Situated in the heart of Tech Square, Barnes and Noble offers a Cafe space as Barnes and Nobles do, in which Starbucks coffee is proudly brewed. Much like the location in the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons, there are several areas with varying intentions of use, including:
- 4 Seat Tables
- Bench-and-Chair tables
- High top Community-style table
- Lounge chairs
- Outdoor Patio seating
Being located along the street, there are several entrances and intended uses for this Cafe. You can enter either directly near the formation of the line to place your order and leave if you happen to be walking by enroute to a destination, you can walk in from the bookstore itself, or enter via a doorway shared with the bookstore. Both entrances from the bookstore guide you through the seating area, and the street entrance is surrounded by the patio seating.
An important difference about this location is that in the patio area, seating is open to the public and not everyone who utilizes it purchases food or beverage from Starbucks. Additionally, because it is a more public place, the atmosphere doesn’t quite allow for the same level of relaxation as in the Clough location. Socialization and collaboration, however, seems to be more more effectively encouraged by the seating arrangements, with larger groups occupying the bench-and-chair tables, people actively socializing along the community table, and friends running into each other in the patio seating area.
Since this location is along a well-traveled route, it is also used solely for the purchasing of coffee and other consumable goods. While this strays a little from the traditional usage of a coffeehouse, the social and communicative aspects of the coffeehouse are still present and maintained in some capacities as in the past.
Image Source- http://preview.tinyurl.com/CafePic2
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