571310 Tue Nov 11 08:32:25 -0800 2008 41 33 Food Media and News 0 4164414 http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6105757.html Tue Nov 11 08:32:25 -0800 2008 16897 scrumptiouschef 1 4164480 Awww, what a shame. It seemed like such a good idea at the time, screamingly overpriced coffee. Tue Nov 11 08:48:35 -0800 2008 4164414 11104 dolores 1 4164564 They closed a ton of stores last quarter and are not making *as much* of a *profit* as the prior quarter. They are still making a profit overall. They area business and that is the purpose of being in business, to make a profit. Tue Nov 11 09:15:56 -0800 2008 4164414 12123 Cathy 1 4164578 I wouldnt shed a tear if they went out of business. Tue Nov 11 09:21:51 -0800 2008 4164414 26725 swsidejim 2 4164987 I'm no fan of Starbucks, and probably bought coffee at one of their locations less than 10 times in total. My mother didn't raise any fools, and I know better than to let money dribble out of my pocket on such over-priced nonsense. But they do provide jobs and pay taxes, so I am just as concerned about them potentially going out of business as any other large employer. I mean, nobody was dragged into their stores kicking and screaming and forced to buy their products. Tue Nov 11 11:41:49 -0800 2008 4164578 63569 flourgirl 3 4165093 I'm right with you in that I know I never bought more than $20 of product from Starbucks but I know they took care of their employees by paying a decent hourly wage and providing health care It is a shame that a lot of hard working people will be out of work and lose their health care. I also believe that Starbucks increased profile of coffee in The US and that allowed for the growth of a lot of small, local, independent coffee houses. Tue Nov 11 12:16:25 -0800 2008 4164987 10195 KTinNYC 2 4168051 You know, that's really not nice to say. What about all of the people who work there? I certainly hope they stay in business. If you don't like them, don't go there (which I know you don't). Wed Nov 12 12:32:45 -0800 2008 4164578 13345 Boychucker 1 4164640 This illustrates how sensitive food service businesses are to small declines in sales. (Of course, other industries are, as well). 55% of the Starbucks profit decline resulted from an 8% decline in same store sales. 40% resulted from closing unprofitable locations, a consequence of overzealous management and imprudent expansion. Tue Nov 11 09:39:49 -0800 2008 4164414 57170 Veggo 2 4165288 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/11/business/11sbux.html The Starbucks execs are trying to spin this as best as they could, BUT, they do have a point. They got started on downsizing the number of stores a while ago, seeing the handwriting on the wall. In addition, the key trend is that the decline in sales has leveled off to a constant rather than accelerating downward. So they could possibly have been pescient in their maneuvers. I am not a big fan of all the fancy coffee drinks, give me my espresso and be done with it, but as someone else said previously, in my neighborhood, the reality is that the Starbucks wannabes came along after Starbucks rather than Starbucks started to put Mom and Pop shops out of business. Tue Nov 11 13:25:20 -0800 2008 4164640 11826 Phaedrus 1 4165446 I think it depends what part of the country you're talking about. The Bay Area already had lots of cafes. I know of three places where a Starbucks opened up across the street or next door. I don't know if it's true, but I've read that they did pick the locations deliberately to put the local places out of business. I wouldn't be surprised. On the other hand, when I took a month long road trip through the South East 15 years ago, I had a terrible time finding good coffee. If Starbucks brought decent coffee to those places, then why complain? A recently closed Starbucks in Berkeley has been replaced with a locally owned cafe and music hall. That makes me smile. Tue Nov 11 14:21:21 -0800 2008 4164414 11231 Glencora 2 4166301 I don't understand the ones who are talking about Starbucks being evil and such. I am glad to have a Starbucks in my little town. I can at least get a nice coffee without driving miles or spending tons on a special coffee maker. As far as Wal Mart goes, I think they are a bad company in that they have sent jobs and production overseas, as well as not giving health insurance to many of their employees and they helped create the economy we are in today. I have seen nothing on this board to tell me that Starbucks is anywhere close to WM in that regard, Tue Nov 11 20:05:56 -0800 2008 4165446 127407 kprange 2 4167285 Starbucks can't put a local small business out of business simply by opening a store. People have to choose to stop going to the local business in favor of Starbucks in order for Starbucks to effectively put the local, small business out of business. Certainly Starbucks did not open a cafe across the street from an existing cafe and undercut them on price, right? The people in the neighborhood who chose to shop at Starbucks rather than the existing cafe put the existing cafe out of business. Wed Nov 12 08:33:43 -0800 2008 4165446 80141 ccbweb 3 4167614 True. I also believe that some of the Starbucks opened earlier than the local cafes. Family-run places aren't perfect, in fact maybe they're less likely to give benefits. I dunno. Chains are consistent. Personally, I'd rather go to a place with history and quirkiness. Though to be honest the only to-go coffee I've bought in the last several years was with a Pete's gift card. I can't really afford it. Wed Nov 12 10:14:30 -0800 2008 4167285 11231 Glencora 3 4168049 <Certainly Starbucks did not open a cafe across the street from an existing cafe and undercut them on price, right?> Certainly they DID do that! In MANY, many cases and places. However, they do have the rep for treating their employees well and providing good benes. Imho, they are not the devils that Wal-Mart is, but no angels, either. Wed Nov 12 12:32:35 -0800 2008 4167285 52499 ChefJune 4 4168146 I'm sorry...Starbucks undercut other coffee shops on price? Isn't Starbucks routinely decried as the home of prices that are too high and also higher than other coffee shops? Wed Nov 12 13:02:44 -0800 2008 4168049 80141 ccbweb 5 4168390 For a 12 ounce/small cup of coffee, $1.50 is a good price. All the other stuff is pretty much hot or cold milk, with flavoring. Those items do cost more. People choose to buy it. I read the sign out front: Starbucks. Coffee. That is what I buy. Unless I feel like a treat. Or dessert. Wed Nov 12 14:12:20 -0800 2008 4168146 12123 Cathy 6 4168536 Not arguing the price nor what people choose to buy. My comment is in relation to an upthread exchange about the idea that Starbucks puts other coffee shops out of business by opening up nearby and offering lower prices ala Wal-Mart. Wed Nov 12 15:04:38 -0800 2008 4168390 80141 ccbweb 7 4168550 Oh. Nevermind. Wed Nov 12 15:09:25 -0800 2008 4168536 12123 Cathy 8 4168613 No worries. I buy coffee when I go there, too. Wed Nov 12 15:31:28 -0800 2008 4168550 80141 ccbweb 1 4166457 While not a fan of Starbucks, these are definitely the things I will miss if Starbucks were to permanently go out of business: 1. Clean (and free) restrooms 2. Free cups of ice (and filtered ice water) 3. Clean, air-conditioned (or temperature controlled) place to meet/gather Tue Nov 11 21:52:17 -0800 2008 4164414 11583 ipsedixit 2 4166502 Uh, do you ever pay for anything there? Tue Nov 11 22:26:02 -0800 2008 4166457 11300 Muskrat 2 4168032 I happen to like that I can get a fresh cup of coffee-plain old coffee- whenever I walk in. They dump the pots after one hour and make fresh. I have driven cross country and had my share of bad coffee...'coffee' that is brown colored water as well as 'coffee' that has been reduced down to a brown, thick gravy. I I am more than pleased to see a proliferation of Starbucks a short distance from the freeway where I know I can get a fresh cup of coffee at any time of day or night. {Again, they did not make AS MUCH of a profit this quarter. They still made a profit.} Wed Nov 12 12:27:46 -0800 2008 4166457 12123 Cathy 3 4168282 You're right - the few times that I travel down a freeway are the times when I stop in one and buy a cup of plain ol' coffee. And it's fresh and hot. Works for me. Wed Nov 12 13:47:55 -0800 2008 4168032 63569 flourgirl 1 4166852 I'll speak up. I like Starbucks. In this town there are VERY few (unfortunately) mom and pop coffee houses with homemade baked goods and fresh roasted coffees. have had them in other cities and supported them but here there are VERY few, near the colleges and therefore a half hour from my house. I don't drive that for coffee often. I am in one of the many starbucks near me A LOT and i get great service and generally good coffee. A number of their baked goods are decent (the lemon and gingerbread loaves are fabulous - others are admittedly dreadful) and the expanded breakfast choices look good too. I have known people who work there and think it's a great company - unlike walmart, etc. and when i travel it is often the only decent stop one can find for miles for coffee in many small towns. they have not been perfect in sustainable agriculture but they haven't been all evil - because i do try to be a conscious consumer. i think they get a bad name from people in towns who had better choices and forget that there are those of us for whom starbucks is a godsend. it'd be dreadful if they went under in my book. although they do seem pretty busy around here still... Wed Nov 12 06:02:06 -0800 2008 4164414 99136 AMFM 1 4167781 To me, Starbucks is good only as a "third place" to study and to escape my roomate's atrociously inconsiderate girlfriend (and her infant child!) A small Earl Grey or an iced coffee* is the price of admission. * the cold temperature of iced coffee masks the poor taste of the beans themselves Wed Nov 12 11:11:19 -0800 2008 4164414 106932 Agent Orange 2 4168007 Oddly, the *$ iced coffee is triple strength brewed, so when the ice melts it still has a strong coffee flavor. Wed Nov 12 12:22:29 -0800 2008 4167781 12123 Cathy 3 4168622 That explains my behavior after having a Starbucks iced coffee. I get much more twitchy and shaky after one of those than a double shot espresso or a regular hot coffee. Good to know. Wed Nov 12 15:34:36 -0800 2008 4168007 106932 Agent Orange 3 4169173 That answers a lot of questions. I've only ever gotten iced coffee at Starbucks and found it to be utterly disgusting. I never really take enough time to drink it for the ice to melt- it just takes like ultra strong/nasty coffee. Wed Nov 12 19:02:40 -0800 2008 4168007 107671 queencru 4 4169309 That's also why their iced tea doesn't dilute when the ice melts. To me, the flavors are crisp and clear. But each coffee has its own characteristics. And we each have flavor preferences. I do only add half and half (if anything) and never sweeteners to my beverages. I also can tell the difference between a strong brew of fresh versus bitter/old coffee. Wed Nov 12 20:17:48 -0800 2008 4169173 12123 Cathy 1 4172367 Those filthy, evil folks at Starbucks who are charging outrageous prices for their coffee should be hauled before congress and be forced to give up their windfall profits. Maybe the government can nationalize the chain and start handing out free coffee to all the less than fortunate people who can't afford $50.00 a gallon for their products. Spread the wealth! Give America a piece of Starbucks pie!!!! Thu Nov 13 20:37:33 -0800 2008 4164414 22801 bkhuna 1 4172384 Starbucks may shed some crocodile tears but the folks at the top aren't all that broken up over downsizing US operations. The truth is they, like Yum! Brands (KFC et. al), see their future overseas, especially in China. Starbucks now has more outlets in Shanghai than in San Francisco. They pay Chinese wages and Chinese rents, but charge US prices, so it's easy to see the attraction. Thu Nov 13 20:48:47 -0800 2008 4164414 131118 Xiao Yang 2 4172664 Interesting info, Xiao Yang. I'm not surprised. Fri Nov 14 02:44:59 -0800 2008 4172384 11104 dolores 2 4172799 This is ironic to me, because the kind of ethos and comfort level that Starbucks seeks to imbue in their stores are the same sense of community and comfort one often find in Chinese teahouse, albeit set in much different environments. So substitute coffee for tea and high tech but earth toned furniture and high gloss decor for old world Chinese peasant furniture and voila, Starbucks! Fri Nov 14 05:31:18 -0800 2008 4172384 11826 Phaedrus 1 4175597 I could badmouth Starbucks but I'd feel like an ingrate after all the free bathroom stops it has provided me in various parts of the globe. Sat Nov 15 08:07:48 -0800 2008 4164414 131118 Xiao Yang 1 4176130 good coffee, nice place to sit and talk. Sat Nov 15 12:07:34 -0800 2008 4164414 140436 fresnohotspot 1 4176214 a local sbux just went out of biz in a (historically) independent business area, and a lot of small biz people were celebrating--that a chain was "put out of biz" by the indies, and maybe the chains would feel they couldn't compete & would stay out. but maybe this was one of the 600 stores sbux corporate would have closed anyway because their profits were low? ah well, it probably amounts to the same thing. there are better local coffee *chains* than sbux around here, let alone all the great indies. the coffee at the grocery store/co-op is better! i can see going to a sbux if that is all there is, but it's not even good coffee, so if there is any competition at all, going to sbux is clueless or lazy or both. Sat Nov 15 12:52:52 -0800 2008 4164414 46030 soupkitten 2 4176287 My opinion of Starbucks is that it is just not very good coffee. The espresso drinks are bad, the 'baristas' are very poorly trained and the drip coffee is not very good either. However, having said that, I will say they treat their employees much better then most other company's their size. Just because Starbucks doesn't provide good coffee, doesn't mean your local independent is any better. For the most part, they are far worse then Starbucks. At least Starbucks is fairly consistent. Except for the new serious minded coffee establishments popping up through out the country, most sadly are still crap. Sat Nov 15 13:28:44 -0800 2008 4176214 11003 chipman 3 4177406 agreed. i like several varieties of their drip coffee. several i do not. but there is often a choice. they will fresh brew hot and treat people to free coffee if you have to wait because it is brewing. the people that work there have always been nice. there are far worse places i could spend my money, corporate or not. as i mentioned before, there is NOTHING better near me. very few places make GREAT coffee. at least in richmond, VA Sun Nov 16 06:27:44 -0800 2008 4176287 99136 AMFM 1 4178792 Well as a place to meet friends or do a little bit of work I like Starbucks, but less so for their coffee than the atmosphere. I work in the city and frequent an independent coffee shop. However, I live in the suburbs, an area that hasn't been overrun yet with strip malls and big box stores. We happen to have a Starbucks and for weekend nights when I don't feel like going back into the city, I'm grateful to have a late night coffee house close by. Sun Nov 16 19:10:38 -0800 2008 4164414 15507 Rick 1 4190387 Well this is horrible news for me, both as a starbucks drinker as a person who needs a job >.>" Thu Nov 20 17:11:09 -0800 2008 4164414 212885 AngelSanctuary 1 4198085 While I admit, I DO like--no I LOVE Starbucks Coffee. They make it strong--which is the way I enjoy it. However, what I do not care for about Starbucks is: There is no small, medium or large. It bothers me with this venti, grande..blah blah stuff. My long-standing order is "Venti coffee with room for milk please". They always have a tendency to overfill the cup. I like my milk and my fake sugar in my coffee. They should have two lines at SB. One for people who just want COFFEE and the other for the fancy drinks. Other than that, I guess spending the extra $$ on a decent cup of coffee is better than buying cigarettes. (I quit:)) Mon Nov 24 09:58:56 -0800 2008 4164414 239703 jarona 2 4198353 i like so much milk that i get a "tall in a grande cup". that way they don't overfill and they only charge me for the smaller size. it's lovely of them. :) Mon Nov 24 11:33:52 -0800 2008 4198085 99136 AMFM