Etcetera Coffeehouse — Restaurant in Paducah

I stopped in for a coffee, but what I got was an unsolicited and unprofessional dose of judgment from the staff, starting with who I assume was the manager.

As I walked in, the manager glanced at me and said to a female employee, "There you go, your Halloween costume," gesturing to my Grateful Dead t-shirt. The employee laughed and half-heartedly told him to stop, which was the only decent interaction in the place. The rest of the staff wore this uniform look of smugness, the kind you get from a group of wannabe punks and hipsters who think their subculture is the only valid one.

What this manager and his crew clearly don't understand is the history of the very "underground" scene they're trying so hard to be part of. That smug comment revealed a profound ignorance.

To the manager: You know they were rebels, too, right? The Dead did it the DIY way long before the word alternative fell out your mouth, booking their own shows, creating their own sound systems, and running their own record label without a shred of corporate help. They helped create the very independent, anti-authority foundation that the punk scene, and by extension your entire aesthetic, was built upon. They weren't a Halloween costume; they were the original punks in spirit, building the underground scene you now occupy.

I don't expect every barista to be a Deadhead. I do expect basic professionalism and for staff, especially management, not to mock customers based on their clothing. The coffee was fine, but the condescending atmosphere left a...

Updated review- even after over a year of visiting at various times, days of the week, crews, etc... this place is still clean, has great drinks, excellent staff, amazing prices & is certainly a welcomed bit of hip refreshing artsy vibed atmosphere. I even enjoy the occasional Friday night open mic session. There's local talent young and seasoned alike- from singing to poetry to spoken word and everything in between, it can be quite loud during that time, but don't let the crowd run you away or you may miss some inspiring words even from those much younger. Enjoy hot or cold tasty beverages or have a sweet treat or oatmeal made your way. There's a coffee station with a variety of dairy and non- dairy cream options, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, honey, etc... Choose to represent the local coffee shop with a bumper sticker or tshirt, mug or travel cup. The staff is friendly and all have such great attitudes and are happy to be there. There's a stamp rewards card to earn a free drink of your choice when it's full so be sure to bring it back! There's a nifty tip jar to the right of the register so be sure to let them know what their service and your experience means to you! :) Etcetera...

The good:  chocolate pecan zucchini bread that was amazing,  good drip coffee that was hot despite being in self-serve dispensers,  a section with kid-sized chairs and lots of books...  the bad:  the familiar tip-jar-but-no- actual-service-offered phenomenon,  specifically  (after i tipped about 20 percent) they clarified that they would not bring the fruit and yogurt bowl i ordered for my 2 year old to us at the table,  but instead I'd need to leave the kid at the table in the other room to come back and get my bowl,  or else carry kiddo back or just wait by the counter.  It gets worse.  After we got our food back to the table,  an employee came and began spraying ammonia window cleaner about 3 feet from us (and our food and drinks); he offered an apology as he started.  This was mid afternoon on a Sunday, just to be clear that this wasn't closing time.  I actually had to ask him if he could do that later,  which he obliged.   I'm not a native of this area,  and really wanted to like this place.  Hence the feedback.  I'll probably give Etcetera another try.  Maybe someone will notice this and step up the level of...