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I wonder if the tactic of opening a lot of stores is to drive small mom and pop coffee shops out of business.
I can't claim to know their motives, although beating the competition is a pretty common goal for any business.
However, I do think that one of the main things Starbucks did was to popularize the idea of the coffee shop - to bring coffee for its own sake to a whole new audience. Oddly enough, I have seen a lot more independent coffee shops since the Starbucks boom started than I ever did before that. It's possible that some of these little local businesses are giving the big dogs a run for their money.
I can't claim to know their motives, although beating the competition is a pretty common goal for any business.
However, I do think that one of the main things Starbucks did was to popularize the idea of the coffee shop - to bring coffee for its own sake to a whole new audience. Oddly enough, I have seen a lot more independent coffee shops since the Starbucks boom started than I ever did before that. It's possible that some of these little local businesses are giving the big dogs a run for their money.
Another thing about Starbucks is that you can go into one anywhere in the country and your favorite drink will taste the same. I also agree about the whole coffee shop idea because I'm also seeing more and more independent coffee shops popping up.
Starbucks stores in the US are all company owned - no franchises. They do licenses for stores in hard to access places - bookstores, airports, colleges, et al. But the stand alone stores are all company owned.
You're right. I had looked at opening a Starbucks in China a few years ago and I discovered they were all corporate owned in China. But, I had remembered that the stores in the US were franchises, but I guess I remembered wrong.
Starbucks will be fine as their global growth is phenomenal, but I don't see a whole lot of growth coming out of the US in coming years. Starbucks plans to add around 1200 stores a year in China, that completely dwarfs the 150 closures a year in the US. In fact, I bet this would be a great time to buy Starbucks stock as many worry about the political outfalls, but in reality their growth is still really good globally.
I just looked it up and Starbucks stock dropped nearly 10% today... maybe I will wait a few days and buy some stock...
They are closing 150 stores. Did they grow too big too fast or is this a reflection of their over the top political correctness? Growth rate last quarter was 1%, only about 1/3 of what was expected.
Gotta stay out of politics, or pay the political price.
Not! They are building MORE locations as they close that are not producing as well. There will be a new one in my small city shortly. I’ve met the trainees.
I would rather go to Waffle House, much better coffee, food and atmosphere.
I liked it too, and I like Tim Hortons. I actually like McDonald's coffee a lot I just wish they wouldn't serve it roughly the temperature of the surface of the sun.
I think just closing underperforming stores. Good business sense. Cut your loses and open up in another location.
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