Culture, consumption, and the aesthetic homogenization of independent coffee shops in the United States and Canada

Independent coffee shops are often associated with local community culture and authenticity. Yet these shops often seem to contain highly similar aesthetic elements, which aim to appeal to a specific clientele. This research probes the interior design aesthetics of independent, so-called ‘third wave’ coffee shops in the United States and Canada, questioning how unique they actually are, and whether their repeated use and homogenization may make these coffee shops less uniquely identifiable and locally rooted. Based on the results of two online surveys, we demonstrate that the majority of third-wave coffee shops presents a homogeneous and narrow range of aesthetic elements in their interior design, which make them hard to distinguish and to localize. These choices in effect become a de facto brand that is not necessarily reflective of the local culture or geography, but rather of the expectations and aspirations of their consumers. This commodification of aesthetics may counteract the original and oft-advertised mission of third-wave coffee shops to be unique, local, and authentic.