More on the Missoula Starbucks

I posted here and here about the Missoula Starbucks situation. Well, this saga continues and Starbucks Gossip has another link to another writer that has weighed in on the subject. Rose Habib wrote this response to an earlier editorial that was printed in the Missoulian a week or so ago. Contrary to the Missoulian editor'’s opinion, the angst surrounding the opening of a downtown Starbucks is more than just a fashion statement amongst the "local intelligentsia." It is a very real threat to the local coffee shops AND the loyal customers who frequent them. Many of these stores opened in the tight downtown market under the mistaken assumption that the Missoula Downtown Association, or MDA, was shielding them from the bottomless pockets of national chain stores. The goal of the MDA was to create a uniquely Missoulian business district. What happened? While I agree that many small, independently owned espresso shops in America may owe their origin to Starbucks; I would argue that Starbucks, like many corporations, sold its soul on the route to ubiquity. Starbucks coffee has become a symbol of consistent mediocrity. No longer educating the public about coffee, they actually brew mass misconceptions about coffee and espresso (i.e. the caramel ‘macchiato’). This writer is worried about the local business not because she thinks Starbucks is going to run them out or that Starbucks is so much better. It is because the local businesses depend on the tourist dollar. Many people -- other than locals -- will not explore local coffee houses restaurantsnts if they see something that they know is all over the place -- Starbucks in this case. This is not all about Starbucks, however. This happens with any retail outlet. People are more likely to stop by a Walgreens than a mom and pop drug store while on vacation or traveling, you will eat at Applebee's and not the local burger place, and you will shop at Walmart and not the local hardware store. This is how we work. It is like going to Europe and eating at McDonalds. The nice thing about local business is the culture. Why would you want to shop at a place that is the exact same no matter the location? The great thing about traveling is exploring a different people. When you have a big chain, it is very rare to see anything but corporate culture. The location in Santa Fe will be the same as in Aspen as in Nashville as in Stowe. If the large chains could created local culture with each location, I think we would see this 'debate' fade away. That is why I shop local, buy local, and support local. I enourage you to do the same. Again, this debate is not about how Starbucks brews their coffee or creates fluffy drinks. This is about being local. Starbucks has done great things and they can do even more. They have created a coffee culture in the US and are going strong. They are not going to go away so it is time to just work side by side. ..be bold Tagged: Cafe Evoke, Bozeman, Montana, Starbucks, Coffee