Hipster: n. A 20 something white, upper-middle class suburban transplant to any gentrifying neighborhood in any major city. Disheveled, hand-me-down appearance to present the image that they are not a slave to trends or fashions(ha!) They typically wear thick, Andy Warhol-like glasses (whether they need them or not), unshaven, unkept shaggy hair and retro Converse sneakers sometimes with no laces. The term is often used as a pejorative considering a "hipster" detests being called a "hipster."
Upon hearing about the coffee shop Paris on the Platte I wasn’t sure what to think. Would the coffee shop consist of all the stereotypical things associated with Paris? Would there be an Eiffel tower? Do the baristas and wait staff wear berets? To be honest I wasn’t sure what to expect. However I was pleasantly surprised the moment I walked through the door.
Paris on the Platte is a coffee shop located on Platte Street. Upon walking there I couldn’t help but gawk over the cute brick buildings that surround the area. I arrived to the coffee shop around 11:30 on a Saturday morning. Upon walking through the doors I was greeted with the aroma of coffee and delicious food. I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed that it did not resemble Paris in any way.
The coffee shop consists of both booths and tables meant to seat two to four people. The coffee shop also provides seating outside for those who want to soak up the sun while sipping coffee. Because I was with friends we opted for a booth inside. Upon sitting down we were greeted by a friendly waitress. The waitress perfectly fit the stereotype of a hipster. She was wearing black ripped up shorts; her hair was messy and even had a nose ring. I ordered a breakfast bagel sandwich and coffee. I then sat back and soaked in the atmosphere.
Like many coffee shops Paris was playing moderately loud adult alternative music. This style of music is often associated with hipsters. This set the tone for a relaxed atmosphere. Upon looking around I noticed that half of the shop was brick while the other half was red with black trim complete with rope lights. The lighting was dim which made it easy to feel at home and relax. Hanging on the walls were paintings by local artists. The staff consisted of young twenty to thirty something hipsters.
Upon looking around I began to assess the people who were patronizing this establishment. Observing people is a good way to tell a. what kind of place it is b. what is says about the establishment and c. what the culture is. Aside from the few oddball customers it mainly consisted of white twenty to thirty something year old hipsters. The people eating here were here either to study or to meet up with a friend or two to catch up. I observed that half of the people in Paris on the Platte had their laptops with them and were working on something. Many people were alone enjoying their coffee and light breakfast foods. However the majority of the people were at least with one other person catching up on the previous weeks happenings. Based on the price of the menu I could tell that these people were of middle class status. The average sandwich ran around ten dollars. Coffee prices ranged from $1.75 all the way to $4.95 for a small cup of joe.
Downtown Denver is a diverse place that consists of many different kinds of people and cultures. Considering that Paris on the Platte is tucked away in Downtown Denver it only attracted a specific type of people. Back when the Beat poets were relevant they often hung out on Platte Street. Because of this many of the people that frequent this area are of the twenty to thirty something hipster variety Many people walking outside were carrying yoga mats which also indicates that they are part of the middle class hipster group. Most if not all of the people in this area were white.
Coffee shops usually possess a certain type of culture. According to Uloop blog writer Caroline Hughes who writes “In my years of traveling through coffee shops I have come to the conclusion that it is hardly even the coffee that patrons go to partake in; it’s the ambiance that a coffee shop offers, the soothing delight that a tasty cup o’ joe mixed with good music brings. It’s a change of scenery, a break from the norm, a chance to breathe a little easier”(Hughes 2012). I found this to be quite true from my experience. I came to the conclusion that the people who patronized Paris on the Platte came here to escape the busyness of life. Platte Street itself is a very relaxed non-busy street as compared to 16th street in downtown Denver. The customers who came here enjoyed the coffee and the atmosphere. They were looking for a place to sit and relax awhile.
I think the reason that Paris attracted the hipsters is because it is non-commercialized local coffee shop. Hipsters like to discover the “cool” places that not many know about. The website US News and Consumer report’s lends an explanation as to why hipsters flock to coffee shops. “Coffee provides people with a lot of vision and intelligence and enthusiasm. It gives people who are maybe oddballs a place to put their passion. That's definitely an aspect of the coffee culture” (US News and Consumer Report 2008). This is a valid explanation. I feel that the hipsters want a place that provides them with a space where they can go and fit in (if hipsters even want that). I feel that hipsters value coffee shops because they are unique like themselves. From my experience every local coffee shop is different, with its own unique flair. Paris on the Platte is unique in that not only is it a coffee shop by day but a bar and open mic at night. This could also be a contributing factor as to why the hipsters of Denver love it so much.
Citations
Bkog, . "Hipster ." Urban Dictionary . 11 Jan. 2010. Web. 17 Apr. 2012. <http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Hipster&page=4>.
Hughes , Caroline . "The Coffee Shop Craze ." Uloop . 10 Apr. 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. <http://blog.uloop.com/2012/04/the-coffee-shop-craze/>.
Explaining the Coffee-Hipster Connection." US News & World Report . 9 Sept. 2008. Web. 15 Apr. 2012. <http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/alpha-consumer/2008/09/09/explaining-the-coffee-hipster-connection>.
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