The customers frequently linger there, reading the newspaper and visiting with their friends. Some of them even hold informal business meetings. Alice has encouraged her customers to use the shop as a meeting place and a haven to relax and contemplate. The shop has a fireplace and big, comfy chairs. There are always newspapers and magazines available at the coffee shop, as well as a few board games like backgammon and checkers.
Some parents bring their children and they play games together.
A few weeks ago, Alice decided to put a computer in her coffee shop for her customers to use. The computer is connected to the Internet and she doesn't charge for it. People have used it to look up stock quotes, read the latest news, research job opportunities and just surf. The computer is placed where it is easy for several people to look at it at once and it has sparked some lively conversations. Shortly after the computer was installed, Alice received a few complaints from parents who felt that the Web sites other customers had been looking at were not appropriate for their children to see.