BethanyNorth Senior Member Joined: 27 Jul 2009 Posts: 18 Location: San Antonio Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Thu Jul 30, 2009, 11:03am Subject: Re: Starbucks is a Changing .. Can the Gourmet Coffee Shop Survive ?
Specifically, did you hear about the Seattle coffee shops owned by Starbucks (though not named Starbucks) that are starting to serve alcohol as an experiment? If Starbucks started serving alcohol in all other locations, then it would definitely change the gourmet coffee atmosphere.
Psyd Senior Member Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 1,178 Location: MON AZ Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Sylvia and Astoria Argenta... Grinder: Rocky and Astoria (Mazzer)...
Posted Thu Jul 30, 2009, 12:10pm Subject: Re: Starbucks is a Changing .. Can the Gourmet Coffee Shop Survive ?
BethanyNorth Said:
Specifically, did you hear about the Seattle coffee shops owned by Starbucks (though not named Starbucks) that are starting to serve alcohol as an experiment?
kim30 Senior Member Joined: 26 Jun 2009 Posts: 6 Location: LA Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Wed Aug 5, 2009, 3:31pm Subject: Re: Starbucks is a Changing .. Can the Gourmet Coffee Shop Survive ?
of course the small coffee shops can survive but only for the consumers that truly understand and appreciate good coffee. For the ones that look for convenience and just coffee for the caffeine Starbucks will continue to be the choice.
Worldman Senior Member Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,734 Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Expobar Office Control Grinder: Cimbali 6/S
Posted Thu Aug 6, 2009, 1:56pm Subject: Re: Starbucks is a Changing .. Can the Gourmet Coffee Shop Survive ?
The few times I have had it, I, too, find *$s drip coffee to tend toward stale-ness. But, heck, why does anyone bother with drip or other less robust coffees when there is espresso to be had. Just don't bother to get it at the BIG GREEN MONSTER. We, as enthusiats really need to frequent and support the inde shops if we want to preserve the 3rd wave experience.
Uh, gee, could it be because you can linger over a cup of drip/syphon/press pot coffee in a way you can't with a shot of espresso? Could it be for the same reason that sometimes you might want a Mounds bar, while other times you might choose an Almond Joy? (Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't!) Or why one time you might opt for the milk chocolate bar, other times the semi-sweet, and still others the 72% cacao truly dark chocolate?
Why do some third wave roasters/cafés serve syphon coffee, or press pot, or make individually brewed cups to order?
Worldman Senior Member Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 1,734 Location: Pittsburgh, PA, USA Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Expobar Office Control Grinder: Cimbali 6/S
Posted Fri Aug 7, 2009, 1:00am Subject: Re: Starbucks is a Changing .. Can the Gourmet Coffee Shop Survive ?
Zin1953 Said:
Uh, gee, could it be because you can linger over a cup of drip/syphon/press pot coffee in a way you can't with a shot of espresso? Could it be for the same reason that sometimes you might want a Mounds bar, while other times you might choose an Almond Joy? (Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't!)...
I say this "kinda" tongue-in-cheek and certainly do understand diversity of taste/opinion. That said...I can't remember the last time I lingered over a cup of coffee since I always drink espresso or machiatti or cino, i.e. an espresso based coffee beverage. I WILL linger over a water, fruit smoothy, herb tea, etc.
Posted Tue Aug 11, 2009, 12:40pm Subject: Re: Starbucks is a Changing .. Can the Gourmet Coffee Shop Survive ?
i'm going to be the voice of opposition here; I'm actually in favor of Starbucks changing thier image. I think Starbucks is at least a small reason why all of us on this site drink espresso and want a E61 machine in our kitchen. I think at one point we all wanted to be part of the Starbucks scene and we enjoyed a cup of what we percieved to be the best coffee we've ever tasted (before they Super Auto machines were installed)...I think they can re-capture that sense by making this change. I had to analyze Starbucks for many classes in college and the one thing I said they absolutely needed to do to get back to prominence is to go back to the manual machines, re-establish themselves as "earth friendly", point out the fact that they select thier beans from responsible farms (which they are now doing nationwide via billboard ads) and they need to stop growing so quickly that you can count on one hand the number of shops on the same block...they're finally realizing that they need to capture what they lost during the boom years and I think this is a step in the right direction.
How happy would you be if you could get a $3 cappucino that's almost as good as the one you make in your kitchen next time you're traveling? I'd be totally happy if I could get that...I don't spend the $3-5 on Starbucks coffee now because I know it's total crap made my a 17 year old kid pushing buttons...glad to see they may go back to the art of espresso crafting.
geekco Senior Member Joined: 24 Jul 2009 Posts: 9 Location: California Expertise: I like coffee
Espresso: Krups Expresso Novo Grinder: Krups Drip: Krups
Posted Sun Aug 16, 2009, 4:25pm Subject: Re: Starbucks is a Changing .. Can the Gourmet Coffee Shop Survive ?
Has anyone tasted McDonald's coffee, how does it compare to Starbucks. I know it would be cheaper, but is there really a comparison?
I know you mention McDonald's being a threat to Starbucks, but how?, can you explain?. One of the many arsenal that Starbucks has over McDonald's is ambience.
I have tried other name brand coffee shops: Peet's & Coffee Bean, and I am still fond of Starbucks. Any comments?
Posted Mon Aug 17, 2009, 10:51am Subject: Re: Starbucks is a Changing .. Can the Gourmet Coffee Shop Survive ?
I just yesterday had a cup of McDonald's coffee. I was in need of a cup of coffee and nothing else was around and being in Kona country sampling coffee I thought it a good idea to keep up on the entire coffee world and avoid becoming a coffee snob.
My thoughts on McDonalds coffee are the same as they were a few years back when I tried their new coffee.
First .. Their old black muddy coffee had character their new coffee is a boring and politicaly correct cup.
Second .. The idea it is better then Starbucks is absurd and when I hear such statements I have to wonder who is really drinking coffee these days ? Part of this is that their are a significant number of timid coffee drinkers on this forum that are anti anything dark roasted. They have close relations to tea drinkers but insist on drinking coffee. That's another story.
The reason McDonalds and Starbucks may have an impact on the gourmet coffee world is because most people really do not know and need coffee .. they follow the bandwagon and the almighty dollar. If big corporations say that coffee is out and tropical smoothies are in the coffee world will take a big hit.
Yes there will always be gourmet coffee drinkers and gourmet coffee baristas but there may not be enough of a mass market to support the pro consumer espresso machine makers .. the small coffee farm .. the small roaster. In my country at least .. in the USA .. these things are all relatively new.
Can they really sustain themselves when the market shifts ?
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