In August, Dr. Lisa Waxman made a guest appearance on Keys to the Shop, a podcast devoted to coffee shop professionals. The episode, Designing the Guest Experience (#169), features our department chair who shares some of her research on user preferences with the show’s host, Chris Deferio.
Her study, “The Coffee Shop: Social and Physical Factors Influencing Place Attachment” explores ways in which an environment can affect place attachment for various users. In the podcast, Dr. Waxman enlightens coffee service professionals by sharing the most prominent design considerations for coffee shops while highlighting the importance of interior design. She explains that while high quality coffee is important to patrons, the spaces in which the coffee is enjoyed can enhance the guest experience. Coffee shops can also be third places, those places other than work or home that contribute to quality of life and create connections between people and their community. In today’s world, connecting with others adds value to everyday life and has the potential to create strong social networks. The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or by following this link.