A bar with extremely valuable and special table estate, where tables are not assigned but rather bargoers sit wherever is open; and where it is at least a little unpleasant to be at the special table estate.
Now that I’ve written that condition, I’m not sure this exists outside of my example? But here is my example.
There is a bar in Minneapolis where the outside portion is open all winter. They have tables, at standing/stool height, with fires inset into the middle of the tables for warmth. There are 6 such tables, and 500 bargoers. But most of the people are inside, and the tables are never packed (cuz it’s cold, and because it’s an arcade bar and there are no arcade games outside).
If a fire table is free, you sit at it. People will come and ask if they can sit at it too. They’ll feel obligated to talk to you, since they’re at your table.
If a fire table has people, but there’s space (which is typically true), go and ask if you can stand there. The answer is always yes. Once you get situated, say “so how’s it going?” or “what are your names?”
My buddy and I used to do this a lot and it always worked. I once had a flagging date around the corner from the place, I liked her but we had run out of conversation, so I brought her there and we sat at a fire table and within 20 minutes the entire management staff of a retail store at the mall (??) was at our table talking with us.
Whenever I have an idea for a program it would be fun to write, I google to see whether such programs already exist. Usually they do, and when they do, I’m disappointed—I feel like it’s no longer valuable for me to write the program.
Recently my girlfriend decided we had too many mugs to store in our existing shelving, so she bought boards and other materials and constructed a mug shelf. It was fun and now we have one that is all her own. If someone walked in and learned she built it and told her—“you know other mug shelves exist, right? You can get them online”, I’d view them as somewhat deranged. Obviously a big part of the value is that she built it, that building is cool and fun, and that there aren’t others like it.
But that’s the kind of thing I’ve been telling myself when I find other programs exist! So I should look at myself as somewhat deranged, and change my attitude.