Coffeeshop Tycoon

Have you noticed? The same La Marzocco machine blocking your view, the same waiting in line, the same dismissal to the pick-up counter. You order a drink, but you're left to serve yourself the milk, lid, and cozy—or just walk out because your order was made to spec. And the cost? Always the same. I can't do it anymore. Something has to change. I’m not sure when it began, but most coffee shops today feel soulless—except for the rare barista I connect with on a first-name basis. Coffee shops have become just another part of the daily grind.

When was the last time you walked into a café and spent less than $4? In some places, like Seattle, a cappuccino can cost $12—that’s the price of a pack of cigarettes in some cities. But what are we really paying for? Often, it’s not quality or hospitality but an impersonal, mechanical experience.

There’s room for another kind of coffee shop—one with just a touch more humanity. That’s what we’re going to create.

We believe you can build a true community around something as simple as drip coffee. No complicated orders, no barista theatrics—just good coffee and genuine human connection. In most cafés today, people sit in silence, headphones on, glued to screens. The sense of community is missing.

We want something more meaningful—like the coffee shop vibe from Friends, where people come to meet, talk, and form real connections. Instead, we’ve accepted a system where you wait in line, pay a small fortune, and stand around while your drink takes ten minutes to make.

Not anymore.

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Post context: I titled this short essay Coffeeshop Tycoon because it reminds me of the frustrated customers waiting in line, similar to the lemonade stand in Lemonade Tycoon. That frustration is the boiling point of this piece.