Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 12, 2008 9:29:30 PM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

As Starbucks Wanes, Java Fiends Revel in Indie Cafes

Posted Jul 6, 08 6:29 PM CDT in Arts & Living,  Business 

(Newser) – As Starbucks' financial troubles percolate, not all java fiends are bemoaning the loss of the chain's talls, grandes, and ventis, reports Reuters. In fact, many are celebrating the java giant's downturn and throwing their support behind small independent cafes. Starbucks is set to close 600 stores and lay off 12,000 employees while local coffee shops are sprouting up nationwide.

"They've commoditized cafe culture, which is why I don't go," said one coffee drinker. "They went too big, too fast," said a caterer. A Canadian trends expert explains that in contemporary society, many people "take delight in seeing an icon torn down by the masses," adding, "Starbucks was a cool brand, and then all of a sudden it's not a cool brand."

Source Reuters

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • UK Press Grinds Starbucks for Wasting Water

    Oct 10, 08 11:50 AM CDT
    UK Press Grinds Starbucks for Wasting Water Starbucks is abuzz as it tests new methods of spoon-cleaning, a reaction to a UK tabloid's report that the caffeine titan wastes 6.2 million gallons of water daily, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. Every store leaves a tap running constantly, the Sun said; Starbucks confirmed the claim, explaining that the water was part of a “dipper well” system that sanitizes utensils.
    More »

  • Drown Money Woes With Cups of Joe

    Jul 10, 08 11:01 AM CDT
    Drown Money Woes With Cups of Joe While Congress worries about what to do for Americans squeezed by gas prices, Starbucks has its own ideas. To lure back people who are cutting pricey lattes out of the budget, new promotions are being launched around the country, writes the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.  More »

  • Cup of Joe Getting Smaller

    Jul 9, 08 3:18 PM CDT
    Cup of Joe Getting Smaller One purveyor of fine coffee is drawing a line in the sand: Come Aug. 1, Chicago brewer and distributor Intelligentsia will phase out its 20-ounce option—or venti, per Starbucks lingo, the Chicago Tribune reports. Brewing such a large cup dilutes the proportions necessary for maximum flavor, Intelligentsia's CEO says, resulting in a "a watered-down, Big Gulpish version.” More »

  • Smucker Nears Folgers Deal

    Jun 4, 08 7:18 AM CDT
    Smucker Nears Folgers Deal A deal in which JM Smucker Co. will acquire Folgers from Proctor & Gamble is percolating and expected to close this week, the Wall Street Journal reports. The all-stock purchase, which could ring in at $2 billion or more, means Smucker will nearly double in size and take over the leading spot in the coffee market. More »

  • Starbucks Banks on New Hardware

    May 30, 08 4:59 PM CDT
    Starbucks Banks on New Hardware With the grounds of a sour economy sticking between shareholders' teeth, Starbucks is looking to a new espresso machine to perk profits back up, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. "What this machine is about is whether Starbucks can get its virginity back," one observer says of the semi-automatic Mastrena, which brewed its first shot in New York today. How the Mastrena might help: More »

Patrons sit inside a Starbucks store in downtown Boston Tuesday, July 1, 2008.   (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Men play chess over a cup of Starbuck's coffee Tuesday, July 1, 2008, in Alameda, Calif.   (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
A 5 lb. bag, and a 1 lb. bag of Starbucks Corp. new "everyday" coffee, called "Pike Place Roast."   (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren File)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 1)

Tags

Starbucks  • coffee  • cafes  • Java


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Business Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »