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Visited a new coffee shop downtown and the music choice felt like a generational war zone

I stopped at this place called 'The Grind' on 5th Avenue yesterday. The barista, maybe 22, was blasting hyperpop so loud I could barely hear my order. Meanwhile, every single person over 50 at the tables had their hands over their ears or were giving death stares. The owner, a guy in his 60s, came out and turned it down to smooth jazz, and the young staff looked genuinely pained. It was a perfect 15-minute snapshot of a culture clash over what 'public atmosphere' should be. Is it a business's job to cater to the comfort of older customers, or let the young staff control the vibe of their workspace?
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3 Comments
riley_west
riley_west16d agoMost Upvoted
Wait, is it really the staff's workspace though? It's a customer area. The vibe should be for everyone paying to be there.
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pat_schmidt71
My hearing's already shot from years of loud gym music, so I'm Switzerland in this fight. The owner probably just wants to keep the place from turning into a silent library or a rave. Someone's always going to be unhappy with the playlist.
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miamitchell
That "generational war zone" thing is happening everywhere now.
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