Coffee and the coffee shop have an amazing history. From the Ottoman Empire to your favorite 3rd wave coffee bar, there have been many evolutions and critical pints in time that have led us to where we are today. In order to move forward well, we need to be well informed of our industry's past. To help us in this effort we are chatting with coffee historian, Prof. Jonathan Morris Jonathan Morris is a Research Professor in History at the University of Hertfordshire, specializing in the history of coffee. His latest book Coffee: A Global History explains how coffee became popular the world over,  and why tastes in coffee differ all over the world. Jonathan was the European Editor of Coffee: A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry (2013) and directed the Cappuccino Conquests research project which traced the history of Italian-style coffee from the origins of espresso through to the global coffee shop chains of today. In this episode we are talking with Prof. Morris about some key points in the evolution of the coffee shop that impact us today. We will discuss: The democratic intent of the cafe Eras of the cafe's evolution and why they were significant Alcohol’s connection to the cafe and what is concerning about it today?  The social importance and role of the cafe in society Coffee prices in the shop and politics Differentiating ourselves to the consumer Are we niching down too far?  What things should we be focusing on now as we write this next chapter of cafe history  Links: thecoffeehistorian.com Buy the book on Amazon prof.jonathan.morris@gmail.com   Related Episodes: Your Peers are not Your Customers 090 : Researching the Cafe w/ Dr. Jennifer Ferreira   Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys 5% off your purchases at Prima Coffee until January 31st! Just use the code "HOLIDAY5" when you visit this link!    Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service