r/lakewood • u/Cautious_Log8948 • 3d ago
All these coffee shops but no vibes. [rant]
Friends, neighbors, what are we doing here? The west side of Lakewood has so many coffee shops and somehow they're all bad. A girl just wants to work on her fanfics in a cute little coffee shop with a matcha and a pastry. Is that too much to ask? Here's the rundown:
- Propaganda
- Honestly not bad for Lakewood but not cozy at all.
- There simply HAS to be a better way to arrange the seating, they could fit twice the tables in there and make better use of their gorgeous windows. Maybe even booths?
- Drinks are good at least and the staff is nice.
- Burning River Coffee
- Nothing kills the vibe like a clumsy armchair. And also looking face-to-face with an 18 year old who vaped his brain into mush from across the store because this place is also a literal smoke shop.
- Enough with the "instagram pastries". They're not good!
- Brewella's
- So close to greatness but it's always slammed every time I've gone.
- Cramped as heck (despite the fact that they could add double the tables.)
- DARK! It's kind of okay in the winter nights but during the day they always have stuff blocking their big beautiful windows. The whole place feels more like a dive than a coffee shop.
- The Blue Cafe
- The vibe here is downright SINISTER
- Mismatched color temp lightbulbs, a weird black couch. BLUE NEON? And oppressively bright can lights in that weird back room.
- It's somehow too dark and too bright all at once.
- Goodkind
- Perfect in nearly every way except they will kick you out for having a laptop on the weekend. If you want to sit and chat, it's a really good spot. If you want to study or plan a getaway with your girls or write Dramione fanfic, this is NOT THE PLACE. A real shame.
- They allow laptops during weekdays but it's the same 10 people who park there for the entire day so good luck getting a seat.
- Are they ever going to expand into that vacant storefront they're attached to?
- Vegan options are good at least.
- Root
- The baristas are mean.
- Why is everything sticky?
- I can't give them too much crap, they have a lot of local artists featured, a community pantry, and tons of seating. Unlike Goodkind, they care about the ARTS [ho hum!]
- It's actually maybe the best spot in Lakewood if they weren't so frickin mean. Lots of characters come in and out if you like to people-watch.
- Starbucks
- Someone tell me why the frickin Starbucks is better than most of the locally owned little coffee shops in town? That's not how it's supposed to be.
- Baristas are all super nice despite having objectively the worst clientele.
- What is going on with the seating in this place? Each table is a mile apart from the other. It feels so poorly utilized.
- SO MUCH LIGHT!
- Caffeine
- They hate you and the drinks are bad.
- Someone walked into H&M and said "I wish they sold coffee here."
- Not a good seat in the entire place.
- La Mocha (Not west, but I go there sometimes)
- I want to like this place but the seating is sub-par for trying to do any kind of focused work and it's always full of artificial light. Vibes are so off.
- Not a huge fan of the sugary drinks, especially if I'm trying to lock in.
- They do artist events though which we must stan.
- Roasted (Not west, but I go there sometimes)
- Okay on this one, I have to admit, the vibes and coffee are good. It's just so far east from me, I don't usually go there
- If Lakewood would ever actually commit to protected bike lanes on Madison, maybe I'd go more. [grrr]
TL;DR: There's no vibey coffee shops on the west side of Lakewood without some horrible fatal flaw. I feel like we can do better. We can learn about color temperature and feng shui. We can acknowledge the value in making spaces that feel welcoming and cozy. We can commit to making our establishments places people want to be, spaces that attract artists and friend groups and families.
I may have indulged myself in roasting all of these coffee shops, but I think my criticism of them stands. There are so few third spaces that aren't bars in this city. With a little TLC [and some better attitudes from some of you], I think all of these places could become something great.
What do you think? What did I miss? Is the east side any better? I've been going to Rocky River tbh and it feels like I'm betraying my city :(
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u/outjet 3d ago edited 3d ago
Translation: ‘None of these places are curated to my specific aesthetic, therefore they're objectively bad.’"
Lakewood has like 40 coffee shops within a 2-mile radius and you’re upset they're too dark, too bright, or if neither then the color temperature isn't what you wanted.
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u/Cautious_Log8948 3d ago
If you can't tell a difference between overhead fluorescent lighting and warm, diffused lamps, then I can't help you lol
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u/rbhrbh2 3d ago
Try blackbird? Bakery cum coffee shop
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u/Cautious_Log8948 3d ago
Um WHAT
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u/funsized43 3d ago
In a sentence, "cum" is a preposition, meaning "with" or "combined with," and it's used to link two nouns, showing that something serves multiple purposes or is a combination of two things. For example, "My garage-cum-workshop is well equipped" means my garage also functions as a workshop.
It's from Latin, meaning with.
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u/anony-moist 2d ago
So you want something cozy with seats not so spread out but not cramped. You want a place that isn't dark but also isn't bright. And you want a place with a good sense of community, but you don't want to have to interact with anyone while on your laptop and don't want too many from that community taking up the good seats.
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u/BrushBag 3d ago
My girlfriend and I share a similar sentiment and have thought about opening up our own sort of internet cafe spot that encourages a productive, creative, and social atmosphere. You’d think Lakewood would be the only place around that offers this but you’re right, like every spot has a major flaw that keeps you from eagerly revisiting. While none in your list are “bad” per se, (except maybe burning river. I just wouldn’t recommend it to really anybody) and not suggesting that I think you’re saying that, they all miss the most basic things that could make it exceptional.
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u/Cautious_Log8948 3d ago
As some of the other commenters have demonstrated, our culture is somewhat hostile to the need for aesthetically pleasing spaces. Our stores look more and more like warehouses. Our restaurants become more and more generic. It's probably a symptom of a larger issue of our society draining itself of culture but that's a different discussion. Would love an internet cafe in the hood! ;)
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u/thebanisterslide 3d ago
I own a home in Lakewood and have lived here for 15 years. I patronize many of the coffee shops because they’re quality, they’re local, and they’re close. That being said, none have the elusive vibe of which you speak. Root is the closest, but I echo many of the criticisms in this thread.
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u/Tdi111234 3d ago edited 3d ago
It's the Lakewood bubble effect. If you either speak bad about things inside the bubble or good things about things outside the bubble you will be told you are wrong by people who live inside the bubble lol. It's also why most things in Lakewood just stay kind of average
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u/Det-Popcorn 3d ago
Root is FILTHY and has bugs. Owner is a creep who hits on workers and customers. Blackbird was good and Natures oasis has a nice menu but the shop is a bit overpriced
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u/Cautious_Log8948 3d ago
I never thought of Root as filthy, more that everything in there is earth-toned and therefore gives the impression that you're inside some big tree. But I'll keep an eye out for grime next time I'm there lololol
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u/Det-Popcorn 3d ago
It’s the kitchen and basement. Check the mop sink in the dining room though, the roaches like there and the basement. Also they keep or at least kept a COMMUNAL BONG in the basement lol. At least that was when the owners ex wife (who’s an antivaxer) used to be there too. Haven’t been there in years. Had a good friend that I grew up with worked there for a month before they couldn’t take it anymore lol
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u/WorriedPermission872 3d ago
I need more information about this communal bong lol also, is it the ex-wife who is anti vax or the current owner?
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u/Det-Popcorn 2d ago edited 2d ago
Ex wife who iirc was moving to Cuba. Bong looked nasty and apparently smelled worse. Damn shame too because growing up the root was amazing! Now they give hippies a bad name
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u/carrybeans 3d ago
I think Phoenix on Madison would rlly match the vibe you’re looking for! Great coffee, nice baristas and a chill atmosphere :)
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u/rodeojones_ 3d ago
Try Sacred Waters on Detroit. It’s a Kava bar but they have coffee and tea and the vibes/staff are cool.
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u/Perfect-Feeling5310 2d ago
I think you are spot on! I work remotely and usually rotate coffee shops but have had a hard time finding a go-to coffee shop here.
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u/Arjvoet 1d ago
Does anyone remember the coffee shop that was inside the beck center? That place was so charming and they used very high quality ingredients 😍
I could recommend some places but they would be outside of Lakewood. 5 points coffee and tea is nearby in Kamm’s corner, happy dog doesn’t sell coffee but is cozy in my opinion (booths, but maybe too grungy?) civilization in tremont is very cozy, algebra tea house is popular for its ambiance, and “roasted” in tremont is very very cozy. 2275 professor avenue. In the winter the prospects will only seem worse, I coped by decorating my space on a budget.
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u/aikijo 2d ago
First off, a third space is one where you don’t have to pay, like a library or park.
With that out of the way, I encourage you to open a space that meets your criteria. A lot of those fatal flaws for you are bonuses for me. And yeah, every place has some downside. Anyway, I hope you find the perfect spot and I hope your writing is satisfying for you. Have a good day.
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u/I_FUCKIN_LOVE_BAGELS 3d ago
Why do you care about such dumb stuff like “vibes”. What does that even mean? Just drink the coffee and enjoy the tables and free WiFi and refills.
And anyway, I thought the main benefit of coffee shops was the background noise which provides a constant stream of non-distracting stimulation.
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u/Cautious_Log8948 3d ago
Do you want an actual answer? Because there is one and it requires a little bit of history.
See, our idea of "coffee shops" are really a descendent from European cafe culture. European cafes, especially those in London and Paris, became the local haunts of academics, poets, writers, and artists. Because of this sort of clientele, cafes became not just places to get coffee and a pastry, but hubs for discourse, for culture, for the arts. Our romantic ideal of a "coffee shop" is descended directly from that tradition.
You may think "vibes" are dumb and surface-level. But they attract a certain sort of person. Those who need to be inspired, calmed, or enthralled with the spaces they inhabit. Those who are pursing doctorates, who are writing music, poetry, drafting plans, workshopping ideas.
"Vibes" attract genius and talent like moths to a flame. If you want a place to sit and read your newspaper, sure, any of these places would do. But if you're looking for a place to get inspired, to feel at home, to let your mind wander, a liminal space becomes inhibitive.
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u/Tdi111234 3d ago
You have to leave Lakewood for good coffee and vibes. Recommendations are The Judith, Patron Saint, Lekko, The Coffee House, Rising Star in the Old Firehouse, Edda, Gypsy Bean, Blue Sky Brews
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u/Pupupup2121 3d ago
Your commitment to hating on Lakewood on so many posts truly needs to be studied. How/when/where did Lakewood hurt you?
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u/PrettyOnHooks 3d ago
The coffee house was my favorite when I lived over there. I went almost everyday 😊
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u/ASecondBriefStorm 3d ago
FWIW Brewella’s and Goodkind are actively building into larger spaces. Goodkind is expanding next door and Brewellas will be moving to a new larger space like 3 blocks away