Coffee shops have become a symbol of gentrification, a process that is made up of a mix of opportunism, policy, and politics resulting in the displacement of communities. As people who tout the love of community and people as being core in our values this issue should worry us. Understanding gentrification is key to being able to take steps in fighting it. Today on the show we are talking with one of the world foremost authorities on the issue of gentrification, Dr. Stacey Sutton. Dr. Sutton is Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Policy in the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA) at the University of Illinois Chicago. In this conversation we discuss her work in researching gentrification, the misconceptions people have about it, what is the difference between urban renewal and gentrification, what mindsets do we harbor in retail that contribute to the momentum of gentrification, what is coffee's role in this and how can we take the first steps to being part of the solution?
I am so honored to have Dr. Sutton on the show. This is a huge subject and I would encourage you to research further and use this episode as a springboard for learning more about the unpleasant realities of gentrification. I have provided lots of links below to help in this process. Please do reach out to you local schools of urban planning and neighborhood associations to start a dialogue.
The coffee shop is often called the 3rd place. A location where people go to gather that is not work or home that contributes to the deep bonds of a community. We cannot hope to offer a great third place unless we put as much effort into how we place ourselves and serve in communities as we do in the coffee we aim to serve those communities. When we do this I think we will see disinvestment and displacement begin to slow, and coffee, for these communities, can move from a symbol of displacement, to a true expression of place.
LINKS:
Dr. Sutton Lecture at CUPPA (Spotty Audio)
EMAIL: suttons@uic.edu
Resource: Next City Journal
Links to Published Research (Prefaces)