A Community Gathering Place?

I've been thinking lately that Metaline Falls lacks a common gathering place. Where can youth go to hang out? There's no place that caters to them. Where can a family go? (if not invited to dinner at another's house). Where can one who doesn't partake of alcohol go?

One good solution that I see to this dilemma is a coffee shop. These have traditionally been places for the public to gather, where spontaneous conversations develop, chance meetings happen, and the community comes closer together. In fact, the founding fathers of the nation met in a coffee shop in Boston to discuss their plans for independence.

Currently, we have a number of worthwhile establishments that meet some of these needs. For instance, we have the bars, but they're certainly not for everyone (nor are they for every time of day). We also have a cafe, but it is more for dining than whiling away the hours. And we have the Cutter Theatre, but it is not a place you go to often without a specific purpose (such as checking out a book from the library, attending a play or concert, or visiting the upstairs art gallery). But the fact that these venues don't meet all of our social needs leaves us weaker as a community.

If we had some common gathering place, such as a coffee shop, where all were welcome, one could simply drop in and see what's happening. (You don't even have to like coffee, because it's not all there is to order). And you could stay for hours and no one would think you strange for it.

The chance meetings at the post office or the grocery store are not enough. I want to get to know more of my townsfolk! Right now we meet, exchange pleasantries, and shuttle away to our respective solitudes. I think we need a place where we can gather and relax, apart from the hustle and bustle of daily commerce and habits. And I think that place could be found in a coffee shop...

What do you think?