Space Ethnography: Crazy Mocha in Squirrel Hill

It's a common sight: students and business people alike sitting in a coffee shop, mugs and cups to the side as they work on their computers for hours. We all have a distinct idea of what such a space should be: warm, inviting, with plenty of comfortable seating and high-speed internet. Service should be prompt and with a smile, and there should be easy access for those dropping in to grab a coffee to go and for those staying for an extended amount of time. The decor should be simple but inviting, maybe with warmer colors to stimulate appetite (it is selling food). Yes, the ideal coffee shop is an alluring but illusive concept. But does the Crazy Mocha on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill come close to meeting this fantasy?

Sociability

Naturally, few events are held within the walls of Crazy Mocha, aside from meetings for various companies and clubs. The management makes up for this by posting fliers for community events in the windows and on a corkboard by the condiments table. The cafe is clean and generally well-kept, aside from a few misplaced newspapers. When I walked in, I was greeted fondly by the staff and was served my drink with a smile. I saw a few families come in and some elders, but it was mostly occupied by people roughly between 20 and 50 years old. During nicer weather, the garage-like windows open, letting in the cool breeze and welcoming in passersby.  Score: 7/10

Source: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/crazy-mocha-pittsburgh-4?select=RfIVheBZoMKPZ8POTMHKXA

Comfort and Image

This is something Crazy Mocha excels at. The walls are painted a orange-red color, giving it a warm and cozy aura. There's a few prices of art featuring the logo and mascot goat, and plenty of tables to sit at. Outlets are plentiful, for those who need to charge their laptop or smartphone. Lighting is good and I had no trouble reading from either a paper book or my computer while I was there. As for safety, Murray Avenue is relatively safe with several higher-end restaurants and stores nearby. There's little danger aside from the steep hill the street is located on. My only real complaint is a lack of plush chairs or couches- there's only a few armchairs tucked away in the corner. Otherwise, I give the image of Crazy Mocha a score of 8/10

Access and Linkage

I want to give Crazy Mocha props for an easy-access main entrance, but that's about all I can give. While featuring a wide storefront, it is located on a street with a steep incline, making those with walkers and wheelchairs struggle to enter. There is no adjacent parking lot, only a bit of street parking (which is also compounded by the hill). Furthermore, about half of the cafe is located on a slightly lower level, only accessible by a set of stairs. That being said, pedestrians are frequent and with a bus stop right outside, there is still plenty of business. It's not ideal by any stretch of the imagination, but it's about on par with other establishments in the area. Score: 5/10

Source: https://foursquare.com/v/crazy-mocha/4ada2a82f964a520681f21e3?openPhotoId=4ffd8fcfe4b07769e9f4b1a9

Uses and Activities

Well, it's a coffee shop, so the main purpose is fairly self-explanatory. As discussed above, meetings are held in the cafe regularly, but that is about the only major use. However, Crazy Mocha makes up for these shortcomings by being a valuable part of Murray Avenue. It has one of the widest storefronts out of all its neighbors, making it prime real estate. The management is understanding of patrons who are part of a meeting, and do not complain if outside food and drinks are brought in from other nearby restaurants with less seating. It is also itself a local business- the Crazy Mocha chain is exclusive to the Pittsburgh area. It may not lend itself to being a venue or stage, but it serves its purpose admirably. Score: 7/10

Overall, you can see that Crazy Mocha gets a score of 27/40, or 6.75/10. This means that while it isn't the absolute pinnacle of coffee shops, it still manages to exceed expectations and create an overall welcoming space, even if it flounders a bit in execution.

Source: https://foursquare.com/v/crazy-mocha/4ada2a82f964a520681f21e3?openPhotoId=4f7a570fe4b07d8b1ef80c49

Note: while I attempted to take my own photos while visiting Crazy Mocha, they were corrupted during the transfer to my computer. Instead, I have included images I have found online, with links to the original source.

Bibliography

Floyd, K. (2011). Interpersonal Communication (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.

Public Space Audit. (n.d.). (Reprinted from Achieving Great Federal Public Spaces: A Property Manager's Guide.). Retrieved March 13, 2017, from Schoology.

P. (2009, December 30). What Makes a Sucessful Place? Retrieved March 12, 2017, from http://www.pps.org/reference/grplacefeat/