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Permalink Reply by Joe Marrocco on October 1, 2009 at 4:21pm

I think that really has to do with the personality of the shop. A grungy hipster shop can rock the loud music without it being too out of place. A classy Italian style shop has to be more subtle. I love both. Both will attract the customer that will be suited for that environment. Great question, by the way. I too am interested in reading the forthcoming feedback.

This brings up a soap box. I hate it when an artist is playing and the crowd or customers act as though it is ambient music. Here s where I do take a position. Artists should have attention paid. The exception is if the artist know before hand that they are providing background music. Off the subject, kind of,... but still food for the thread.

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Permalink Reply by Alex C. McGregor on October 1, 2009 at 4:45pm

Joe, I agree, it really depends on the cafe, and the aesthetic there in. But, I have found that it isn't always how loud, but what is playing. That can really effect how loud you should play your music. We can blare wolfmother without complaints but we do the same with Tom Waits and people seem to get up in arms. I think you just kinda gotta feel out the day and the crowd in house.

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Permalink Reply by Jared Rutledge on October 1, 2009 at 6:02pm

i went to a "grungy hipster" style shop downtown a little while back, and they had isis going really loud. now i love isis, but not while i'm drinking a double shot and trying to have a conversation. i think in general, it's a good rule of thumb to play music at a level you can have a conversation easily, but not hear the person sitting two tables away's conversation

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Permalink Reply by Joe Marrocco on October 2, 2009 at 6:43am

I definitely hear what you are saying. Yet again, if you were to blare Tom Waits, your shop woul appeal to a certain clientele, and that would end up being your regular crowd (I may be in the blare Waits camp myself!! ;). ) yet, you are SMART, and know that when you appeal to one group of people you lose appeal to another. So for the smart cafe' owner/manager, do exactly what Alex said. Know your crowd. Set the mood for the customers, instead of just for yourself. This takes wisdom though. It can also be a distraction to that music savvy barista who constantly has her hand on the iPod. Anyway.... Joe's rambling again....

Alex C. McGregor said:

Joe, I agree, it really depends on the cafe, and the aesthetic there in. But, I have found that it isn't always how loud, but what is playing. That can really effect how loud you should play your music. We can blare wolfmother without complaints but we do the same with Tom Waits and people seem to get up in arms. I think you just kinda gotta feel out the day and the crowd in house.

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Permalink Reply by The Coffee Institute on October 2, 2009 at 6:48am

Adjust the volume from the customers side of the counter...not the baristas. Often it is tempting to adjust the volume of the music to over power the sound of the machines and such behind the bar. But music is for the customers experience and not primarily the baristas.
Baristas do this with the air conditioning too btw...they get hotter because they are moving but the customer is freezing!
-d

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