Cuvee Coffee Bans Wifi, Wants Patrons to Talk to Each Other

Cuvee Coffee's new East 6th cafe is all about human interaction, from the open barista counter to, yes, the lack of wifi. The Austin Post talks to owner Mike McKim about why he chose to kick out the internet:

McKim said Cuvee Coffee Bar doesn't offer wireless Internet because he didn't want the shop to be the virtual office space that so many other cafes become. He stressed that he isn't trying to make a statement and that he isn't anti-wi-fi or anti-computer - in fact, computers are welcome and a common sight at the coffee shop - but that his vision shared more with the coffee shops of the past.

"Coffee shops in the 17th century were places people would go and talk and debate; it was a social hub," he said. "Somewhere along the line we got away from that. For me, personally, I want to be that social hub and not that virtual office.