Went to a coffee shop that banned phones and watched everyone use their bullet journals instead

There's this spot in Portland called Deadstock that has a no phone rule on weekends. I sat there for two hours last Saturday and counted at least 8 people who pulled out a bullet journal to doodle or plan their week. It was kind of nice actually, nobody scrolling feeds or taking mirror pics. Has anyone else found a place that makes you use analog tools just by atmosphere?

2 comments

2 Comments

butler.shane18d ago

@betty_shah exactly right, I was at a diner outside Asheville that had the same rule and people were passing around old National Geographics.

betty_shah18d ago

I saw a local news piece about a cafe in Tokyo that had a no phone rule and people started actually talking to each other. It is wild how different the vibe gets when nobody is staring at a screen. My friend runs a bookshop and she says since she put up a "no phones" sign, people sit and flip through magazines for way longer. Do you think more places should try this or is it too harsh for some people?