Many coffee shops today seem to be aesthetically divorced from time and place.

Like many young, urban professionals, we run on coffee. We especially enjoy frequenting independently owned cafes that pride themselves on ethically sourced beverages, strong local ties and a hip aesthetic.

They’re the kinds of places that sneer at the homogenization and predictability of Tim Hortons, Second Cup, Dunkin and Starbucks.

Originally published on theconversation.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.