's not a place where people from a neighborhood meet up, relax, and feel comfortable.

Secondly, I am not in the coffee business, so I don't intend on opening a coffee shop. I merely pointed out that such a place would be nice to have. And, STOSH, I don't think it's a bad business model. I've see many places like this, only they were in cities other than Detroit. I don't know where everyone else lives, but downtown does not cater to a residential population. It caters to event goers- people who come downtown for a game or a show, blow a bunch of money on food and drinks, and then drive back home. Because of this, prices are jacked up, there's nothing open late except bars, strip clubs, and casinos. Places where I can grab a cheap meal, sit and read the paper, and have coffee with friends do not exist. I'm talking about basic shit.

You want to know why living downtown is expensive? It's not because my rent is astronomical. It's because getting a decent sandwich for under $8 on a Sunday is next to impossible. Downtown Detroit is like an amusement park. Sure, there are great rides everywhere that I can walk to, but basic amenities are almost non-existant. Businesses that cater to anything but event goers are few and far between. I can get an expensive fish dinner at 5 places within a mile of my apartment, yet I can't get an omelette with toast without going for a car ride. That is F'ed up no matter how you slice it. I love living downtown, but after several years, it truly boils down to the small things that I want/need as a resident that make me want to jet for another city. It's not the crime, it's not the crap schools- it's the lack of the usual things that make urban living worthwhile. So mock me all you want. People are not going to want to live here until such amenties exist. I just thought I'd point out something that would be nice. Maybe it will inspire some young entrepreneur.

Cosign. This is one of the most accurate descriptions of downtown Detroit living I've ever seen.

Disclaimer - I am currently a resident of Lafayette Park and have been living in the greater downtown area for over 10 years.

Paris Cafe was great for this purpose. Unfortunately it went out of business. The rest of the downtown coffee shops don't do this particular situation any justice. Any big city you go to will have a plethora of these types of places. Not that they make anything better or worse, but it's nice that they're available.

[Downtown Lady]

I can get an expensive fish dinner at 5 places within a mile of my apartment, yet I can't get an omelette with toast without going for a car ride.

Slightly off topic from the coffee shop idea, but for a good breakfast at an inexpensive price, have you tried the Clique restaurant on Jefferson just east of Rivard? Good lunch as well, but they close I believe at 3:00 so no dinner. It's just a diner in a motel, but don't let that deter you. Surprisingly a lot of Detroit movers and shakers eat there, including I think Dennis Archer and Sam Riddle. Sam's in jail so you don't have to worry about bumping into him there.

I think it's actually a well-regarded place even though at first glance it wouldn't appear to be much.

[Lowell]

Most great ideas come from a "I wish I really had a ..." If you are thinking it, there are probably others doing the same. Even if you don't do it, others with an ear for business with the same idea in mind may be encouraged.

The devil is in the details, getting the capital, figuring out the marketing and and finally managing it.

And always you will have to endure the guffaws and smirks of a peanut gallery of non-doers and the jealous.

I wonder aloud how many snickers Phil Cooley and his partners had to endure when they proposed and then spent months creating Slows in the middle of beat-up nowhere location with no parking and almost no nearby walk-from neighborhood or businesses?

[Stosh]

Cosign. This is one of the most accurate descriptions of downtown Detroit living I've ever seen.

Disclaimer - I am currently a resident of Lafayette Park and have been living in the greater downtown area for over 10 years.

Paris Cafe was great for this purpose. Unfortunately it went out of business. The rest of the downtown coffee shops don't do this particular situation any justice. Any big city you go to will have a plethora of these types of places. Not that they make anything better or worse, but it's nice that they're available.

Ask yourself why it went out of business, and address that, you may have a concept.

If it were my business, I would charge a cover charge just to get in the door, so the homeless situation is taken care of. Either that or minimum purchases per hour to discourage the Detroit is Cheap crowd. And if it were up to me, the coffee would have a low price component for the regular coffee drinker

[izzyindetroit]

Cosign. This is one of the most accurate descriptions of downtown Detroit living I've ever seen.

Disclaimer - I am currently a resident of Lafayette Park and have been living in the greater downtown area for over 10 years.

Paris Cafe was great for this purpose. Unfortunately it went out of business. The rest of the downtown coffee shops don't do this particular situation any justice. Any big city you go to will have a plethora of these types of places. Not that they make anything better or worse, but it's nice that they're available.

I have yet to find a place in the city to buy a pair of decent underwear or some quality socks.

[ja!mz]

Brush Start did you just wake up and realize you are in Detroit? Did you think you were living in a real city with a real downtown?