Starbucks Sells Juice, Preps New Health Chain

Conversation dies among coffee cups, wi-fi and headphones, says reasearcher

(NEWSER) - Starbucks sells itself as a "third place" between work and home, but its customers fail to interact the way people used to in public spaces, according to history professor Tom Simon. "Rarely do these different people doing different things actually talk and exchange ideas. But talk and ideas are crucial to the making of community," he writes in his book Everything but the Coffee: Learning about America from Starbucks. More»

Giant rebrands one Seattle store '15th Avenue Coffee and Tea'

(NEWSER) - With traffic waning, Starbucks has a new strategy: It’s dropping “Starbucks” from store names and rebranding them to reflect their neighborhoods, the Seattle Times reports. 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea, for example, won’t feature the Starbucks logo—even bags of coffee will be labeled “15th Avenue.” The shop will also aim for a classic coffeehouse vibe, selling alcohol and featuring live music and poetry. More»

Your health and your wallet will benefit from a little moderation

(NEWSER) - Though Starbucks' recent price hike averages just 9 cents a cup, that's still $50 a year for a java junkie with a five-latte-a-week habit. Save yourself with these tips from the Chicago Tribune:

1. A 300-calorie snack in the afternoon is a healthier pick-me-up than coffee.

Customers linger for hours, and don't always buy anything

(NEWSER) - It's a good problem to have ... maybe? Starbucks is making huge inroads in China, and expects it to become its second-biggest market, booting Canada to No. 3, by 2014. But a lot of the customers who are pouring in these days don't seem to want to leave. Or, in many cases, buy anything. Reuters reports that Chinese nationals don't have the same to-go mentality of Americans and other customers, preferring to linger for hours. And with lower income levels than their American counterparts, many customers bring their own food—and, in some cases, pass on buying a drink. More»

Opens Evolution Fresh near Seattle

(NEWSER) - Instead of venti cappuccinos, veggie juices: Starbucks has opened its first juice bar, called Evolution Fresh, in Bellevue, Washington. Customers can purchase smoothies or bottled fruit and vegetable juices (sample: the Spiced Carrot, made with carrots, blueberries, and cinnamon); calorie-conscious food options include vegan options. It's not clear yet how many locations Starbucks plans: Health food is a $50 billion industry, Reuters notes, but juice bars may not boast the profit margins of Starbucks' coffee shops, analysts say. More»