Are rents rising in your Philly neighborhood? Don't blame the baristas | The Conversation
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We interviewed 61 baristas on the subject of gentrification in Philadelphia to explore artistic subcultures in urban contexts.
Baristas who work in specialty coffee shops, along with hipsters more generally, have been referred to as the “shock troops” of urban gentrification – and it's no different in Philadelphia. First, they work in coffee shops that appeal to a new wave of middle-class residents who can afford higher rents – while at the same time alienating longtime and less economically advantaged residents.