Coffee shops: The new soda fountain of youth

By Margaret Webb Pressler
The Washington Post

WASHINGTON — Josh Hyatt is a Frappuccino kind of guy. His brother, Chris, prefers a smooth, hot mocha.

They are 14 and 11.

Like many of their peers, Josh and Chris are habitues of Starbucks, which along with other chains and independent coffee shops has become a major hangout for preteens and teenagers. The quest for a place to congregate is nothing new, of course. Kids have camped out in ice cream parlors, pizza shops, pool halls, shopping malls and basements.

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