To do over Starbucks at USP

[donegal punk]

Owner-operators. No full-timers. Not even steady part-timers.

Looking forward to HCR exchanges giving the chamber of commerce plan a little competition for self-coverage if you really want to know.

I'm willing to bet that small businesses end up screwed in all of this. But that's another thread.

[mateo]

Hey guys,

I'm not from Philly, but my small community is also dealing with a potential Starbucks entry. Just like your town, we have a bunch of locally owned small businesses that we typically take great pride in and don't necessarily want to open it up to nationwide chains.

I heard through the grapevine the other day that a Starbucks was planning on coming into our small town and I couldn't decide if I was happy or if I was repulsed at the possibility. I started to do some research on Starbucks and how their entry affected small communities and came across a web site from a man by the name of Bryant Simon (www.everythingbutthecoffee.net). His most recent blog post was regarding this topic.

It seemed like the Spruce Hill area was pretty similar to our small community in CO, so I figured I would indulge a bit more and do some more research, thus leading me to this site.

You guys all have some pretty valuable input that has really helped me bring my true opinion to surface. I think, like many of you, as well as Bryant have discussed, the need for development in small communities (mine especially) is somewhat necessary. While the actual company may not be the most preferred, it does, in a way, heighten competition and increase innovation in terms of business.

If a Starbucks were to enter our community, I don't think I would fight it all that much. Instead, I would hope that we, as a community, could rise to the challenge and create something worthy of competiting against the coffee conglomerate that Starbucks is.

That's just my two cents. Definitely check out Bryant's website/blog. He lives in your area and will most certainly be keeping tabs on the situation, as will I. Here's the link one more time: Everything But The Coffee: Home Page

[donegal punk]

Has everyone seen the signage announcing the Starbucks coming soon?

I know, I know...I read all the arguments and the blah blah. Some were for, some were against.

I know that people will go to their regular shops and do their regular things.

I also know that the plan was for an addition as part of the bookstore a la Barnes and Noble. It may be attached to their bookstore by a loooooooong hallway, but it just looks like a big old Starbucks to me.

[seand]

Zoning laws and the Constitution still should apply uniformly to corporations we have decided to get all in fuss about (while conveniently ignoring the 20-odd butt ugly Dunkin' Donuts scattered all over West/SW Philly).

I think only certain people get in a fuss over Starbucks as if its different from any other chain because they are uncomfortable with the idea that its marketed at people like them. It makes them extra uncomfortable because they really are psychically uncomfortably close to the "yuppie scum" they feel Starbucks represents. To me its a chain, like a Dunkin' Donuts or McDonalds or Popeye. No more, no less. It does not offend me more because it pretends to be a little bit closer to the types of places that I actually go to get coffee.

Hating on Starbucks (which does give insurance) and not hating on other chains that don't makes no logical sense, no matter how you cut it. It says a lot more about the people doing the hating and their personal insecurities than the facts on the ground.

Nuff said.

[donegal punk]

I hate everything.

[thoth]

isn't there already a starbucks less than a mile away 38th and locust? I know that may be a different neighborhood, but it seems like if they were going to suck all the business away from the locally owned cafes in the area that would have already happened. heck lovers and madmen is may 3 blocks away from the existing place and they seem to be doing fine. I think this is a pretty logical plan for a college campus that is not particularly well served by other small businesses.