The Wall Street Journal would have you believe that devastated Starbucks-lovers all over this nation are launching campaigns to try to save their “beloved” Starbucks. We’re not entirely sure that we believe this based on the single example given in the article, but we’ll play along…
In towns as small as Bloomfield, N.M., and metropolises as large as New York, customers and city officials are starting to write letters, place phone calls, circulate petitions and otherwise plead with the coffee company to change its mind.
“Now that it’s going away, we’re devastated,” said Kate Walker, a facilities manager for software company SunGard Financial Systems who recently learned of a store closing in New York City.
While searching for another example of someone who was devastated, we happened across a website called “Save Starbucks,” and grabbed some representative highlights from the guestbook.
“hey are closing two of my favorite Starbucks in Jacksonville, FL. I am devastated! This can not happen!!! I am going to try to get others organized to fight this!”
“I’m not upset… there is one within a few blocks of each other. I try to support local business anyway !”
“who gives a flying f#@k what this yuppie created pos company does…….i hope they all shut down and never-never-never-open againnnn…”
“I am a school teacher and each morning a group of about eight of us meet up at the local starbucks which is three blocks away from our school, and I just hate to see it going out of business. What may we do to stop it?”
“You’ll piss and moan about $4 gas but think nothing of paying $4 for a pint of coffee. You morons, that’s $32 per gallon.”
“Please use this opportunity to learn about good coffee and support your local businesses instead.”
“Ummm….Who gives a rats @ss!!!!!!!”
Well, there you have it. We were able to find a few folks who don’t want this particular Starbucks to close, so maybe you are out there somewhere.
If so, tell us in the comments.
Starbucks Gets Pleas Not to Close Stores [WSJ via Starbucks Gossip]
(Photo: Travelin’ Librarian )
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the ridiculousness of people lamenting the loss of yet-another-chain-of-overpriced-yet-terribly-mediocre-coffee only serves to remind me of that great article from the onion with the headline: “New Starbucks Opens In Rest Room Of Existing Starbucks”… yes folks, starbucks is overrated and their coffee tastes like a tire fire, get over it!
[www.theonion.com]
It’s funny how people didn’t do this for the local coffee shops that were put out of business by starbucks. Now that starbucks is leaving, where will you go now?
“You’ll piss and moan about $4 gas but think nothing of paying $4 for a pint of coffee. You morons, that’s $32 per gallon.”
Absolutely love this quote!
I sympathize with the school teacher and the agony she and her group of fellow co-workers will have to endure driving that extra block to the next Starbucks for their daily meetings as a direct result of the closing.
Record time for the Starbucks haters this time around!
@snoop-blog:
I’ve wanted to comment on this ever since I heard about these douchebags. By supporting Starbucks, you are supporting a company:
a) with nearly identical, if not WORSE, labor standards than fucking Walmart,
b) that routinely abuses broken US copyright law to force their smaller, competing mom & pop coffee shops out of business, and
c) makes shitty, bitter, over-priced coffee.
Carribou is faaar superior for that “exotic” coffee, and Mickie D’s and Dunkin are far superior for that cheap caffeine burst. If you ever saw someone bitching about a Starbucks closing, give them a taste of reality.
After Luke Skywalker did his thing I heard slaves of the Empire launched a “Save the Deathstar” campaign.
@blackmage439:
a. please elaborate
b. elaborate on this as well, as I can hardly sympathize with mom an pop coffee shops being allowed to break copyright.
c+d. where I live it’s C Stores, Starbucks, McD’s, or Dunkin Donuts for on-the-go coffee, and I prefer the taste of Sbux to any of them, and they are all the same price.
OMG! These people are devastated because they have learned of a closing?! Those idiots need to get their priorities in order. I agree with the last quote, “Ummm….Who gives a rats @ss!!!!!!!”
@blackmage439:
“with nearly identical, if not WORSE, labor standards than fucking Walmart,”
OK, I think SBUX sux (ha! Me so hilarious), but I think you might be going a bit overboard here. I believe SBUX provide health insurance, even for part time workers, and has pretty good benefits. Can you point me to evidence that supports your claim they are just as bad as Satan’s Mothership (aka Wal-Mart)? Are you talking about sourcing or actual employees?
@snoop-blog: I’m with you. These are the same people who are all to happy to watch Wal-Mart destroy all the privately owned business in their town and then are stupid enough to wonder why their local economy is depressed because everyone is making $7.50 /hr.
@blackmage439: with nearly identical, if not WORSE, labor standards than fucking Walmart,
Don’t mean to rain on your hate parade but doesn’t starbucks offer health insurance to even part time employees? That is far better than Walmart does.
lol.
I’ve never used Starbucks because every other coffee shop in town offers WiFi for free. That may seem insignificant to the execs up there, but that’s *the* deciding factor for most I know. Taste is secondary (though If taste were the primary concern, I probably wouldn’t go to Starbucks just the same).
In most cities, the store closures aren’t a big deal. Mainly because there’s usually another Starbucks a couple miles away. And in some cases, there’s another Starbucks right down the block.
I forgot where I was, but there was a Starbucks inside this particular mall. And it had a small cart/kiosk on the other side of the mall. And if you go outside the mall, there were 2 other Starbucks stores within a half mile in either direction. Now that’s crazy.
As for the teachers finding a new place to meet. Don’t fret. I’m sure another coffee chain will move in and set up shop.
Here’s an idea. Why don’t they actually buy something from the store instead of bemoaning its loss? The store wouldn’t be going away if it actually did any business.
@blackmage439: Yeah those mom and pop shops have it so hard.
1) Starbucks introduces a large part of the population to fancy coffee drinks and a variety of roasts.
2) They charge a price you can most likely beat as a small business owner.
3) In an attempt to make their coffee taste the same at every location they sacrifice some amount of flavour buy “burning” the coffee and using automatic machines. (though, personally I don’t mind the taste)
So a with proper machines and trained staff you can make a superior product at a competitive price. My heart bleeds.
As someone who’s mortgage is partly paid for by Starbucks, deal people. The stores that are closing are either in dual markets, not profitable, or both.
@TheSpatulaOfLove:
Actually, the Starbucks hate was built in to the story. The second blockquote has plenty of Starbucks hate in it.
LOL @ mabus: “tire fire”. Say that with a drawl: “Yer cowfee taase lahk tarrrr farrrrr.”
@blackmage439: As a former barista, I can tell you that you’re wrong about labor practices at SBux. Full benefits while part time, a pretty flexible schedule (at least where I was), and the company had a lot of programs set up to help employees (tuition reimbursement, emergency funds, etc).
Really, it’s got to be the ever-changing business model that’s hurting them.
@zigziggityzoo: I have friends who agree with you all the way on the free net.
I live in the suburbs and there are at least 10 Starbucks within a 10 minute drive from where I live. That’s insane. Now, I admit that I’ve been a Starbucks supporter for the past decade (they turned me on to espresso), but lately it seems that the taste has been getting worse instead of better. As a result I’m trying out the local coffee shops as well as experimenting with making espresso at home and I’m at a point where I could care less if they all close.
Why do people act all snobbish about how Starbucks coffee tastes? If someone is on their way to work and they want coffee, they’re not looking for some kind of spiritual experience. And even if they were, the rate at which people dump cream and sugar into their coffee obfuscates the “tire fire” taste anyway.
Second, if there’s any reason to patronize Starbucks, it’s to avoid the bad poetry nights, the snooty holier-than-thou attendants, and the general “coffee shop” atmosphere that gets real annoying once you start making more than $20,000 a year.
Here in SF, the two stores that they’re closing literally have other StarBucks’ within one block. I can say this with absolute confidence without even checking the SF locations that they’re closing (I know that there’s 2 of them).
@blackmage439: You do know that the First Islamic Investment Bank of Bahrain has an 87.8% stake in Caribou and that they do support terorism? I’m not supporting SBUX but I’d prefer it any day to Caribou. Anyway I prefer give my business to indie coffee shops better than the above listed companies.
Why. Is. This. Part. Of. The. News. Cycle.
This is the same BS as when Starbucks closed early for “retaining.” Awesome free press for SB. I think there are far more important things going on then worrying about certain redundant SB stores closing.
@EyeHeartPie:
You’re right, and it’s my bet the Haters submitted the story only to salivate waiting for its posting.
Bottom line, if you don’t like the product, DON’T GO. This incessant b!tching about it on Consumerist is getting old and contributes very little to the conversation. It’s always the same cast of characters who jump in and b!tch about the flavor, b!tch about the price, b!tch about anything that has Starbucks printed on it.
It’s COFFEE – BIG F’N DEAL!
I’ve never understood “corporate loyalty”. We see it all the time in gaming circles with the various Sony/XBOX/Nintendo fanboys, all viciously, frothingly defending their chosen system.
I don’tknow why people would be lamenting this clearly cut-throat, multi-national corporation having to close a few shops and spread the wealth a little. Do they not realize that if the location is a good one that another shop will open eventually anyway? Do they think that Starbucks gives a rat’s ass about the individual consumer? Are they somehow under the impression that Starbucks would show them the same loyalty?
Since when did corporations become rallying points?
HO NOES!! You might have to drive an extra 12 feet to get to the next one! With today’s gas prices who can afford that??
“SAVE STARBUCKS”??? they do realize that they a Billion dollar corporation right? The only reason they are closing SOME stores is because they over expanded and are staring to crush themselves under their own wieght. I mean seriously when you have a SB inside of a Safeway and a full walk in SB in the same damn parking lot, then there is a spacing issue here.
The only reason that I am somewhat upset is that they are closing the Starbucks where my wife and I met. We go back there every year on Valentines day.
It didn’t work for Firefly; it ain’t gonna work here.
Move along, people. Move along.
Hmmm. Coffee here at my college is something like 1.00 for a 16 oz cup. That’s 8 bucks a gallon! OH MY GOD, SHUT DOWN THE CAMPUS COFFEE SHOP!
I drink soda that I get probably 1.50 for 4 liters. That’s less than a buck fifty a gallon! Everyone stop buying gas, start buying soda!
Hurrah for specious logic
@Mr. Bungle: I think that’s what some posters can’t wrap their heads around. These aren’t pizza hut delivery stores, or bank ATM’s closing. They are(were) places of social interaction. If you went there most mornings for a couple years on the way to work, you likely knew the some of the people serving you, and they likely knew what you wanted to order. If you spent time inside, you probably did it with friends, or to get some time to yourself.
Humans are creatures of habit, and we don’t like to have to change our habits, even if it means in some cases, changing it a half mile down the street.
@blackmage439:
Per your 1), above, Starbucks has very decent benefits packages for its FTEs. In fact, part-time employees have available (and incrementally better) health care than most FTEs at other companies.
Please refer here: [www.starbucks.com]
What is the source of your comment?
where were these assclowns when their local coffee shop had the screws put to em?
Walmart also offers health insurance to part-timers. Mom-and-pop coffee shops, like many other small businesses and franchises, usually do not offer health insurance to anyone. Other large retail and non-franchise restaurant chains, depending on union contracts and state laws, may not offer insurance. I worked for three moderately upscale department stores in the 1990s and not one offered coverage to part-timers, not sure of their current practices. Pick another target, they are not bulletproof here (i.e. the health insurance is not at UAW contract levels) but they are not as vulnerable as they are elsewhere.
Starbucks has had successes and failures in the marketplace. Ultimately all of us who make up the market — and not solely those of us who don’t like burnt coffee — will determine their future.
@Sh3rpa: How many local coffee shops actually closed down because of Starbucks? It always seemed to me that people were introduced to the mixed espresso drinks and then migrated toward local coffee shops when it became uncool to drink Starbucks. And really, if there’s a local coffee shop next to a Starbucks, which one do you really think is going to succeed?
I frequent the Starbucks around me because I like the people, I receive great service, and if something goes wrong, I get a free drink coupon.
I have had other places that have given me better latte, but I have found them inconsistent, and service at any local shop has paled when compared to Starbucks.
I love to support small, local shops and will pay a bit more for the priveledge. But I don’t see a reason why mom-and-pop can’t make as good an experience, at least not near me.
@mdoublej:
Most people would have you think coffee shops are like oil change places or a Walmart.
Starbucks has succeeded in large part by offering nice locations for people to sit and talk or sit and work. There almost NEED to be so many locations because if you start to service to many people per store there is no longer a place to sit or socialize.
$5 an hour for a place with internet away from my roommates where I can write papers made college a more successful time. As a bonus you got coffee for that price.
It’s a also a cheap and safe location for a date or meeting. Not to many eateries have that pick up and go simplicity and a pleasant fairly atmosphere.
I cry out “support your local businesses” at every chance I get, and I still do. But I do agree that a lot of locally owned coffee shops dish out condescending, mediocre service. Still, I don’t want to hear people whining to bring back Starbucks unless they also provide a reason why the local shops aren’t cutting it.
@PhilVillarreal: To be fair, the Death Star was going to be a big boon to the economy. Shops, restaurants, barbers. Pretty much a gigantic mall/military base. And it was creating a ton of jobs for unskilled labor. Sure, it was bankrupting Mom and Pop space stations, but that’s galactization. Plus, the small ones were trying to screw you before. Then, some whacked out hippies go and blow up the best thing coming to an empty chunk of space.
I’ve tried a lot of the other coffee shops in this area, but sorry… their lattes are pretty gross in comparison.
As much as I’d love to support the local shops more, I can’t force myself to drink something I don’t like.
I think was has some people (at least those I’ve spoken with) somewhat bewildered is the apparent randomness of the sites selcted for closing.
One that’s closing near me is, like one example above, across from a school, where it draws teachers before and after school and moms in the mid-mornings. It’s also right across the street from a church, which means it’s PACKED after every mass. About the only time it’s not fairly crowded is after dinner. It seems as though it would make sense to simply close earlier, rather than close up shop entirely.
The next nearest Starbucks (or ANY such coffee shop, for that matter) is a good mile or so away–not a big deal if you’re driving, but pretty much a deal-breaker if you’re walking over before or after school.
Two other factors: 1) It’s in a pretty nice neighborhood (that, unfortunately, has no other coffee shops–corporate, indie, or otherwise–nearby), and 2) They just opened the damned thing less than a year ago.
I can see why it might rankle some people.
Meanwhile, near my office, I can walk off the train and hit a non-closing Starbucks within a block no matter what direction I go.
Seriously, I’m not going to miss Starbucks, but they did leave a great legacy. They introduced the country to Italien coffees, which helped to make my daily coffee ritual a little nicer, but not much more expensive, as I’ve always made coffee at home. Plus, offering Mom and Pop shops some competition improved their coffee and inspired them to become more sustainable to differentiate themselves from Starbucks, making them better than the company they were mimicking.
@crycry: and other: It’s not as simple as competition. Starbucks uses its financial muscle to force out smaller mom and pop shops. For example, there was a mom and pop coffee shop in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. SBUX wanted that spot and the coffee house wasn’t interested in giving up its lease. So, SBUX bought the entire building from the owner, cancelled their lease, resold their property, and then got a lease for that location. They also pay extra for exclusive leases (i.e. no other coffee shops) in Malls and other areas.
So, technically a mom and pop can compete, but its not really a fair competition.
@bobpence: Yes, if they pay obscene amounts for it. Many qualify for government subsidized health care and food stamps beacause WMT intentionally keeps its full time employees (who get slightly better crap insurance) to the bare minimum.
The only Starbucks closing in Arizona is in Eloy. I’m pretty sure there isn’t another one within 50 miles of there.
Actually, I’m a little surprised that there WAS a Starbucks in Eloy to begin with, but not the least bit surprised to find out that it’s ‘underperforming’.
That said, I indulge in the occasional Starbucks white mocha. I don’t drink them often because I don’t want to develop an expensive coffee habit and they’re a killer in the calorie-counting department.
But damn, they’re tasty.
just because you guys are anti-starbucks doesn’t mean some people don’t love the place, or even that they’re a bad company. they simply made some poor business decisions under their previous CEO and expanded too quickly. some of the stores they’re closing were opened less than a year ago and have barely had time to get a customer base going. it’s pretty sad… tons of people are potentially losing their jobs.
Starbucks doesn’t force mom and pop shops out of business… people just like their coffee better. there are PLENTY of cases where Starbucks was unsuccessful in “taking over” in certain areas (where the mom and pop shops had better coffee).
My local “mom & pop” coffee shop is staffed by people SO horrible and rude that I just can’t go there any more. (Actually, there are a lot of people in the neighborhood who’ve made the same decision, and I vaguely heard something about them retraining their employees, but whatever, it’s not worth going in to find out if it’s gotten any better.) So, really, I’d be ok with a soulless Starbucks drone serving me some coffee, but there aren’t any convenient to where I live or work. (How odd! Anyone want to print their own money? I’ve got a great location for a coffee shop for you…)
These people need to just not exist anymore. If there is any sort of benevolent greater being, he will close even MORE starbucks, and then about 20 minutes later, after they’ve had enough time to wallow in the outrage, he’ll off these idiots too.
@CyricTheMad:
Your idea of a “benevolent greater being” sounds like a dick to me.