Tucking into a cozy caf with a good book and a latte is one of life’s simple pleasures, particularly on chilly fall and winter evenings. But readers can sometimes find themselves at odds with other customers who are there to socialize. Socit Coffee Lounge in the Beltline has addressed this by establishing quiet reading hours.
Socit owner Huy Kha says the idea for quiet reading hours was suggested by one of the caf regulars following a trip to Portland and Seattle, where it is common.
“I was on board as I’m a big reader myself,” Kha says. “It was something we wanted to try out in the caf one night a week – come in for an hour and a half, no talking, just reading or studying, just to get a moment of quiet.”
Kha says an interesting aspect of the quiet hours is how the no-talking scenario actually encourages the clientele to be more social. “I noticed a lot of people reading similar books – a lot of fantasy and science-fiction. And it’s nice, everyone having conversations about the books afterwards,” he says.
Quiet reading at Société Coffee Lounge is reserved for the colder seasons and reading hours will resume in September on Monday nights. “It’s such a loud world these days,” Kha says. “It’s nice to have a little time to yourself.”
403-474-6055, 1223 11 Ave. S.W., societecoffee.ca