Camping out in the coffee shop world: A sociological analysis of Starbucks and independent shops

The 1990s saw a rapid expansion of coffee shops in the United States, with Starbucks leading the upswing. Through interviews with patrons in independently- and corporately-owned coffee shops in the District of Columbia, this research explores consumers' perceptions of how coffee shops fit into their lives. One of the most notable findings is the discovery of a group of coffee shop patrons I call Campers, who spend long periods of time in the coffee shop and are involved in a variety of solitary activities. This paper identifies the conventions that attract such patrons to the coffee shop and how these have come to shape its culture, which I refer to as the Coffee Shop World.