Some call it Laptop Alley.

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I call it Columbia’s Catwalk.

They call it The Ranch.

Can you guess what I’m talking about? It’s the Dobbin Road Starbucks, one of the most happenin’ social, fashion and coworking scenes in lil ol’ Columbia, Maryland.

See, I call the place Columbia’s Catwalk because of the brilliance in the store’s design: all incoming customers are channeled through the café, to the register in the back. Why is this brilliant? It’s easy to people watch without looking like a creep. It’s easy to “walk the red carpet” without looking like a show-off. It’s easy to stop in real quick. It’s easy to set up and work for a bit. And, it’s small enough and contained that there is a smidge of a sense of community and connection there.

Last summer, said Starbucks caught my curiosity, so I started to go to more. Here and there. (It’s hard to beat the coffee at Orinoco Coffee House just down the street.) Anyway, I began noticing a bunch of regulars. Mostly men. Mostly with laptops. Coworking is what they’re (loosely) doing. And that’s a whole ‘nother subject.

So, when I heard Wordbones call the place, “Laptop Alley,” that made me laugh. I had already named the place Columbia’s Catwalk because sometimes it’s like watching the local folk strut. I had also already started to give some of The Regulars names by which to identify them.

Well, last week, Mr. WordPress, one of The Regulars, set up shop next to the table where I was sitting. In starting a conversation with him, I discovered Mr. WordPress is Technosailor (a username I recognize from my work in social media); and he was giving a talk at the DC Social Media Club the next evening! I had to go.

I traipsed — traipsed! I tell you — to Falls Church for the presentation, where I also saw another Starbucks’ Laptop Alley regular, Steve Fisher, aka Mr. Timbuk2. (His Metro Messenger Bag caught my eye some time back.) You’ll know who Mr. Timbuk2 is next time you come to The Ranch if you watch him in a video found on Jonny Goldstein’s YouTube mashup. Steve, who also blogs at Venture Files, gives props to the coworking scene at Dobbin Starbucks in this vid, below.

Technosailor’s presentation — The topic was “Blog Draft Day: Making it Into the Bigs” – was packed with valuable information.

Network Solutions’ Social Media Swami Shashi Bellamkonda (that’s a mouthful!) taped a short interview with me speaking about social media and small businesses. And, yes, I’m really wearing a fur, coral-colored boa. It’s a fairly short story, but too long for here. :-/

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Filed under Living Locally, Meet Your Neighbors

Tags: Coworking in Columbia, dobbin starbucks