|
Crowds of people in lines that stretch to the door, crying children and a steady din of voices punctuated by the occasional scream of steaming milk. That doesn't sound like a likely place for romance.
But beyond rush time at Starbucks, a calm moment at the coffee shop created a comfortable environment for Mark and Diane Christensen, of Schaumburg, to progress from perfect strangers, to acquaintances, to husband and wife.
It all began three years ago when Diane was taking classes at Harper College in Palatine and started going with a friend to the Schaumburg Starbucks. The two joined a table of four to five regulars, one of whom was Mark. Their friendship grew, but romance blossomed when Diane mentioned that she had always wanted to go on a carriage ride downtown. Mark readily volunteered to go with her. "It was 26 degrees below (zero) that night, and he still went. He was so sweet," Diane said.
When asked if he ever thought he would meet his future wife at Starbucks, Mark said that it was purely coincidental.
"What is it that these guys put in the coffee beans that keeps people coming back?" Mark said.
He says that the coffee shop atmosphere is conducive to meeting professional people in a laid-back environment.
"It's an alternative to the bar scene, if you aren't into partying and wildness. It is a calm way to meet people," Mark said.
The Christensens' story proves that ambience can make or break a budding romance. The burgeoning coffee business has created an unassuming place for people to hook up.
According to statistics by Yahoo! Personals, a survey of more than 300 singles revealed that most favor a coffee-shop environment for a first date: Singles rate a comfortable environment (85 percent), a casual setting (78 percent) and a safe environment (75 percent) as the most important criteria when selecting a venue for a date. Almost half, 52 percent, agree that "a coffeehouse like Starbucks" is an ideal location for a date.
Lachell Jeffries-Hanson, owner of Let's Meet for Coffee in downtown Elgin, agrees that coffee shops are great places to mix and mingle and maybe meet someone interesting.
In fact, the shop this week will live up to its name. Jeffries-Hanson has organized two Valentine's Day events for Elgin singles, both themed "Famous Couples." The first 21-and-older "singles mingle" event is on Valentine's Day at the Gasthaus, and the second is Saturday at the Great American Family Diner, both in downtown Elgin. There will be a buffet, a disc jockey, magic show, dancing, a raffle, drink specials and, of course, coffee included in the $25 ticket price.
The singles mingle events were inspired by a similar event Jeffries-Hanson had attended some years ago.
"I didn't know at the time that it was a singles mingle; someone invited me," she said.
The theme also was famous couples, and she was Diahann Carroll and had to find Vic Damone.
"I didn't click with Vic Damone, but I met Donald Duck and we dated for six or seven months," Jeffries-Hanson said.
She created the singles mingle in hopes that people will go out and have fun, even if they aren't looking to date anyone. She anticipates at least 80 people coming for this year's inaugural event.
"I want it to be a low-pressure event. Just come out and have fun as a single," she said. "It is just one night to feel special. ... It is for someone who is looking to meet someone, or just to have friends, or just to be out on Valentine's Day."
| 
