As a small business owner who works primarily from her home office, my favorite meeting places used to be the nearest Starbucks to my client’s office. Need a Starbucks recommendation in the North Dallas area? Chances are, I’ve been there! Starbucks was practically built for whiz-bang entrepreneurs such as myself, the kind who are fueled almost exclusively by an enticing cocktail of passion, ambition and a hefty dose of caffeine.
Lately, though, I’ve noticed a disturbing trend in my once-and-future “branch office.” Maybe it’s just me, but it seems that every single time I and my client (or worse, potential client) reach a critical point in our conversation, that’s when the happy barista decides to rev up the coffee grinder. Or turn up the volume on the Rufus Wainwright. (Nothing against Rufus Wainwright, of course, who happens to be one of my favorite artists. Just not during an important business meeting!) Or turn on the industrial-grade blender. Or yell a hearty Hello! to the custome
r walking in the door.
In other words, my office-away-from-my-home-office has suddenly become an unwanted tunnel of noise, noise, and nothing but noise. Love the heady aroma of freshly brewed coffee, but definitely not the unbusiness-like atmosphere. Some Starbucks outlets are better for business meetings than others, but as more and more folks take the entrepreneurial route and/or decide to take a “break” from office politics for a few hours, precious quiet time in the corner at your neighborhood coffee house has become an endangered relic of the past.
My solution? The hotel restaurant, coffee shop or lobby.
Seriously!
I don’t know why I never thought of this before. New Yorkers and Los Angelenos know the power of the expense-account lunch at the Chateau Marmont or the Four Seasons, but even for the most bootstrapped entrepreneur, most four-star hotel interiors are the perfect alternative to the annoying Sturm und Drung of the pedestrian coffee shop. The Marriott in my neighborhood, for example, has an expansive, quiet bar just beyond the hushed lobby that not only has unobtrusive service but also free wi-fi for customers. Another Marriott up in northwest Irving, near the airport, has a genuine coffee shop (that serves Starbucks, natch!) with plenty of comfortable booths and large bistro tables–perfect for those intense negotiations and business discussions that require concentration and calm, not distraction and frenzy.
And the best thing about them? You get the comfort and social surroundings of a coffee shop, but without the buzzing and grinding and throbbing bass music, all for the price of a cup of coffee or soda. Or, if you’re really adventurous and maybe feeling a little Parisian or New York-ish, an afternoon martini. Hey, who’s to know?
Photo credit: “Original Starbucks,” by Grosler, on Flickr.com.
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{ 4 comments }
Great idea! I know what you mean about the local caffeine haven becoming less conducive to business: The one closest to my house recently took away the long table with the power strip down the center, only to replace it with scattered “2-people” tables (with *almost* enough room for one laptop).
I wish my partners and I had thought about hotels a long time ago! We are always looking for places to meet to work together and that would have been a great option! We’ll have to check out what’s near us. Thanks for the great idea!
Another great little hidden restaurant for quiet lunches, (or ‘long’ coffees) and never crowded, is the restaurant at the Westin at the Galleria. Go right in the front door and up the escalator. (when you pay, they’ll give you a sticker for your car that the valet has parked for you)
Very good food, not over the top expensive, quiet with lots of room.
Nobody seems to know they are there and are always delighted to ‘discover’ it.
Thanks, Kris! Isn’t it great to find that one perfect place for out-of-office meetings? I wish I’d thought about hotel restaurants and cafes sooner because I would have saved myself and clients a lot of headache trying to find a good place that isn’t going to be drowning in noise.
Paula, I noticed that many coffee shops are now marketing themselves as anti-free wifi. I’ve seen a bunch of articles in local and national press about just that phenomenon, including this one. Personally, I can understand why because coffee shops aren’t really conducive to conducting business, as you’ve noticed. Too noisy, too crowded, too-small tables, and now becoming increasingly hostile to “wi-fi squatters.” Especially now that Starbucks offers free wi-fi, I avoid meeting there as much as possible.
Another thought is La Madeleine, by the way! I don’t know where you are in Dallas, but the one in North Irving off Macarthur Blvd. has a nice little meeting place in the back that’s available for small group meetings. They’re only available during slow periods (e.g., 8am-11am) but it’s only $50 to rent them, and every dollar your group spends on food is deducted from the room rental fee. If you have a big enough crowd, that could more than offset your costs, especially considering how expensive the food tends to be.
Cheers,
Marjorie
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