To its credit, mention coffee and the Internet in the same sentence and the word “Starbucks” comes to mind. In other words, it began as a place known for good coffee and now have become synonymous with also being able to use technology in its locations.
It is precisely that line of thinking which The Internet Place is marketing itself against.
“We really differ from a lot of Internet cafes,” said Mike Noll, manager of The Internet Place. “We don’t just do coffee and WiFi. It is also one reason we chose the name ‘Place’ instead of ‘Café.'”
Owned by Lorena Anaya, The Internet Place also has locations at Horton Plaza, which has been there for six years, and Hillcrest, which has been open for a year.
Located at 936 Garnet Ave., the Pacific Beach operation opened Dec. 26.
“While we have a full espresso bar like anyone else, I like to think of us being a communications Store more than anything,” Noll said. “We offer a wide range of services.”
To illustrate his point, Noll points to the 18 computers (all PC; he said they will have a Mac or two in the near future), printers, copiers, fax machines, web cams, scanning, prepaid cell phones, phone cards and much more. “We even do computer repairs,” he said.
You might want to think of The Internet Place being a Starbucks, Kinkos and Geek Squad all in one location.
“We have 3,000 square feet and are not using all of it yet,” Noll explained. “About 50 people can be seated in the eating area alone, which is separate from where the 18 computers are located. Pastries, a wide range of drinks and sandwiches from a bakery in La Jolla are available.”
Noll has an extensive background in technology and has configured the computer system with a feature probably not found in very many similar locations.
He set up the computers to be able to return to the same state as when he installed them. This means customers are free to download things off the Internet, burn CDs and DVDs and visit whatever websites they desire regardless of the threat of viruses and freezing.
“All I have to do is push a button and the computer restarts while completely erasing all the information accumulated,” he explained. “The computer then returns to the same operating status as the first day I set them up. It is kind of like using the recovery disc on your computer every day.”
This feature also brings peace of mind to those who might use a computer and enter personal financial information, such as making a purchase with a credit card.
“If someone comes to the counter and says they just used their credit card and are concerned about the next person using the computer having access to that information, again all I have to do is press the reset button and everything is erased,” Noll said.
Noll has also established a policy sensitive to the uncertainty people have in terms of how long they will use a computer.
“Let’s say you rent a computer for an hour but only use it for 20 minutes,” he said. “You don’t lose those 40 minutes because you paid for them. We give you a user name and password so the next time all you do is log in and begin using your 40 minutes.”
The Internet Place also has WiFi for those who have their own computers, but with a twist.
“Obviously we don’t make money if our place is full with people using their own computers and not purchasing anything,” Noll explained. “So you can either buy a food or drink item for at least $3 or simply pay us $3 and then you get an hour of Internet service.”
In fact, it is a free hour for every $3 spent. “If you buy $6 worth of food and drink then you have two hours of internet service,” he added.
Right now, with a strong and growing local clientele, Noll is preparing for the busy summer tourist season.
“People on vacation will come in and do a quick email check, print boarding passes, look at plane schedules or just surf the Internet for things to do in San Diego,” he said. “They love our services.”
The Internet Place is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. Noll plans to extend those hours during the summer months.
For more information visit www.tipsd.com or call (858) 483-8612.