Off-Campus Workplaces continued

Places to Work Off-Campus (aka coffee shops) Review 2: Colectivo (formerly Alterra)

I did a lot of early reading, and some editing at the location on Prospect, and once the Bayview location opened, I spent time brainstorming, writing, and revising there. Unless otherwise specified, I will refer to collective attributes.

Coffee: As a reminder, I speak here exclusively of the espresso, particularly in mocha form. I believe that Colectivo also uses cocoa powder which is a plus, but they tend to use enough so that you can't taste the espresso. Their cup sizing takes a little getting used to as it is non-standard, but that's a minor point. As for the coffee itself, to me, it's better than Starbucks but it still has a more standardized taste to it than a small-batch roaster. This is likely because, although a local company, Colectivo has quite a few locations that depend on the same roasting center.

 Space: The Prospect location is smaller with a more intimate feel, and although it has a fair amount of seating, the location does tend to get busy and seats get filled. The Bayview location is much bigger but it has about the same number of tables (at least it seems this way). This spot also shares space with the baking operations for the company, so it adds both something to watch and a lot of extra noise. If you want to work in quiet, Prospect is a better bet. Both have windowed sections, but both locations also have dark little corners. It's much easier in Colectivo to hide in plain sight, or in other words to isolate yourself.

Internet and computer accessibility: When it comes to Wi-Fi both of these locations (as far as I know) do not restrict time online. One thing I have noticed is that if you aren't actively working online but rather streaming music or similar, the system drops you after about 20 minutes (I never actually timed this), and you have to re-establish the connection. This factor is a little bit of a hassle if you don't like the radio choice or the bakery noise as the Bayview location. The biggest problem though has to do with plugs. Given the size of both places, there are not as many places to plug in as you might think. This can be problematic if you happen to be unsure about duration of stay or starting charge of your device. Prospect has added plugs at the big common table, which is nice but requires that you don't need-want your own space. 

Clientele: The people who come to Colectivo seem to be mixed in that there is a range of ages and of student vs retirees vs business vs families. Colectivo does have an atmosphere of being hip, which is not exclusively the fault of the design of the locations or the coffee. The people often seem to exude a deliberate aura of 'coolness', although this may be due in part to the separations between tables, groups, and areas of the cafes. I think that this might also be related to the presence of branded merchandise beyond coffee. Other companies do this too, but it seems like Colectivo has a lot more of it.

Stay tuned for next time and a review of Stone Creek, Bayview.