'We don't want to be an office:' Café owners are pulling the plug on WiFi
When HotBlack Coffee opened in downtown Toronto a year ago, it took a risk few businesses would dare take in today's online-driven world: it turned off the WiFi.
"Every day people come in and ask for it," says Jimson Bienenstock, the café's co-owner.
Still, he hasn't wavered.
"In the short term, it hurt us," Mr. Bienenstock says. "It took us longer to become established, but once we reached critical mass, it has become a self-fulfilling virtuous circle."
While most cafés offer free WiFi, including large chains such as Starbucks, McDonald's and Tim Hortons, HotBlack is among a small but growing number of independent coffee shops choosing to ditch or limit Internet use. By not offering WiFi, they're hoping to create more of a community atmosphere where people talk to each other instead of silently typing on their computers.
If coffeeshops come to discourage people working, perhaps that activity can shift to libraries.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 02 2017, @08:11AM (1 child)
It's the 20th century all over again. We're in the Great Depression. All we need is a catalyst to start another World War. Data caps are rationing. Bring back the draft. Nuke China.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 02 2017, @01:24PM
All we need is a catalyst to start another World War.
Don't worry. We've got several lined up.
Trump! Trump! Trump!