Subscriber Comments for
Shhhh!

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 334188	2012-10-22 09:35 AM
Coffee shops have been the study halls and offices for many a year... this isnt new but it can be really bad for business. Its rather simple: Managers allow this, people stop spending money, sales decline, manager lose their job. Rinse and repeat.
COMMENT 334190	2012-10-22 09:36 AM
what is your favorite cheese??
PURPLERIDER	2012-10-22 09:37 AM
Free WIFI?
COMMENT 334195	2012-10-22 09:40 AM
I don't use them for this purpose but am always glad to see others using the space. One would hope that managers would kindly ask them to leave if they were a problem.
COMMENT 334200	2012-10-22 09:45 AM
Cox internet was out EVERYWHERE yesterday, that's your answer!! You'd be amazed how much homework these days actually required the internet to be done and submitted - meaning teachers can pick arbitrary due dates, like Sunday evening before the school week starts!
COMMENT 334202	2012-10-22 09:48 AM
Require a code for wi-fi that is given with purchase, code expires after a certain specific time unless another purchase is made = problem solved. The lure is the "free" WI-fi make it more difficult to get and I have a feeling the OCCUPY coffee, Panera, etc folks will move along.
COMMENT 334210	2012-10-22 09:54 AM
They used to go to the library, that would seem more appropriate. What changed? I don't consider this question whining, it is a legitimate concern for many and it certainly does hurt business.
COMMENT 334214	2012-10-22 09:59 AM
Even though you saw one person with a glass of water, that doesn't mean they didn't order anything before and is now only drinking water. When my classmates and I use a place to study, we order a meal, study for a few hours then leave a generous tip to thank the server/wait staff. Some of these places pride themselves in allowing students a quite area to study. A lot of students, myself included, do not have adequate space to study. I love that Denny's in Goleta has a student study area, for this very reason.
COMMENT 334220	2012-10-22 10:03 AM
You could have gone to the park to eat (it was a beautiful day) gone to the beach, personally I would much rather them be there STUDYING for an education, than seeing folks on the benches on State St. asking for money while smoking and having their annoying dogs with them, figure this, they don't have money for food, but they do for smokes at almost $6.00 a pack and also have money to feed their pets. Sorry, some thing is wrong here, oh and did I mention they have better cell phones, and tennis shoes than I do and I work.
COMMENT 334222P	2012-10-22 10:09 AM
I'm not certain why almost every complaint gets attacked by the "whine trolls" whose own complaints, ironically, could also be deemed whining as well. It is an issue. Am originally from the Boston area, still return there yearly, and it's a huge problem with that city's large student population. Many businesses have established time limits of sorts(unless you're buying, and one cup of coffee doesn't get you an all-day pass) and limit WIFI access by establishing some sort of PW access system. It's great to be customer-friendly, but if customers are not coming in because it's too crowded, it becomes a business/revenue problem and with the often short profit margins these days, it can get dicey quickly. Sadly, some people do feel over-entitled to almost everything these days.
COMMENT 334225	2012-10-22 10:12 AM
Starbucks on Victoria recently removed all the "lounge" sofa/chairs. That place was bum heaven.
SBSURFERLIFE	2012-10-22 10:15 AM
As a former student not too long ago, the public library was not as convenient and comfortable as a coffee shop. The library was not open as late and unfortunately it reeked of body odor due to the amount of homeless hanging out there.
COMMENT 334228	2012-10-22 10:16 AM
210: You can talk in a coffee shop without getting kicked out, told to be quiet or glared at, and you can eat & drink in coffee shops. Libraries are more restrictive (plus, we have one downtown, whereas there seems to be a Starbucks on every block). I'm considering going out to get food and reading a book for my hour lunch. I'm not the person who grabs a huge table at peak hours, though. That's inconsiderate (as is taking over a table for more than an hour at peak times). I think going in to coffee shops/Panera/etc and not buying anything, but using a table is along the lines of Borders/B&N, where people would go in & sit & read books for a few hours, and then never buy anything. Those people suck. The tables are for patrons - if you aren't buying food/drinks, you shouldn't be sitting there.
COMMENT 334230	2012-10-22 10:18 AM
Hanging out at the coffee shop has always been fun and having fun people populating your establishment adds to the attraction and mood of the environment. Negative attitudes generally don't. You could've asked the folks at the table for 8 to make a little room for you, you know. They would've shared their space with you... but were you willing to share with them? Methinks you got bent about not having a table to yourself and started judging those who did. And that's not very nice, no matter what book you follow.
COMMENT 334231P	2012-10-22 10:19 AM
At places like Peet's Coffee, you have to buy something and then they give you internet access for one hour afterwards. That sounds fair :)
COMMENT 334236	2012-10-22 10:29 AM
I think you should submit a comment to Panera about this location to let them know what's going on. Letting people study is fine, but only if there are still tables available for paying customers who want to eat there.
COMMENT 334237	2012-10-22 10:30 AM
I've been on both sides of this equation. As someone who works from home, there are times when I'm out and in between meetings I'll head over to Starbucks, grab a drink and a snack, pull out my laptop and return emails, etc. But I rarely stay more than 1/2 hour or so. When I'm out with my wife & kids and we stop for a drink and a snack, its incredibly frustrating to not have anywhere to sit because every table & chair is taken up by people on their laptops, and most don't even have a drink/food in front of them. I can understand the allure for students to use these places for study areas, but there should be some rules. I've seen one person spread out at Panera, taking up a table for four with a small cup of coffee, and that's just ridiculous. I think there could be a happy medium, but its up to the private businesses to establish their own rules.
COMMENT 334238	2012-10-22 10:30 AM
Where do you expect people to go? Your living room? The people reading are also paying customers :)
COMMENT 334239P	2012-10-22 10:33 AM
I believe that the coffee shops' willingness to allow students to sit and study builds goodwill. Those students will one day be employed, paying customers who will have fond memories of those establishments, and will patronize them with their friends and families. @222P, my daughter is a college student in Boston. When there was a 3-day power outage in the Back Bay last March, it was places like Starbucks that came to the rescue of the students who needed places to charge their phones and computers in order to stay in touch with their worried parents. My daughter even posted a photo on Facebook of multiple chargers plugged into outlets at Starbucks.
NATURE BOY	2012-10-22 10:46 AM
The net effect on business must be positive, or else these places would simply stop offering wi-fi.
COMMENT 334248	2012-10-22 10:49 AM
If you want to get people out of coffee shops and into libraries you must change the libraries rules about food and drink. You can't ask people to read or study for hours on end without allowing the to eat a meal and drink something other that water. Do you want to see the library revitalized? Open a portion to allow food and drink and then pop in a coffee bar to make income. That would be a success.
COMMENT 334249	2012-10-22 10:49 AM
The Panera at LaCumbre _does_ have notices which state something like, "please chose an appropriate table so we may better serve our other customers". I know that's not exactly right but that's the spirit of it. If their staff isn't making an effort to reinforce that, well that's too bad. I don't particularly care for that restaurant. I noticed when they first opened they had a lot of disabled workers. Now, there do not appear to be any. I have noticed lax hygiene at that facility, on the part of patrons: changing diapers _on_ tables; on the part of staff: not reprimanding that patron and not wiping down that table with bleach before another patron sat down, and yes I did tell that person. The first time I chalked it up to an uncouth woman, the next time I decided that management is somehow fostering the behavior.
COMMENT 334251	2012-10-22 10:51 AM
Studying in a coffee shop goes way back in history. In fact, the very roots of the French Revolution were created in a coffee shop in Paris. They go back to the Age of Enlightenment and I think it is quite fitting that we continue this tradition today and it is part of our culture. I study in coffee shops like the Coffee Cat because they relatively quiet, spacious and I love the energy and being around people studying as well. However, I think it is wrong to occupy a table without paying for something. How does the OP know that the people at the table didn't buy anything when they first came in?? Last time I looked, having food or drink in a legitimate library was a huge no-no! Perhaps if the OP really wants to change this, they should start a campaign to allow food and drink in the city's libraries.
COMMENT 334253	2012-10-22 10:52 AM
UCSB Library allows food and drink and the first two floors are open 24 hours a day (late night only for current students, staff, and faculty)!
COMMENT 334258P	2012-10-22 11:04 AM
I remember lots of Edhatters complaining about Panera coming to Santa Barbara and how we did not need a place like this in our town. Now some complain about how popular Panera is. I guess that is why they are opening a 2nd location here.
COMMENT 334262	2012-10-22 11:08 AM
Nature boy makes a good point. A coffeeshop full of people, whether they are drinking coffee or not, generally means people like the place. How many times do you go into a place when you look in the windows and see all the chairs empty? I will say the idea of 1 or 2 people taking up a huge table is pretty inconsiderate though. For others just hanging out and studying within a reasonable space, I don't see the problem.
COMMENT 334263	2012-10-22 11:17 AM
Wouldn't be great if they made machines that could make coffee at home? That way people could make their own coffee and not rely on buying a cup in the hundreds of coffee shops on every corner.
ROGER DODGER	2012-10-22 11:29 AM
I've never been in either one.
COMMENT 334288	2012-10-22 11:50 AM
Last time I was in the public library a man cracked open his bucket of chicken and the smell instantly was noticeable from large distances. I asked the librarian if they did anything about that and they said no. So, this is to let everyone know they can eat and probably drink at the main library, if this is what is stopping them from going.
COMMENT 334291	2012-10-22 11:51 AM
I used to study at the Borders coffee shop until they closed, now I go to Starbucks. I always buy coffee though. On the otherhand I've always been a slow drinker. Taking a whole table? That's just rude and taking advantage of a service. I've only done that when studying with someone else during midterms or finals. In those cases I blame the service for allowing all the tables to be abused that way.
COMMENT 334309	2012-10-22 12:21 PM
If there is NO ROOM for paying patrons who just want a place to sit and eat/drink for 10 mins. , you should complain to the on site manager. It's one thing if there are other seats available, another if the place is packed with no seating.
COMMENT 334313	2012-10-22 12:38 PM
You could try opening your mouth and asking them to move some of the books so you can sit down. Way less of a big deal than it's being made out to be on here. Talk about bawl-babies. 'Excuse me, could I scoot some of this over so I can sit for a few minutes? Thanks.' Easier. Than. Complaining.
COMMENT 334319	2012-10-22 12:58 PM
Panera also has a limit of 30 minutes internet access time during peak lunch hours.
SHAKEY	2012-10-22 01:22 PM
Who wants to go to the library and sit next to a smelly bum that went the bathroom in his pants hasnt cleaned himself in months Santa Barbra sold us out years ago raher sit in a nce restrant an study.
COMMENT 334336	2012-10-22 01:28 PM
One of my favorite things to do is sit in my car and read. I drive to the beach or to a park mostly to do this mostly. I live alone. I could sit and read at home but it's nice to be near others. It breaks up the solitude without me really having to get involved (just being truthful). As long as folks are respectful and not treating the places as their personal living rooms then it's all good. Be kind always.
COMMENT 334351	2012-10-22 02:09 PM
I went to Panera Bread with my family for lunch wife + 3 kids - spent over $75 - we had to squeeze into a small booth because the larger tables were taken up by people studying - I asked if they could move but they were too busy looking down and listening to music to hear me - I waved my hands to get their attentions and they just ignored me - I got the manager who politely asked them to take another table. They gave the manager a dirty look. Manager say it is becoming a problem and that they may no longer offer free wi-fi. So, looks like these rotten apples are going to spoil the free w-fi party for everyone. Classic.
COMMENT 334357	2012-10-22 02:16 PM
Don't complain to an internet forum. Complain to the manager. And I'd be surprised if kids need free WiFi these days so limiting access wouldn't change much. The one with the most bytes left on their billing cycle can fire up a hot spot on their phone and the group has all the internet access they need. I've got unlimited LTE 4G on my phone and it's faster than my cablemodem. I only connect to free WiFi to see how slow it is.
COMMENT 334210	2012-10-22 02:50 PM
Ahhh at least now I understand why people don't want to visit the library and study there anymore. Another takeover by the bums.
COMMENT 334370	2012-10-22 02:51 PM
Ask the people to move their stuff. If they won't, ask the manager. If the manager won't, then you know where to take your business in the future... If the manager asks, and they won't move, then do whatever you can to make them as uncomforable as possible, like sitting right next to them, moving their stuff out of the way, and reading whatever they're looking at on their phone or ipad over their shoulder. And if they get upset with you, tell them to go talk to the manager.
COMMENT 334288	2012-10-22 04:28 PM
Who wants to go through this hassle to get a table? I wouldn't feel like eating after that. I guess some people enjoy aggression a lot more than I do.
COMMENT 334443P	2012-10-22 05:39 PM
The SB main library should get some lessons from the Santa Maria Library. There's a small coffee shop at the entrance, with tables outside, covered area; the inside space is welcoming and the people friendly (some of the SB employees are also); it doesn't reek and it doesn't look filthy.
COMMENT 334482	2012-10-22 07:36 PM
What is up with people using edhat while they are supposed to be at work Working!
COMMENT 334249	2012-10-22 08:11 PM
Not everyone works 8-4 or 9-5.
COMMENT 334528P	2012-10-22 11:29 PM
When was the last time any of you went into Panera and hooked into the wi-fi? I was there last week, and now Panera has a 30-minute time limit. So---there. Sniffle, sniffle. You got your wish.
COMMENT 334563	2012-10-23 08:27 AM
Did you ask either of the students to move their stuff to accommodate you? Sounds like there was enough room. I don't think you should have to, but many people simply aren't aware of their surroundings and may be heavily engrossed in what they are doing. People reserve the space around them so people won't sit next to them...just like greyhound or the bus where they sit in the aisle hoping you'll move on...part of the issue here is common courtesy. While the students should understand that they can't use the place indefinitely during peak hours, many places and activities have time limits because people lack the ability to share or they feel over-entitled. I agree that the manager needs to step in and establish limits or rules, at least during peak hours. Sounds like Panera has already moved in that direction. There are other places to study if your favorite spot is too crowded at certain hours.
COMMENT 334599	2012-10-23 09:39 AM
I recommend Java House for hanging out, it has couches and chairs and a very large low table by the fireplace. It invites people to hang out and the menu is fantastic. Not Panera quality but quite good. Try it for a change, that includes students.
COMMENT 334351	2012-10-23 10:13 AM
All you people wining about me taking up tables for 4 hours at Starbucks are being too judgmental. Signed that kid who does not give up a seat for an old lady on the bus.
COMMENT 334656	2012-10-23 11:45 AM
The main problem, it seems to me is too many people with a lack of respect for others' boundaries, and way to many with an out-sized entitlement mentality. The immortal retail motto, a homily that described a winning mentality to be successful in retailing, over 100 years ago, was, "The customer is always right." In 2012 unfortunately, this statement is no longer universally true, as many times, the customer is a gigantic gluteous maximus.
COMMENT 334710	2012-10-23 01:26 PM
Hang on here - how could the OP have known how long the students were there if they were popping in for lunch? And if you were walking in about to buy lunch, but noticed the lack of seating, and then purchased lunch anyway, you must have taken it To Go - right? Or did you assume that because you purchased lunch, the people who were already seated should - what - get up and give YOU their seat? What planet do people live on???
ZEUSTHEGOOSE	2012-10-23 04:29 PM
i recently graduated from UCSB and you'd be amazed just how crowded it can get in there. no seats, wifi slowed down to a crawl if working at all, limited and uncomfortable work space. the library at SBCC was an entirely different story, quiet and comfy, good internet access and plenty of space to study. i sure loved my time as a SBCC student.
COMMENT 334794	2012-10-23 04:40 PM
Yeah, the Starbucks at Camino Real Marketplace in Goleta is overloaded with kiddies from UCSB it appears. I"m surprised there isn't a limit placed on them - maybe they can't stand to be alone studying and like so many kids spoiled by parents with participation trophies and being constantly tied to their text messages, they can't stand to study alone. It is a lost generation - so intellectually uncurious - rather read some inane text gossip rather than learn anything. Is it on the text is their main question. Pathetic dumbed down generation.
COMMENT 335203	2012-10-24 12:46 PM
Ok my 2 cents: Starbucks Camino Real is constantly FREEZING, I suppose to try and limit howmlong people stay there. It is actually so cold it is offensive. Therefore I never patronize it. Java Station has the worst selection of food, and the manager/owner is a real prick. He is constantly attacking his own customers. I never go there any more. And, i enjoy a crowded cafe filled with busy minds. As long as people are buying food and coffee they have every right to hang out -- its a basic human need in this lonely, isolated world.
COMMENT 335328P	2012-10-24 04:14 PM
interesting you find the temperature of the starbucks establishment offensive 203. i find the crappy taste of their coffee offensive myself, i'll stick to Peet's. if i have to have a coffee and Peet's isn't an option i'll patronize one of the many fine local coffee joints before i give my hard earned dollars to starbucks.
COMMENT 335880	2012-10-26 11:19 AM
I've spent years studying at coffee shops and for me, it's a way to un-isolate myself. It gets pretty depressing spending months with your head in a book. More importantly, I'd like to encourage laptop users to BUY SOMETHING. If you are using the coffee shop's electricity, then you had better be BUYING LUNCH. Coffee shop owner's - You should cover up your electrical plugs.

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