Keffie Exercise 2

Urban Sanctuary: a surprise of ‘sacred space’

The cool green sign invites me inside. As I cross the threshold a scent, familiar but no less pleasing with frequency, reaches out to pull me in further. The lighting is low but warm; the space neither too empty nor too cluttered. Everything is clean and new but not sterile and uninviting. I step up to the front. I place my order:

“Venti iced coffee. Sweetened. With soy.”

I am in Starbucks, the largest multinational coffee chain, and it is my sanctuary. I wish I were a cooler, hipper person who only patronized small, independent coffee houses. But I am not. I am a tired graduate student with a strong dependency on caffeine, and Starbucks fits the bill. If it were only a question of getting a caffeine fix I would not be able to classify Starbucks a “sanctuary”. Ian’s intentionally vague assignment impelled me to think about how we might define this term. Upon my initial consideration, the term “sanctuary” has overtly religious and implicitly emotional connotations. What is it that makes a religious structure a sanctuary? Is it the particular religious proclivity with which one approaches it, or can it be something innate in the space itself? Do there need to be particular characteristics to the space, or can any place be a sanctuary? Is the only defining feature of a sanctuary the particular emotional state with which one approaches or leaves it? I came to the conclusion that despite the plethora of specific possibilities, the defining feature of a “sanctuary” is its conceptual separation from other mundane spaces. This separation can either be held by a large group or a single individual. Therefore, I believe that the combination of the atmosphere (that the company works hard to create), and the mind set and attitude I bring with me to this place allows me to think about it as a place that is outside of the regular spaces of the day-to-day.

It may seem counterintuitive that I am calling one of the paradigmatic examples of corporate America and consumer culture a sanctuary. In fact, to a large extent, this is a contradiction in terms. However, a more detailed discussion of the place and my own interaction with it will reveal its (potential) for sacrality.

I am not making a universal case for the sanctity of all Starbucks. Rather, I situate my discussion at a specific link in the Starbucks chain—on Boylston Street in Copley Square (Boston). This Starbucks is outfitted with plush chairs positioned in alcoves near the large windows at the front of the store. I take my iced coffee and seat myself in one of the chairs, preferably the one closest to the window and in direct sunlight. When sitting in these chairs I can view the activity on the street—some people rushing to or from work, meetings, and appointments, some people meandering with shopping bags, cars and taxis speeding down the street, and construction crews adding to the ever accreting built environment of the city. There is a definitive distinction between the chaotic and dynamic world outside and me inside. The window is a thin, visually permeable membrane between the outside world and the space inside. This visual divide works in both directions and the large glass store front also acts as a mechanism for those outside to see into the space. But it is not as if the outside never comes in. To the contrary (and quite obviously) there are people constantly coming in and going out of the store. However, once I am situated inside, I am only peripherally aware of the movements of other people with me inside the space.

It is a near daily practice for me to patronize this particular shop when on break from classes. My regular interaction with this place further adds to my feelings of its sanctity. This continued and repeated interaction can be considered a ritual and, in this case, the place and the ritual are mutually co-constitutive (following J.Z. Smith’s interpretation of the interrelation of place and ritual—the power of ritual to emplace).

While I am at Starbucks my senses are engaged and, different from regular interactions, I am aware of this engagement. I am drawn in by the musty smell of the coffee constantly being brewed. My tongue delights in the milky (or soy) sweet flavor of my venti iced coffee. I listen to the sea of chatter by the other patrons in the store (or I can turn on my ipod and drown them out). I feel myself enveloped by the plush chair and enjoy the warmth that the direct sunlight provides. Sometimes there are pictures or paintings on the walls created by local artists. I let my eyes wander over these works, taking the time to take them in.

Although people come to Starbucks for as many reasons as there are specialty drinks on the menu, I come to Starbucks to read. In part, what makes Starbucks a sanctuary to me is the way in which the space is conducive to this activity which is an integral part of my life. I bring reading material—for work or for pleasure (which are often one and the same)—and just stay for as long as I like. Different from my home or a library, Starbucks provides an ideal environment in which I can engage in whatever reading material is on my proverbial plate. The comforts provide me with an environment akin to working on my couch at home, and the abundance of coffee makes it far superior to a library. However, it is not solely a comfortable space in which to work but rather a place that is imbued with memories and emotions through my continued interaction it.

For me, this Starbucks is a sanctuary because I associate it with pleasurable senses and enjoyable activities that set it apart from the other spaces with which I engage on a daily basis. When I am inside the store, I feel a distinct separation from the world outside. This feeling of separation gives me the freedom to engage in an individual activity—to read. It is also good for the caffeine buzz.

Visit their website: http://www.starbucks.com

Posted at Mar 18/2008 12:12AM:
Heidi: I was a complete Starbucks junkie as an undergraduate and would often trudge into the Thayer St. location at 6 AM when it was crunch time in the semester. One thing that strikes me about your description is that I have much more salient memories of the work that I did in this particular place than in/at any other location on campus. There is something about the way we interact with the spaces in which we feel comfortable that forms a more robust memory -- consisting of direct visual and tactile elements in addition to a more straightforward recollection of was done in a particular place, which exam was being studied for or article read, etc. It generates a more kinetic experience than performing activities in places where one feels somehow less involved in or aware of one's surroundings, and for reasons other than we are simply paying more attention because the environment is pleasant.

Posted at Mar 18/2008 09:10AM:
Elisa: Although I clearly have an attachment for libraries, as I read your reflection, I realized that most of my studying goes on (as it does right now) in a coffee shop or cafe. I think the separation you feel is indicative of the transformative power of the place. I like the way you describe retreating into an individual activity amidst a crowd -- it seems like we often do this in places of sanctuary. Last, I like that you used the example of Starbucks. I feel as though our academic bubble forces us to turn our nose at "corporate coffee" but I think your example proves that ubiquitous spaces can also be places for sanctuary. I also go to Starbucks. A lot.

Carissa: I found this piece to be extremely evocative. I also go to Starbucks on Thayer, however, my interaction with this place is very different from yours. I run in sometimes to grab a Carmel Macchiato, but I never really stay long enough to interact and develop a further relationship with the place. It made me think that in this case. These "so-called" places, like Starbucks, are being mass produced-similar to a church effect. They are created to promote a certain type of environment and they serve a higher purpose. Everyone's interaction with this space is different; it is clearly indivdualized. How would your perception of this place change if they altered it?

Claudia: Your definition of sanctuary ( its defining feature a "conceptual separation from other mundane spaces") really seems to get at all of our sanctuaries for this assignment. As you stressed throughout your discussion, Starbucks is a sanctuary for you because of your specific associations with it, the way it holds a separate place in your life than all other places. Also, I must admit that I (who only sees Starbucks as a means to an end-a way to satisfy that caffeine craving) felt a little envious/guilty when you mention that your relationship with Starbucks is not only about what you get out of it (a delicious semi-sweet soy iced coffee) but rather a reciprocal interaction between place and yourself.

Posted at Mar 18/2008 02:53PM:
ian: Do you think we can sell this to Starbucks and get them to sponsor the class with free mochas?

Posted at Mar 18/2008 02:59PM:
ian: You might want to think about the marketing idea of Starbucks as the "third place."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Place