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Despite Starbuck’s attempts to completely monopolize the coffee industry, there are still small coffee shops that exist in metropolitan neighborhoods. One such café is Voluto’s in the East Liberty/Friendship area of Pittsburgh. I had never heard of Voluto’s until a colleague scheduled a meeting there.
During the weekends I would find myself working a lot, with seldom fun outings with friends or family. You see, I’m one of those people afflicted with an overly-strong work ethic; some call it being a “work-a-holic.” It was suggested by a family member that I take some time for myself; “Grab your newspaper, and find a nice coffee shop to sit and relax for a while,” I was told. My first weekend out, I decided to try Starbucks, on Forbes and Shady in Squirrel Hill. The parking lot was full, so I parked down the street a bit; it was, after all, a nice day for a walk. I approached the counter and asked for a Venti regular coffee. I received my brew, and found a seat near the window. As I took my first sip, I was surprised- this stuff was strong, not like the coffee I had experienced at work, or other small coffee shops around town. I finished my large drink, and was happy to have completed my first session of “mandated” relaxation.
