Will the Demise of Starbucks Bring the Rise of Private Coffee Bars?
July 9, 2008 by Marye Audet
Filed under Coffee News
So, as I said Saturday, Starbucks is losing money and is set to close 600 stores across the country.
Let’s chat about what that means, shall we? 
I am thrilled at the news, personally. Not because I want to see the company go under but I see in Starbucks that same shark-like business practices that I despise in Wal-mart. They will do anything and everything to put mom and pop shops out of business. I said on Saturday that there is a corner in my area that has (or did have) three Starbucks on it; one in a grocery store, one in a Barnes and Noble, one free standing. This seems like bad business all around, diluting the market beyond repair. In fact within 2 miles of that corner there is at least one other Starbucks.
With the money that they have to spend on advertising and wooing consumers, as well as creating an image, how are the small family owned shops going to be able to compete? I know that our coffee shop/tea room was unable to compete and went under. The coffees were better quality, we had more of a selection and if you check out Baking Delights you will KNOW that the food was better.
I saw a coffee shop that had been in place for more than 10 years go under when Starbucks came in nearby. The coffee was much better than Starbucks and the prices were comparable or less, so why?
I think that to some extent it has to do with the sick American need to be surrounded by name brands. What ever the cool kids are doing we want in on. And then we wonder why our kids pester us for the right clothes and the correct gadgets. Not only was Starbucks accessible, they were cool.
When is the last time you saw a family owned grocery store? We used to shop at one when I was a kid. They have all but disappeared. In fact, I don’t think there is one in my area.
If we don’t support small local businesses then we lose a valuable resource. We lose a valuable freedom, the freedom to choose.
And lets face it, big business is like politics. When it gets big the quality and ethics begins to disappear in the soft warm glow of the bankroll.
My suggestion is that if you can, seek out a local coffee shop. Buy your lattes there, pick up a pound of their coffee. Encourage the owner. Build community ties and relationships. Sure, Starbucks deserves to make as much moey as they can. That is what free enterprise is all about. But when free enterprise begins to turn into the corporate behomoths that these places have become, and when it begins to cannibalize smaller companies then it is time to draw a line in the sand. By feeding the corporations at the expense of the privately owned, local companies we ultimately give up our freedom of choice. Just like there are fewer and fewer mom and pop grocers and cafes, there will be fewer and fewer small coffee shops and there will be no choice at all.
Do you go to a local place or Starbucks? What are your thoughts on this?
Image:Morguefile
I haven’t found anything at Starbucks I can even drink… I expect a chai tea, to be tea!! not coffee!! (my poor dh now knows better…) Luckily, we have a locally owned bookstore that has a small coffee bar in it. And they serve chai TEA… mmmmmmm… tea and books… lovely…..
I’m not out and about as much as I was over the previous 9 years.I don’t have the appointments, college kids to drive, physical therapy OT neorologist visits orthopedic visits etc. My current college kid drives himself. My only child in lessons goes 5 minutes away for lessons. I think I buy a coffee or tea less than once a month these days.
Honestly I go wherever it is convenient. Since I live in a big city Starbucks is not the only big coffee company around. Coffee Bean and Tea leaf, Seattle’s Best they are all here now. All in the same mall even.
I have also discovered since I quit using creamer at home that I no longer desire fancy or sweet coffees as much.
There is a little drive through place near by that makes a white mocha frappicino that is unparalleled. I don’t like their hot coffee…… but that frappicino….you can hardly believe anything can be soooooooo good.. Every person we have taken there has agreed. The irony is it is never the same color. How can it be so amazing every time? Gee, it’s been a year since I had one……..
Although we technically live in a “city”, I guess it’s still pretty rural around here. We have to drive 20 minutes to find a Starbucks in a Barnes & Noble. The closest “free-standing” Starbucks is an hour and half away! I can count on my fingers the number of times I’ve actually been in one… and every time I felt like someone was pulling a fast one on me. B and I are very picky about our coffee and where it comes from (does SB serve organic fair trade?). So, if we did have a Starbucks, we would not go to it (just as we do not shop at Wal-Mart).
Monica-books and chai? That is a perfect combination
Ginger-SOunds like it is time to go!
Carrie-SB does serve organic/fair trade. You usually have to ask for it though. So do y ou have a local place or do you just not go for coffee? It is the one way Marc adn I can get a weekly date.
A restoration…is ALWAYS a big deal…seems unending for quite a while. I know, I used to work as a Kitchen Designer and an Interior Designer. I did that for the better part of 25 years and loved it…for the most part. Since clients paid me to do the design work and be on site when some of their work was being done, I stayed on-top of stuff.
But, even the small stuff, like mine, sometimes seems overwhelming!! That’s why I break it down into specific projects and room by room!!
~Thanks for the visit and comments~
Jan
Marye, I agree with you that the small coffee shops are going to be “back in style.” In fact, I am counting on it, as I have a desire/vision for one
I’ll let you know……
My daughter was telling me just yesterday that her hubby has stopped going to Starbucks and instead stops by the small coffee shop near their New England home. He has gotten to know the people quite well.
This chat took place when I told her about Starbuck’s closing so many stores. Personally, I believe they thought they could continue raising prices and people would pay up. Not at all, there came a point when even people who are not on limited budgets that I know stopped buying Starbucks (or they didn’t go as often).
Right now, my son and his “friend who is a girl” are meeting for coffee at one of the coffee shops in our Downtown area. I doubt Starbucks will ever go out completely but there is definitely a grass roots return to that which is local. Perhaps it is not only rising prices but a desire for that which IS local in an uncertain world.
We have a couple local coffee shops that are nice! We actually prefer our own coffee (who doesn’t?) but when we go out for coffee we go to the little place on “main street”.
Jan- If you come for a visit and help me plan my kitchen I will give you free coffee and tea…what a deal
KAREN! You visited me!::happy dance::
Brenda I think you are right.
Carrie- sounds awesome..I wish we had some here. WE have SBs. Period. Our tea room was the only competition.
I’d rather go local, but there are no options near me. Must mean I need to move!
We have a SB in our Safeway and one locale place. I love the local place better. I do go to SB but that is because of a gift card. I buy my coffee for home at the Co-op or the Farmer’s Market going to SB is a rare thing.
McDonald’s is blamed as one of their new competitors. I don’t even like Starbuck’s unless they add a lot of fru-fru to their coffee…too bitter.
I used to be a die-hard SBux customer. This was years ago, before they stopped focusing on the coffee. I even got a part-time job at SBux, because I loved it so much. I can say that each store/district is different. We used to do coffee tastings with our customers, held events for customers where we’d teach them about coffees (origins, tastings, food pairings). We did community things (donating and serving at non-profit events) and we boxed up TONS of coffee to send to Iraq. But I know not every store is like that!!!!! In the last year or so I’ve really noticed a downturn in SBux quality…not just in their coffee, but also their customer service. They didnt used to just hire anybody. wHEN i GOT HIRED, THE APPLICATION HAD ALL SORTS OF COFFEE-RELATED QUESTIONS ON IT, AND IT WAS EVEN PART OF THE INTERVIEW. tHEY ONLY HIRED PEOPLE WHO HAD (WOOPS, SORRY FOR CAPS)…they didn’t just hire any teenager who came along.
Now I live an hour from a SBux. There’s a local coffee shop/bakery 30 minutes away, in the other direction. But that’s it. So I don’t have much choice. But I have found myself passing up Da Bux more often than not, because I can’t count on a good drink from them anymore.
Thankfully more local shops are serving good coffee than in past years. I remember when I was in college I’d try the local shops and they were just AWFUL. So maybe that’s one good thing SBux did…..made local owners really pay attention to what they serve, in order to keep their customer base.
But Marye, I KNOW your coffee is DA BOMB!!!! I still dream wistfully of that glorious bag I won from you.
I am local all the way (at least 90% of the time or more). Definitely for coffee – I don’t even know the last time I stepped foot inside a Starbucks. I also try to use local groceries and all other businesses. The one area I can’t find is local gas, probably obviously, but I’m trying to use less gasoline, in general. We have great coffee places around here.
Peggy You will probably save money if you don;t!
Kisha- I understand. We go there because there are no other options when we want to get away
Cathy- I agree completely. I don’t know if Micky D’ is going to be able to do it though..how are you going ot take a kid friendly
Tiffany- I think you are right about the quality going down..our local SB islosing all the good baristas because they wont promote. And my coffee might be da bombe but it BOMBED here.
Jen- Lucky you!
hear it from the horse’s mouth yourself…
http://bitchinbaristas.blogspot.com/
You weren’t a cheerleader in high school, were you.
::said in a totally deadpan voice::::