The GGA Project -- Day #117 "Taking on Goliath, Latte by Latte"

I think I've mentioned Starbucks on this blog more than anything else, with the exceptions of my immediate family members and two best friends.  It's not that I'm a freak for Starbucks, or not THAT much of a freak.  I just love that they're everywhere, or wherever you need them to be anyway.  I love that you know exactly what you're gonna get when you go there, and that it's the same whether you're in a standalone store anywhere in the world, in an airport or grocery store, or, ahem, Target.


This consistency is what often makes people choose chains over Mom & Pops in general.  It can be hard to take a gamble on something new, when you could instead spend your money on a sure thing.  Still though, I do like to support small businesses, and a few weeks ago my friend Huong mentioned a hidden gem of a coffee shop that I actually pass on the way to work but had never known about.


Today's New Activity: Afternoon Coffee at Paddy's

What appealed to me about Paddy's, when I looked it up on Yelp, was that they were a coffee shop with actual personality (imagine that).  There were events listed on their website, one of them being an open-mic, which are incredibly hard to come by these days, especially in the East Bay.


On the way in I noticed these two fliers announcing upcoming events:

I love the idea of a local comedy show, and book exchange?  Of course!  I also like that they're open late (website says their hours are 5am ish to 11pm) and that they're located in the middle of the quaint, historic downtown Union City.


The best part of a small business such as this, however, is the absolute localness of it.  The walls inside were decorated with art made by children of schools in the neighborhood.

This one, by a 9-year-old boy, caught my eye :)

And I couldn't resist taking a picture of this thank you letter:

Too stinkin' cute.  Now tell me if you'd ever see something like this in a Starbucks.


I don't have too much to say about today's activity except that it's just nice support David and throw a pebble at Goliath once in a while.  And I think I'm gonna have to check out one of those comedy shows, though the intimacy of it may make me squirm a bit unless the comedians are super funny...it would be an experience anyway...


Oh, and you should know that Paddy's makes a mean Iced Soy Latte!