Anyone else a sticky prick when it comes to starbucks?

[HEyHEY]

In my neighbourhood there's a starbucks (OF COURSE). But there's also two independent coffee shops and a J.J. bean, which is kind of independent, there's a couple around town. But they are owned by one person. The best independent place is Cafe Rustico. Owned by this awesome Italian guy who has a thick accent and is always cheery. He says things like, "You go ana drink dis outside! Isa to bella to be in here!"
And if you're cheery back he gives you free refills, plus his coffee is awesome.
So, anyway, with businesses like this around: WHY would anyone go to the starbucks? I am prejudice against them. Today I saw a very cute girl with a full length dress and a nice top, she had the whole Mediterranean thing going on. I was like, "God damn!"
As soon as I saw she was holding a starbucks cup, she lost all points with me.
Support the small business lady... it's way better.
Anyone else THIS prejudice?

[Shakespeare]

1. You'd reject somebody because they patronize Starbucks?

Somebody you otherwise found attractive?

hoh-kay, then :eyes:

You might want to check into Starbucks' humanitarian work and the way they treat their employees. What they do is almost unheard of (especially for an American corporation). They're not an evil company.

[HEyHEY]

3. I don't give a shit, it's about supporting your own community, not a chain

[Shakespeare]

6. And that's enough to reject somebody?

As I said....hoh-kay, then. :eyes:

I have no problem with wanting to support a local business, and even encouraging others to do the same, but to pass judgment on and then reject somebody because they don't meet your purity of commerce test strikes me as rather sad.

[HEyHEY]

11. Not as sad as being the patron of an international corp when a cool italian guy

Is just up the street. I refuse to acknowledge anyone that dense.

[Shakespeare]

16. Yeah, actually, it is.

:shakes head:

Sorry we can't all meet your ridiculous and arbitrary standards.

[HEyHEY]

19. Your plays sucked

[Shakespeare]

21. .

:rofl:

[HEyHEY]

22. .

;-)

[JVS]

33. Since when are the petty bourgeois mom and pop owners the community?

Let capitalism sell the rope with which to hang it. It is a lot easier for the monolithic Starbucks corporation to be seized and turned into "The Glorious Coffeeshop Kombinat of the People", than it would be to engage in a collectivization of a semi-feudal patchwork of small operations that have yet to employ the industrialized production methods of the 20th, let alone the 21st century.

[HEyHEY]

42. I never looked at it that way.

[skygazer]

8. A lot depends on how you define an evil company

The thing with Starbucks (and Target and Borders as well as places like Wal-Mart) is that they do squash small business, they do wipe out downtowns, they do encourage people to shop by name rather than quality. That's sad.

A lot of them are "good" in the sense that they treat their employees well or they contribute to local charity or whatever.

However - when I was a kid, downtown was a vibrant, busy place. There were independant clothing stores, toy stores, bookstores, restaurants, hardware stores, grocery stores, delis, coffee shops, etc.

All those things are now replaced by Target, ToysRUs, Borders, Chilis, Home Depots, Costcos, Subways, Starbucks....

People don't even think about going in a place whose name they don't recognize. That's sad to me. And I think it's a loss.

[triguy46]

14. Which came first, flight of retail or flight to the suburbs?

I agree with your concern for the demise of downtowns, but what I see is that downtowns and midtowns are now being repopulated by people and local businesses that are very easy to like.

[Bridget Burke]

64. There's a new Target in my neighborhood.

Just north of Downtown Houston, on a major freeway intersection. It replaced empty warehouses & derelict former factories.

Customers represent all income levels & every ethnic group found in Houston.

[Shakespeare]

17. I agree with you completely.

I just think it's sad and ridiculous to judge and reject somebody because they bought a cup of Starbucks coffee.

[yvr girl]

27. They don't always kill downtown

I live spitting distance from downtown Vancouver - just across a bridge. There are aproximately 57 Starbucks within a 5 mile radius of my home (which includes downtown.) We have chain stores a plenty, but also a thriving downtown core.

The difference? People still live in downtown Vancouver - and not just economically disadvantaged people. Our downtown has businesses, but also schools, community centers, parks etc. We actually have people coming from other communities to study how we've done it. Boston and NYC also have thriving downtown communities.

[dysfunctional press]

2. i hold ALL coffee drinkers in contempt.

that stuff is vile, and the stench of it gives me a headache.

[hfojvt]

4. I hate coffee

Anybody who drinks it loses all progressive cred with me. Period.

[Clark2008]

7. I hope you're joking.

Coffee is the lifeblood of most progressives. :hi:

[hfojvt]

38. I hate jokes.

Anybody who jokes loses all progressive cred with me. Period.

[JVS]

32. Scotch is way better than coffee!

[hfojvt]

36. I hate alcohol

Anybody who drinks alcohol loses all progressive cred with me. Period.

[JVS]

37. Well then, let's saddle up to the bar for a nice bucket of poppy tea!

[Clark2008]

5. You should note that Starbucks charges a lot so that they can

provide insurance for their workers.

I used to feel the way you do - I had a bias against Starbucks because I felt I could make as good, if not better, cup of coffee without that price tag. Then I found out the reason for the price tag - they actually treat their employees half-way decent.

Does that help?

[triguy46]

13. I agree. I also like their brewed coffee.

But I also support our local coffee shop. And the one at the bakery. And at the convenience store. At my house.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

9. You fuck anything that moves, but not if they go to Starbucks?

[HEyHEY]

12. Hey! My whore days are over! Plus, starbucks is a good exscuse for a hate fuck

[Maddy McCall]

18. What's a "hate fuck?"

:shrug:

[HEyHEY]

23. A fuck that means nothing

[hfojvt]

26. unless you have a fear of

a fear of flying, that is known as a 'zipless fu$%'

[Oeditpus Rex]

20. ...

:rofl:

:applause:

[RetroLounge]

45. OMG!

:spray:

I bet he'd fuck her IN starbucks...

:D

RL

[Sock Puppet]

51. ...

:rofl:

[Lex]

10. I'm that way about most fat-cat chain restaurants, pubs, coffeeshops.

I'd much prefer to support the independently owned busineses.

We will go out of our way to support them, in fact.

[REP]

15. If There Was a 'Cafe Rustico' Here, Damn Straight I'd Be There!

When I lived in a big city, I hung at the independent coffee houses (and long before they were cool; I started when only middle-aged losers and high-school ditchers went there) but I have since moved to a smaller (and safer) town and my choice is a nondescript independent with no parking or a Stasrsux with a hcap parking. I go to Starsux.

[hellbound-liberal]

24. My main issue is consistency

We moved to a new neighborhood and I was determined to patronize the local coffeehouse. However, his product is pretty inconsistent and it's a real pain to get the drink fixed right. One reason that chains survive is that they provide a consistent product. If I had a Cafe Rustico, and his product was consistent, I would always choose him. As far as the cute girl is concerned, maybe you're being two judgemental. Maybe somebody gave her a coupon for a free cup of coffee at Starbucks and she had just cashed it in.

[HEyHEY]

25. No, she's an evil person and I hope she dies in a fiery car crash

[AmyDeLune]

29. A firey car crash extinguished by hot Starbuck's coffee?

:P

They bought up Coffee People and El Torriazone(sp) and promptly closed them all. :(

[montanto]

54. They killed coffee people??

that does it!

[JVS]

31. you say that about everyone

[HEyHEY]

34. nuns and orphans included

[JVS]

35. Nuns are for sexual fantasies, not car crashes.

[Evoman]

28. I don't care about shit like that before I sleep with em. I just put a bag over their coffee and get

it on.

[JVS]

30. I always go to the closest place with wireless internet and order a small...

iced coffee or something cheap. Then I nurse it for hours and surf the net. I am a horrible customer and I really don't give a shit whether I am wasting the space of a local place or a starbucks

[Connonym]

39. Hey HeyHEY, totally unrelated to this topic I have a question

You being the resident Canadian expert and all that (ok, the only Canadian I "know")

is it true that you can buy Vicodin or tylenol with codeine over the counter in Canada?

[HEyHEY]

40. I don't know

Never needed to.
I know you can get the morning after pill and stuff that way.

[GOPisEvil]

41. With that attitude how do you expect your pr!ck to be sticky?

:hide:

[Sock Puppet]

50. .

:rofl:

[Joe Fields]

43. I am not one to judge. I am from the generation that said....

"If it feels good, do it!"

[La Lioness Priyanka]

44. no, because star bucks gives its part time employees health benefits

[northzax]

46. have you asked about benefits and compensation

at the local coffee houses? when I needed to work a crappy job, I had my choice between sub-min (plus tips) at the local coffee shop, or $11/hour plus benes at Starbucks.

guess which one I worked at?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

49. thats exactly why i like starbucks a lot.

[SacredCow]

47. I guess it's a question of convenience for me...

If I need a coffee fix on my way to an appointment and the only shop on my route is Starbucks, I don't lose any sleep over patronizing them. If time is not a factor, then yes- I'm headed to CC's (which is a chain, but local). Quite frankly, there aren't many independent shops around here anymore.

[BarenakedLady]

48. Heh heh heh sticky prick heh heh heh

:rofl:


Ok, yes, I am 12 years old!

[underpants]

52. As long as I can get a Moca Milano I don't give a rip

Latte with equal parts (squirts) chocolate, hazelnut, caramel with the foam on top. I can almost make one at the 7-11. YUM!

[datasuspect]

53. starbucks is ass

predatory business model? check.

redundant market saturation? check.

$5 dollar coffee you can finance with a credit card? check.

starbucks banks on the relative youth of their workforce, who probably don't have as many illnesses as older workers do. a noncash form of compensation doesn't make a hill of beans when you struggle to buy food or pay rent. i knew a manager who made about 31,000/year in the late 90s. your average barista makes half that.

great benefits are just wonderful, but how good are they when you're in your early 20s and relatively healthy? seriously, how many career-track baristas are there who will stay with the company until they retire?

i guess that's why some starbucks workers are starting to organize and join the IWW.

insofar as corporate "consistency" goes, i call it soul crippling homogeneity.

i'll pass on the starbucks.

[HEyHEY]

57. Hey! Well put!

I never did think of that whole young workforce thing. They provide healthcare, but how much do they REALLY spend on it?
Plus, their coffee sucks ass anyway.

[datasuspect]

59. i hope they change they take a cue from idiocracy and change their business model

i'd be a customer if they offer "gentlemen's lattes"

[nickgutierrez]

55. I don't have a problem with Starbucks, the company, really...

...I just think their coffee tastes like somebody lit it on fire.

[Dukkha]

56. we're supporting them for supporting artists

My g/f will be displaying her paintings at a Starbucks here next week. We were reluctant to do this but decided it would be right. For one, there are no art galleries in this little town we’re showing in. So Starbucks letting her display her work is much needed for both herself and the community. The location gets lots of customers so th work will actually be seen. We just had a big reception at a gallery in downtown Columbus and barely anyone showed up. Just friends and family. We even promoted at a big gallery hop even they have here every month and no one even wanted to be bothered to take a flyer. They were just there to socialize and be been not even looking at the art. No one cares about supporting local artists or actually promoting some culture in their community. If it’s not a football game or the latest popcorn fodder movie they’d rather sit at home and watch American Idol. So it coffee customers will see and appreciate some local art so be it. You gotta go where the potential buyers go.

So Starbuck will get our support for being a very diverse progressive company who actually gives a damn about the community they are in. They are not Wal-Mart. They’re not driving people out of business or abusing their slave labor or peddling wares from a their world sweat shop.

[bertha katzenengel]

58. i worked at a coffee house for a year, moonlighting -- i couldn't agree more

go local!

i wish i could. the closest local is too far to go.

[Matsubara]

60. I much prefer local coffee joints.

If I want corporate coffee, I will buy Folger's. If I'm going to pay more for fancy coffee, I want the proceeds to go to local owners.

Nothing wrong with your thinking, no matter how progressive Starbucks may be.

[WindRavenX]

61. I work for starbucks, but I also support locally, if there is any

SLC doesn't have a booming coffee market :D

[Metta]

62. Half of their milk is laced with bgh and their baked goods are made with trans fats.

Plus, they've been really anit-union lately. All unnecessary.

[Bake]

63. Corporate schmorporate! I just like their damn coffee.

There's no escaping The Corporation anyway. Where do you buy your groceries? Your gasoline? Your car? Your ______ (take your pick)?

I just like Starbucks coffee. Period. And apparently I'm not alone (but then it's so much cooler to look down one's nose at the bourgeoisie).

Bake

[Bridget Burke]

65. So why didn't you introduce yourself?

Perhaps she's new to the neighborhood. Perhaps she was hoping some handsome, witty fellow would let her know about the "hip" coffeehouses?

I sometimes patronize a Starbucks near my job. Where there are very few alternatives.

My neighborhood coffee house also serves good food. Plus wine & beer! (Hey, this is Texas.)
www.onioncreekcafe.com/

[GirlinContempt]

66. Suck it up, capitalist pigdog