Milwaukee Specialty Food and Coffee

$$$$: Links: You Fill Enjoy It: Bargaineering

2010-03-19T19:51:12-05:00

Here's a link to a great blog I found tonight called Bargaineering. In fact, the link points to a section I'm particularly fond of--frugality!

Editorial: $$$$: Behold the Bungalow

2010-03-16T20:12:53-05:00

A corollary to what I wrote a couple days ago is almost kind of a Freakonomics thing: homeowners are preoccupied with waiting for their property values to increase, but while they do so, societal and technological change makes their houses outdated--so keeping property values up is an uphill battle. I wonder if this is why inner-ring suburbs go to such lengths to create a quality-of-life proposition, which is where coffee shops often fit in. Perhaps coffeehouses are tasked with lending a desirable ambiance to these suburbs, above and beyond their business plan. If this is true, I don't know that it is fair. I believe businesses exist to make money for their owners by dint of their business plan. If suburban residents want to enjoy a certain ambiance, I would suggest that the way to implement that is by property taxes rather than generating revenue opportunistically from those who happen to be there, resident or not.

Editorial: $$$$: The 5K Challenge

2010-03-16T19:45:31-05:00

Earlier this year, I resolved to try to save $5,000 during 2010. I decided that I would do it by accumulating $1,250 per quarter and then use most of that amount to pay off debt, as it wouldn't make sense for me to build up that much cash before at least one of my credit cards is paid off. I'm pleased to report that I'm on track to accomplish this goal.

Last night, I went to bed way too late--but that's OK, because I thought up the following formulation. I don't want to be one of those people who insufferably come up with "personal mission statements" or "affirmations", but surely it's good to chart the course for my professional and financial life in this way.

I want any money I make to be a reflection of my performance, so that I can share it with others to help them attain their dreams. If I can accomplish that in this lifetime, I will consider myself truly wealthy.

Kinda has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

Links: You Fill Enjoy It: Hipsters on Food Stamps

2010-03-16T18:55:01-05:00

Not to toot my own horn, but I think I may have called this one. I didn't expect it to come true quite this soon, though.

Editorial: You Are Now Entering Retail Hell

2010-03-16T01:39:12-05:00

Here's a good symptom of retail hell, this one (like so many) courtesy of Open Pantry: "would you like to lose your change for MS today?" No, sorry, I wouldn't. More complete answer: What percentage of your obscene profit margin will you be kicking in for this doubtless worthy cause? (This isn't necessarily rhetorical. If there's a good answer, I'd love to hear it.)

When I dash in someplace to spend five bucks, I want the experience to be straightforward. No rounding up, no losing change, no loyalty card, no punch card. I figure that with the time I spend dodging these aggravations, I could take a half hour each month to sit down and make an informed charitable giving decision--and one that may have needed tax advantages for me. (Indeed, once I have some debt paid off, my goal will be tithing.)

Giving up retail and service industry hell is like quitting smoking--even if you find yourself doing it every day, don't stop trying!

East/Side Riverwest: Alterra: Espresso Melo at Alterra Prospect

2010-03-15T20:15:13-05:00

I'm sure Alterra won't mind me passing on this link with minimal commentary: Espresso Melo at Alterra Prospect

Here's the minimal commentary: Go get it!

Blog News: Spirituality Forum

2010-03-14T22:38:32-05:00

A new article has been posted to the Spirituality Forum.

Editorial: $$$$: Milwaukee vs. Arizona

2010-03-12T20:23:24-06:00

I've been preoccupied with comparing and contrasting Milwaukee and Arizona (as well as, you know, flying back and forth). I've developed the following theories that have an impact on consumer spending:

An overwhelming concern for Milwaukee-area residents is the desire to keep their kids out of public schools if possible. The area's two big religious pillars--the Roman Catholics and Missouri/Wisconsin Synod Lutherans--run parochial schools. I don't think this is a coincidence. I'd be interested in seeing stats on how many kids are in parochial schools here compared to other regions.
A second overwhelming concern is maintaining the property value of their home. I theorize that investment in one's home is a financial pillar that carries more weight in people's lives here than in other places. I wonder if that's because the job market is relatively soft here and people have been traumatized by the loss of major employers. Conversely, property values have held up very well here compared to Arizona.

It may not be immediately clear what relevance this has to coffee shops, but I think these forces tie up a lot of cash and/or force people's wallets shut compared to a place like Scottsdale.

Blog News: Ball 'n Biscuit Catering

2010-03-06T11:08:04-06:00

Please welcome our latest sponsor, Ball 'n Biscuit Catering!

Travel: Reflections of Arizona

2010-03-04T18:08:02-06:00

I’m on the flight home from Arizona to Milwaukee. I ended up working full-time over the Internet while I was down there, so I did almost no blogging in my free time. I actually don’t mind that it worked out that way, as it gave me some valuable insights into the wants and needs of many of the people who are heavy users of coffeehouses—nomadic workers who commute, at least in part, by hopping a Wi-Fi signal. I gained a new appreciation for the chains, all of whom perform very well down there, and added skepticism of their independents, who come in a much wider variety of stripes than is the case in Milwaukee. I spent the bulk of my time at Borders, of all places. The Starbucks location at the Scottsdale Fashion Square had been remodeled at some point over the past year to remove all inside seating. The year-long climate permits them to use an outdoor deck area with wooden tables and chairs—seating that is, if anything, probably more comfortable than the standard-issue elementary-school tables and chairs they normally use. I don’t know why, but I believe the drink quality at Starbucks is higher in Scottsdale-area locations. I’m not sure exactly why that is, but my best guess is that because the stores do so much more business, their labor budget is higher, allowing more employees to work full-time or thereabouts. I can flat-out say that I’ve never seen a Starbucks as busy as the Fashion Square or Hayden & Osborn locations. The only Milwaukee-area one that even comes close is the 24-hour Starbucks in Wauwatosa. I think the real enigma within a conundrum is why a place with a year-round shirtsleeve climate would be such a bonanza for coffeehouses. The only ready explanation is bucks—the very thing that makes the name of our newly successful basketball team so bitterly ironic. Obviously, many or most of those bucks come from people who don’t live there, even for part of the year. However, Milwaukee has the capability to attract tourists and visitors too.

I’ve been pondering the differences between the two places for months now. The more I think about it, the more elusive valuable conclusions seem. It’s tempting to think of Arizona as Bizarro world Milwaukee, but the reality is not that black and white. One advantage down there is that the relative youth of the built environment means it makes more sense for the way people live today. In Mllwaukee, there is great resistance to the idea of tearing things down that are no longer adaptive. As a result, it is exceptionally difficult to get around, particularly in areas with parking shortages.

I remember my fourth- and fifth-grade teacher, Mr. Madsen, telling us children of the late stages of the Cold War that Milwaukee would suffer a missile strike in the event of a nuclear war due to its industry. It won’t be due to the kind of industry we had 25 years ago, but we need to get back on somebody’s hit list. It’s hard to imagine anyone bothering to program a nuclear missile to head towards Milwaukee nowadays, unless maybe they’d gotten food poisoning from eating at George Webb’s . The possibly implied, deeply discomforting greater question Is this : Why bother with the missile, anyway?