PROBLEM

Introduction of coffee shops in a neighborhood is a indicator for gentrification. This research proposal aims to answer that question, by exploring various coffee shops and its relationship with gentrified neighborhood. Usually the appearance of big-chain coffee shops in a neighborhood foreshadows a shift in social/economic niches. Gentrification is a process that can be predicted very well, because it is often follows a similar and repetitive pattern. When a coffee shop opens in a neighborhood, whether a small chain or a big chain such as Starbucks, it causes the real estate values to increase. And along with the shop itself that affected the price of homes, the influx of middle-to-high class white population in the neighborhood also added to the increasing real estate value. This in return, forced people who are from low-income families to relocate. While coffee shops may not be a direct reason for a neighborhood to become gentrified, but it does act as a catalyst, that is pushed towards a changed neighborhood.

 

 

 

BACKGROUND

Through the past decade, there is a repeated pattern that arose when there is a coffee shop introduced to a neighborhood; the prices of real estate escalate, and various low-income families are forced to move out. This example of gentrification can be seen in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg to Los Angeles’ Boyle Heights neighborhoods, and in each neighborhood, there seems to be coffee shops around every corner. Willian Roseberry, and anthropologist, reported that because coffee was not as exciting, coming in cans that were “light and bland”, there was a steady decline in coffee consumptions before the 1950s. “Through the 1950s, consumption was essentially flat, with minor fluctuations … 74.7% of adult population was calculated to be coffee drinkers; by 1988 only 50 percent drank coffee” (Roseberry, pg. 765). A spark of interest in coffee shops began in the 1950s in the United States, where small coffee shops opened in neighborhoods like Boyle Heights, and many were opening in immigrant neighborhoods. This allowed an influx of young people to try out drinks such as espressos and hang out with contemporary musicians and artists. But by the 1970s, there was a shift towards specialty coffees that initially was from small shops, followed by larger chains such as Starbucks; by being able to establish their brand by aggressively marketing their own specialty blend, that allowed them to expand so much (Roseberry, pg. 771). Meaning that by

Taking the big chains, like Starbucks, that has grown into a $15 billion company, and in 19,000 locations in more than 60 countries (Rascoff). Studies by Zillow, a real estate company, showed that during 1997 the average home value for about $137,000 if they near a Starbucks; but prices after 2014 showed that there was 94% appreciated value to about $269,000 (Rascoff). This does bring up the question: There are other reasons why home prices go up, ranging from the economy to neighborhood renovations, is Starbucks really the reason for the inflated price? Living in a society where productivity is demanded almost 24-hours, we might have standardized labor production with a cup of coffee, that gets us through the whole day (D’Costa, 2011). It may give a generalized perspective on why there is more coffee shops popping up in every neighborhood; increased demand for productivity can also be tied to gentrification. Most middle-to-high income families that take up residence in a renovated neighborhood, are often blue-collared workers that are often required to remain productive throughout their day. This can correlate to the demand for coffee shops, that can cause a shift in a community afterwards.

 

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this research proposal is to find a correlation between coffee shops and gentrification. Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is a classic example of gentrification; where a previously low-income neighborhood witnessed a tremendous change in both social/economic status. The major goals of this proposal are to answer these questions: Did the increasing amount of coffee shops that opened in a neighborhood act as a symptom for gentrification? Meaning, that in a gentrified neighborhood (e.g. Williamsburg) begin with the introduction of a coffee shop. In order to understand this correlation, its important to take surveys of the neighborhood that is being studied, especially from residents that have witnessed these changes. Another question that can be asked is: How has the real estate value changed before and after coffee shops began to open in the neighborhood? This is important in understand the impact of increased real estate value on original residents and what new residents began to appear throughout the area. The census data should show the demographic changes in the span of at least a decade; where plentiful changes has taken place that cause this shift. As stated before, gentrification usually causes a shift, from a low-income neighborhood to a middle-to-high income neighborhood; which causes most previous residents to be unable to reside there no longer, at the same time opening spots for new residents to be able to live there.

 

 

 

LITERATURE REVIEW

• Roseberry, William. “The Rise of Yuppie Coffees and the Reimagination of Class in the United States.” American Anthropologist, vol. 98, no. 4, 1996, pp. 762–775. JSTOR, JSTOR, jstor.org/stable/681884.

William Roseberry explores the relationship between “specialty” coffees and a shift of the class system in the United States. Concentrating mostly on the impact of retailers using a specific and specialized blend of coffee in order to increase consumer demand in response to a dwindling market for plain black coffee. This is important in understanding the research proposal because these retailers include big chains such as Starbucks, that is often a symbol of gentrification. And while Roseberry didn’t call out gentrification, the shifts in “class systems” resemble the change that is often witnessed when a neighborhood is being gentrified. These various retailers promote different types of coffee in order to excite and bring in more customers; and it be an example in the Pumpkin-Spiced Latte (PSL) that was introduced by Starbucks and is available for a limited amount of time. These marketing schemes can show the relations of gentrification in class changes and coffee shops.

• Rascoff, Spencer. “Confirmed: Starbucks Knows the next Hot Neighborhood before Everybody Else Does.” Quartz, Quartz, 29 Jan. 2015, qz.com/334269/what-starbucks-has-done-to-american-home-values/.

Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Zillow website explored the relationship between coffee shops, such as Starbucks with rising home values. Research conducted by this company showed that properties nearby Starbucks have a higher rent/buyer, but they also noticed they appreciate at a faster rate compared to homes that aren’t near a coffee shop. This is important in understanding one of the influences of gentrification: increasing real estate/rent in neighborhoods. It’s no surprise, that neighborhoods such as Williamsburg and Boyle Heights have ridiculously high rent prices, and the value of homes just reciprocate that fact. But this shows evidence of actual increased rate that is specifically affected by the presence of coffee shops nearby a property.

• D’Costa, Krystal. “The Culture of Coffee Drinkers.” Scientific American Blog Network, 11 Aug. 2011, blogs.scientificamerican.com/anthropology-in-practice/the-culture-of-coffee-drinkers/.

Krystal D’Costa focused on the scientific impact of increased coffee shops, focusing on the demand for productivity a reason for the increasing amounts of coffee shops opening in renovated neighborhoods. It can be assumed, that people who are from this gentrified neighborhood have jobs that require them to become more productive, allowing them to earn more money, because they are able to afford the prices of the neighborhood. This can tie in the research proposal, that can ask a preliminary question, why is there a demand for Coffee Shops anyways? Workload has only been increasing the more industrialized a country is, and gentrification is usually a pattern seen in dense, urban areas rather than rural towns. It can be concluded that the demand for productivity also plays a role in the demand for coffee shops, which then caused the gentrification aftershock.

METHOD

In order to better assess the goals of the objective, various research experiments can be carried out. One example would be a generalized poll at the location of the Coffee Project, to ask questions that would help us gather a specific sample group, who will be asked about their coffee habits:

• How often do you consume coffee a day/in a week?;
• Are coffee shops at a convenient distance from your home/office?
• How has investment in infrastructure changed before this coffee shop opened in a neighborhood?

I believe that this would help us understand just a generalized sample group that is both random and yet relatable, because it can be assumed that people who are at the Coffee Project is having coffee.

Using the data from the previous poll, a more specific poll can be assembled, that include coffee-drinkers that drink more than 1 or 2 cups of coffee a day. TThis specific poll can be conducted onsite, at the Coffee Project, but it can also be done online. Assuming people who are present in the coffee shops are actual residents in the neighborhood, a more specific poll can be generated to ask about the changes they have seen in the neighborhood. Because this sample group will cater to a more specific group, this can allow for more specific questions:

• What changes have you observed while you lived in this neighborhood?
• Was there a change in the types of populations that are residents in the neighborhood?
• Has the real estate value changed compared to when you first started living in the neighborhood?
• Is there a way to have new development in a neighborhood, while not completely discarding the previous community?

 

Using data from neighborhood census data can also help analyze the changes in real estate values in gentrified neighborhoods. Comparing the data within a set time frame, for example, about 10-year time-span, would help analyze the difference in the median income value changes in the neighborhood. It would important to analyze the real estate values, to be able to gauge the difference in the price range. Interviewing landlords can provide a solid primary source, because the rent of a building usually goes up when they invest in the infrastructure of either their building and/or neighborhood. Understanding when and what investments were made can indicate gentrification itself, because now the prices would be much higher than previous residents were used to.

 

 

CONCLUSION

Ultimately, this research proposal should be light to the question being asked: Do coffee shops symbolize the start of gentrification in a neighborhood? Introducing new commercial spaces is bound to increase the real-estate value, due to there being an upgrade to the community’s infrastructure. And in response to this upgrade, can cause nearby homes to also begin investing in repairing/renovating which just adds on to the increasing real-estate value. This is followed by previous residents moving out, due to high rent, and new residents moving because they are able to afford it. Using various research methods, such as polls/surveys, study of census data and real estate values, and be able to interview previous/current residents; we should be able to gain adequate information to be able to find out an answer.