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Maybe you weren't around or whatever, but early on when SB invaded NYC and other areas (expanding out of Seattle) the openly competed with local coffee places, diners, etc...
Like Cafe Nervosa in television show Frasier, SB actively encouraged people to roll up and spend hours just sitting around doing whatever. If a free refill here and there encouraged that behaviour, so be it. Again it wasn't any skin off SB's back because they throw away coffee that isn't drunk within a short period after brewing anyway. Again if it earns a place bit of goodwill, why not give something away they otherwise weren't going to use.
This was all before SB introduced free WiFI, and things got out of hand where places became home offices/away from home, after school and senior centers, etc...
More to the point SB having driven out of business many smaller local places with their huge stores, found themselves done in by their own madness. SB had these huge stores filled with people sitting for hours, but sales largely were those taking their brew to go. Things got worse when they began offering free WiFi, and use of restrooms to any and everyone even if they didn't buy anything.
So now of course they didn't or needn't do anything to encourage people to stay; problem was how to make some go to free up tables.
You'll notice while many Starbucks have closed, the new stores are usually smaller and have less seating. Now they are going further down that rabbit hole by moving heavily towards curbside pick-up. Soon SB will be like no small number of coffee places that are just small store fronts with no to little seating. You roll up, order your brew and snacks, pay and go.
I am only go going to sb like 3 years or so. So I don't recall. But we live in a mobile world now. On the go . That's what I have been doing ordering on the go. So big deal I can't get a refill and sit in the store. I can manage. It will be weird once they allow people to sit and hang out again. Or will they ever allow that again? I wonder at this point in time. If wearing masks is becoming such a permanent thing how will they have in store dining anywhere in the near future? I almost can't see it. Which is scary
Tried DD dark roast a few times both from stores and bought a few bags to brew at home; wasn't impressed.
Best coffee to go IMHO is from any Wawa in NJ!
I recently tried a cup of Colombian/house brew made at Westside Market on Lexington and 92 and was pleasantly surprised with it, bought a full bag. All in all, I'm pretty good for the next 2-3 months, and Starbucks just never makes it on my list of coffees to buy
I guess it was nice to go to Starbucks more for the ambiance than for the coffee itself. And yes , their success was based on the concept of a 3rd home with cozy furniture.
The comments about refills were true, but not consistent in all stores and I think they charged $ 0.5 only to tea and brewed coffee.
I noticed over the years and in different locations/ states that they were getting rid of cozy furniture. At the beginning some of them even have sofas!, eventually, they were replaced for small tables. ( same thing happened with Barnes and Nobles with comfy chairs).
It's always good to have your local coffee shop ( as your local bar, grocery shop, drugstore...etc) to connect with your community. But I have to say that some people take advantage of that, like the ones using the restrooms for a while, the ones using more than 2 outlets for themselves and my favorite ones; the ones who bring dinner from outside vendors to eat on the tables.
For these reasons , it probably going to change to adapt to the new times.
I recently tried a cup of Colombian/house brew made at Westside Market on Lexington and 92 and was pleasantly surprised with it, bought a full bag. All in all, I'm pretty good for the next 2-3 months, and Starbucks just never makes it on my list of coffees to buy
Have been meaning to get up there and check out that Westside Market, never seem to make it however past Whole Foods on Third! *LOL*
Friends who live up that way say Gristedes at Lexington and 89th is still doing a booming business, so guess Westside Market hasn't cut that much into their sales.
Have been meaning to get up there and check out that Westside Market, never seem to make it however past Whole Foods on Third! *LOL*
Friends who live up that way say Gristedes at Lexington and 89th is still doing a booming business, so guess Westside Market hasn't cut that much into their sales.
It’s worth a trip imo. They have a lot of good stuff over there. You will not be disappointed. But I realize, when I lived in the city, walking over to another avenue seemed like going to another town lol.
The variety and freshness really stood out. If I lived near WSM it would be my regular stop.
When you live in NYC, a six figures salary is middle class.
Six figures is a huge and vague category. Earning $100,000 is not the same as earning $600,000. And $600,000 (or even half that) in NYC isn't middle class.
Maybe you weren't around or whatever, but early on when SB invaded NYC and other areas (expanding out of Seattle) the openly competed with local coffee places, diners, etc...
Like Cafe Nervosa in television show Frasier, SB actively encouraged people to roll up and spend hours just sitting around doing whatever. If a free refill here and there encouraged that behaviour, so be it. Again it wasn't any skin off SB's back because they throw away coffee that isn't drunk within a short period after brewing anyway. Again if it earns a place bit of goodwill, why not give something away they otherwise weren't going to use.
This was all before SB introduced free WiFI, and things got out of hand where places became home offices/away from home, after school and senior centers, etc...
More to the point SB having driven out of business many smaller local places with their huge stores, found themselves done in by their own madness. SB had these huge stores filled with people sitting for hours, but sales largely were those taking their brew to go. Things got worse when they began offering free WiFi, and use of restrooms to any and everyone even if they didn't buy anything.
So now of course they didn't or needn't do anything to encourage people to stay; problem was how to make some go to free up tables.
You'll notice while many Starbucks have closed, the new stores are usually smaller and have less seating. Now they are going further down that rabbit hole by moving heavily towards curbside pick-up. Soon SB will be like no small number of coffee places that are just small store fronts with no to little seating. You roll up, order your brew and snacks, pay and go.
this all makes perfect sense. there is no reason for a place to have people sitting there all day who spent 4 dollars and want a bunch of refills.
So then the "store owners" are the stockholders,. right?
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