karma is a bitch

and their 'coffee' is the worst I've ever had the misfortune of tasting

Visiting a friend's bookstore yesterday, I noticed a formerly cutting-edge Starbucks at 4th and South in Philadelphia shut down with brown paper over their windows. South Street is a hip area for 20-something partiers and aging hipsters. This Starbucks had a decent 2nd floor with windows overlooking the corner.

It seemed rather ballsy to open as it did years ago. Over the years I might have been a customer three times; knowing the surrounding poverty, I can only guess the interior became a homeless encampment.

Oh, well. More business for one-up owner-run establishments.

I was in Seattle for a conference last week. I went into a few starbucks and each one had 2-3 individuals that appeared to be living there.

Not much you can do about it in Seattle I guess.

quote:

Originally posted by redstone:
...each one had 2-3 individuals that appeared to be living there.

Good lord...that HAS to violate some health ordinance SOMEWHERE!?!? Can you imagine the bugs and vermin these people carry and attract? I'm not trying to be judgemental...I'm just thinking about the health risk of some hobo bedding down in his filthy sleeping bag or blanket on his filthy mat in a Starbucks I may frequent. The last damned thing I want to see is some tree roach crawling around the scone display. Not that the store can't get them on its own, but why exacerbate the problem? JSMH...

My guess is that the landlord wanted to up the rent on SBUX and they walked instead. I see this all the time. SBUX has no problem walking away from an established location if the LL tries to squeeze them, and will find a new location down the block.

Also, what I've seen with the bathroom situation is that some SBUXs are now just not letting anyone use the bathroom. I've seen where the "Bathroom" sign has been replaced with "Employees Only".

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:
Visiting a friend's bookstore yesterday, I noticed a formerly cutting-edge Starbucks at 4th and South in Philadelphia shut down with brown paper over their windows. South Street is a hip area for 20-something partiers and aging hipsters. This Starbucks had a decent 2nd floor with windows overlooking the corner.

It seemed rather ballsy to open as it did years ago. Over the years I might have been a customer three times; knowing the surrounding poverty, I can only guess the interior became a homeless encampment.

Oh, well. More business for one-up owner-run establishments.

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
My guess is that the landlord wanted to up the rent on SBUX and they walked instead. I see this all the time. SBUX has no problem walking away from an established location if the LL tries to squeeze them, and will find a new location down the block.

Also, what I've seen with the bathroom situation is that some SBUXs are now just not letting anyone use the bathroom. I've seen where the "Bathroom" sign has been replaced with "Employees Only".

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:
Visiting a friend's bookstore yesterday, I noticed a formerly cutting-edge Starbucks at 4th and South in Philadelphia shut down with brown paper over their windows. South Street is a hip area for 20-something partiers and aging hipsters. This Starbucks had a decent 2nd floor with windows overlooking the corner.

It seemed rather ballsy to open as it did years ago. Over the years I might have been a customer three times; knowing the surrounding poverty, I can only guess the interior became a homeless encampment.

Oh, well. More business for one-up owner-run establishments.

They'd better get rid of the bran muffins, then.

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
Also, what I've seen with the bathroom situation is that some SBUXs are now just not letting anyone use the bathroom. I've seen where the "Bathroom" sign has been replaced with "Employees Only".

Good luck to them with that in Florida. Open a restaurant (which is what the business licence says) and you must provide bathroom access for your customers.

Different state, who knows. I know a lot of restaurants here have sign saying that restrooms are for customers only.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
Also, what I've seen with the bathroom situation is that some SBUXs are now just not letting anyone use the bathroom. I've seen where the "Bathroom" sign has been replaced with "Employees Only".

Good luck to them with that in Florida. Open a restaurant (which is what the business licence says) and you must provide bathroom access for your customers.

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
karma is a bitch

and their 'coffee' is the worst I've ever had the misfortune of tasting

You have my vote for the worst coffee. Got that shit served to us on an airline coming across teh Atlantic a couple decades ago. I spent 11 years in the army, drinking what ever they served for coffee. Stuff brewed in a 20-30 gallon pot the size of a fuel drum. Boiled for some period of time. None of that stuff was nearly as bad as Starbucks.

I have no problem with their policy of denying access to their places for purposes other than buying/drinking coffee. I would have to be very desperate for coffee to buy theirs.