Yesterday, had you come to my house, you would have witnessed such a pitiful sight, you would have know the end of the world has to be coming: Golden Boy and I frantically scanning the online list of Starbucks closings to see if our local Starbucks is one of those marked for execution.
How did it come to this? I went to college and graduate school when independent coffee houses were having their heyday and would never have deigned to spend my money at a Starbucks. I was one of those populist coffee drinkers — no corporate coffee for me. I have bemoaned to Starbucks-ification of North America — the horrifying spectacle of four Starbucks on the four corners of the same intersection was enough to keep me up at night.
But, somehow, slowly, Starbucks began to erode my political, aesthetic and culinary taste. First, they managed to close most of the independent coffee houses so, even if I wanted to sip alternative coffee, I couldn’t. Second, by virtue of their ubiquity, I started to expect a Starbucks at every intersection and to feel peeved if there wasn’t one when I wanted a cup of coffee; on road trips, in particular, I noticed that I started to expect a Starbucks in every city, however small.
I also have to admit that, when I recently travelled in Europe, Starbucks had consistently clean and free bathrooms, so even when I was tramping around in cities renowned for their epicurean delights, I was often drinking my coffee at a Starbucks.
When Golden Boy and I moved to our current residence, we were dismayed to discover that there were no local independent coffee houses (well, they’re a dying breed, so no particular surprise) but pleased that at least there was a Starbucks about a mile away. We’ve spent a lot of time there working and reading. We generally don’t like Starbucks coffee, disdain the cardboard constructions that pass as “pastries,” and are annoyed by the lack of free WiFi.** But, we go there because it’s convenient, it’s nice to get out of the house, and the “baristas” are friendly.
So, imagine our despair yesterday when we discovered that Starbucks is closing not only the store near our house but every Starbucks in our little suburban town. Now, the nearest coffee will be in the local Barnes and Noble — which is a terrible place to work.
We’re so depressed — and we’re also chagrined to discover that we’ve become the kind of people who are depressed when they can’t go to Starbucks whenever and where ever they want.
Gotta be the end of the world, right?
** Notorious Ph.D recently celebrated the free WiFi at Starbucks, but that’s not true in our area. CORRECTION: Notorious actually remarked upon the lack of WiFi at Starbucks. Whoops. My mistake.
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July 19, 2008 at 3:45 pm
squadratomagico
Maybe some great independent places will move in, now that Starbucks won’t have a monopoly in your area! Then you can have your coffee and a free conscience, too!
July 19, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Starbucks Closure List
Maybe it’s time for their competitors …
July 20, 2008 at 2:19 am
disenchanted
It’s sad – our only local coffee shop is hard to get to due to this gignormous construction project; plus it’s never open when I leave for work and it’s closed on Mondays. *$ was my fall-back position for my morning cuppa’ — and now they are closing the one on my way to work. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a real coffee shop to move in.
July 21, 2008 at 12:32 am
Notorious Ph.D.
Quick correction: Actually, what I was celebrating was the *lack* of free WiFi — it’s the only way I can work without distraction.
But I agree with you on the way that Starbucks has often eliminated the local coffee shops. In fact, whenever I move into a new area, I make the presence of an indy coffee shop within a mile and a half non-negotiable.
July 21, 2008 at 1:09 pm
BSG
Notorious PH.D., not all of us live in college town or big city or have the capital to make such vows! You would have a very hard time fulfilling your vow where I live, even with unlimited $!
July 21, 2008 at 1:45 pm
BSG
Full disclosure: I’m not Bittersweet Girl.
July 21, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Rebecca
Thanks for posting the link to the “list.” Only 6 Starbucks are slated for closure in the Houston area and these don’t include the triple Starbucks at Shepherd and West Gray.
“There is a Starbucks across the street from a Starbucks!” was made infamous by comedian Lewis Black. The third one? It sits safely in the Barnes & Noble at the same corner.
July 22, 2008 at 3:21 am
bsgirl
Sorry Notorious! I corrected the quotation.
Yes, I’m hopeful that the decline of Starbucks indicates a revival of the hallowed independent coffee house but, considering the state of the economy, that seems unlikely. I think I’m just going to have to resign myself to working at home or in my office — no more chillin’ at the coffee house like I’m still a grad student.
July 23, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Mel
Oh, I feel for you. There’s something about coffee house atmosphere that really helps me when I’m feeling stuck on a project. GF and I were carefully looking over the list too — to make sure that not only our “usual” sbx was not on the list, but also the 2nd and 3rd tier ones. I do also go to local owned places when possible, but it’s not always possible. And since those places tend to include live music on weeknights, if you want to grade papers at a coffee shop at that time it’s got to be sbx.