Yeah, it's cool to hate Starbucks, but seriously?

[chickencoop31320]

Quote:
I believe this is the current "call to arms" against them.
The OP is correct that SB now sends coffee to soldiers.
A while back SB was "speaking out against the war" and they got boycotted by a good size group (a lot of them military) and I think they woke up a bit.
SB started being more "troop/soldier friendly" and that pulled their "buns" outta the fire...
In fact, they recently opened a SB at the PX here at Fort Stewart.
I don't think they would be open a store ON A MILITARY INSTALLATION if the military was boycotting them

That being said--- I don't think anyone should pay $5 for a freekin coffee...
OR
Spend $5 for coffee while their kids go without, but that's not SB's fault, its the person's judgment that's faulty there.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Kudos to your mom's store for sending coffee!

Sure- they made a big joke about Starbucks because for a while there seemed to be one popping up on every corner. So what- they have really nice clean stores, indulgent desserts, and they provide good jobs. As far as I'm concerned- they set the standard. Even McDonalds is trying to copy them to get some of that business now- except McDonalds doesn't offer fair trade products.

Where I used to live there was a Starbucks, Arabica, and a local shop (the last to open!) all in the same block. Over 10 years now- and nobody went out of business.
Oh I'd love a frozen caramel frappachino. Guess I gotta wait for the next road trip.

 

[StupidBird]

Starbucks is the only place in town I could go for a herbal tea, and oatmeal that didn't have stuff I'm allergic to added in. Their staff was always so patient and sweet about going through all the ingredient labels, watching cross contamination and all. It is the only place in town I can sit, cruise with my laptop on their free internet, and sit as long as I like drinking and just wasting time. All Starbucks I know always have a bucket on the side for bags of used grounds for gardeners' compost. Waffle House, when I asked, was "duh?" clueless as to the whole concept. I am sorry that I haven't been able to go for months. When I travel, Starbucks is one of the few "safe" stops for eating something. Now that I'm also going gluten free, I'll have just the tea.

 

[Goose and Fig]

One more little thing- the 2 Starbucks from our old neighborhood always hosted the "dog watering station" every time there was an art or music festival. I don't know if they all do that- but I thought it was cool.

 

[michickenwrangler]

In high school, I worked at a small chain of coffeeshops that was family owned so out of respect for my employers, I never bought coffee at Starbucks.

I have a few times, but I live in a small town, so no Starbucks for 45 miles. There is one on Saginaw Valley State Univ.'s campus.

BTW, my favorite line in the movie "Best of Show"

"We met at Starbucks... not the same one, they were across the street from each other."

 

[debilorrah]

People send me their unflattering opinions, I look the rumor up and send them a link. I actually lost a friend that way.....

 

[chickaddict]

Quote:
That's sad!! You would think that if someone was spreading a false rumor they would want to know about it. I would.

I would rather be told a truth that made me angry then be fed a lie that makes me smile. Unless your my husband and you're telling me I'm thin and beautiful!!!! That's required

 

[arabookworm]

people want to seem like they know whats going on, so they hear something like this and boycott just to look like they are worldly and sophisticated and stuff. they boycotted caribou coffee a while back because a saudi bank had a stake in it and they thought that this meant it supported terrorists. people jsut want to jump on a bandwagon. they don't want to do the actual research required to find out if it is actually worth boycotting.

 

[WriterofWords]

Yeah,, my 17 year old niece came home with this garbage from school because she got a million text messages telling her to boycott Starbucks,, and of course she pounced on it like she did the whole Save Darfur debacle. I told her I'm not boycotting a coffee shop because some idiot feels he needs his/her gun on them to drink coffee. After I go target shooting I lock my gun in my truck and go in and drink coffee! I'm more likely to get shot at my school than in Starbucks. What a load of manure.

 

[coffeelady3]

Quote:
There's enough of an anti-Starbucks sentiment that drive business in local coffee shops. I worked at Starbucks for 14 years, and there were 3 other local shops with in spitting distance of my store. One was down at the other end of the block, one was up a flight of stairs, and one moved in next door. They all moved in after we opened. All the stores did (and are still doing) just fine.

ETA-Starbucks made a point of donating tons of coffee to troops overseas, and not only on a corporate level. We did coffee drives in the store so the public could donate, we were encouraged to donate our free 1 lb of coffee a week if we weren't going to use it. Anyone who thinks Starbucks support the troops need to sit down, have a nice, warm, frothy latte, and chill the heck out!