Even throughout the entire course of this pandemic, there are no visible signs of coffee shops slowing down in Baguio. Yes, the taste of your favorite coffee blend may remain unchanged but the experience has not been quite the same as before. However, there are multiple factors as to why coffee shops remain popular today in the City of Pines despite the dawn of COVID.
First off, people love coffee. The first thing that comes to our mind on a foggy and rainy day is a cup of coffee. It may not apply to all, but the reason why these people keep coming back to their favorite coffee shop is because of their love of coffee. Some even come back two or three times a day just to take a sip of their favorite blend. And that’s where the quality comes in. If the coffee wasn’t good, there would be no reason to come back. And with the different customization and variations available today, people can enjoy their coffee in so many other ways. Caffeinated, decaffeinated, and even non-coffee products have greatly changed people’s experiences in coffee shops. Because a good coffee shop will not only accommodate you to your liking, but it will introduce you to a whole new world and level of taste, giving you the best one-stop shop to recharge your energy.
Because of these variations, the culture of brewing and creating coffee has grown, along with the demand of the public for not only good but great coffee. It has led to the creation of specialty coffee where people are more than willing to travel to different coffee shops in order to try a new experience. As more and more options become available, the culture of artisanal coffee has seen a fine line across what seems to be just a latte. It has been proven that a certain trend of people is turning towards what they call to be ‘healthy coffee’, especially when they are free of cream, milk, and added sugar. This has contributed to the addition of coffee as an essential part of a person’s health routine.
Another thing why coffee shops remain so popular nowadays is because it serves as a hub for the community and has proven to be a workplace for some people. Most coffee shops are located around an easily accessible area and just seemingly provide a peaceful, feel-at-home type of vibe. It gives a warm, homely type of feeling with the benefit of having relative privacy in order to finish work. It also makes an ideal spot to create relationships and serves as a place to strengthen bonds among people. Unlike the common digital connection that we experience because of the modern era we are currently living in today, coffee shops provide a more classic approach where people will greet you not with an emoji, but with a genuine smile.
There is more room for the industry of coffee shops to improve and I guarantee that sometime in the future, it will continue to mature. But with the current state of coffee shops, it would seem that it will be sustainable and it will continue to provide the public with an ever-growing experience of great coffee.
Contributors: Benjamin Jhylle P. Mararac, Juliane A. Ragudo & Lorraine Kate Lazaro
Photo by: Benjamin Jhylle P. Mararac @ Mana Cafe
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