When I was around 13- 16 I went to The Daily Grind In Chilliwack B.C. It was a wonderful place! Awesome coffee that only cost 25 cents! It went up to 50 cents later on but it was the cheapest and best coffee in town. It is my most fond memory of the 90s in Chilliwack. The social atmosphere was wonderful! It embodied that grunge youth scene completely for me.
I would go there for coffee and read books! :) Many youth gathered there for coffee to socialise. It was a very open place. You could smoke inside and teens would sometimes try to bum smokes from you but I didn't smoke and told them they would go to hell and were possessed by satan! Somewhat jokingly. I had a troubled past in my childhood so could really relate to all of the energy in the place. To me it felt like home! I've always hungered for a place with a similar open gritty vibe but haven't found one yet! Hello, job opening! ;) Yeah, I may try to make some kind of youth centre down the road. That's how much it inspired me! It was a safe haven. I suffered some bullying at school but none of that existed there. It was a place of utmost respect. Everyone knew it was something special and unique to the town.
I was able to get away from it all at The Daily Grind coffee shop and also interact with the other youth there to get to know different characters. Figure out what makes people tick. It helped me with school and bullying cause I felt I belonged there and found you get to know someone by hearing their story. Even if it's at the next table. Everyone has a story. And was grateful I had my own to share. I was always excited to share my story with people then. I experienced isolation as a child so really opened up whenever I could even though I had anxiety and was shy. Much of the time I was more than shy in a way - I would act out! I would freak out! I would exaggerate and put it out there. Release the energy! I think that quirk did save me...so I didn't keep it all in and be crushed or taken advantage of from the outside.
The Daily Grind as absolutely awesome as it was didn't last forever. I found some old articles and will post clips of the story. I think I may be in that picture. I wore watches and read books. I could be wrong but I was there and I remember The Daily Grind coffee bliss always!!
