On our way back from Guemes Island this weekend, the Wallyhood family primly passed Starbucks, eschewing the corporate behemoth for a “little guy” stand. We were rewarded with two cups of warmish milk tasting mildly of burnt coffee. For a richer, more satisfying experience, we could have opted for Mushroom coffee.
Given our obviously self-destructive behavior, it should come as no shock that we’re no fans of the Starbucks Coffee and Lifestyle MegaCorp. That said, we’re also no fans of empty storefronts, so it was unfortunate to hear that the Starbucks at the corner of 45th and Stone Way would be closing May 22nd, and we’re too kind to indulge a bit of schadenfreude at the news that the landlord has refused them exit from their 10 year lease (of which only 2 have elapsed). Word is they’ll leave their sign out front of their shuttered shop.
Quad shot venti mocha, please, double pump of economic collapse.
(Thanks for the tip, Meagan!)
The employees of the “little guy” probably do not have health insurance. As far as behemoth corporations go, Starbucks is relatively benevolent. I worked there for 5 years, and although I’m a somewhat cynical and jaded person, I can tell you that Starbucks is a coporation that tries to do the right thing. Oh, also, I was a corporate employee and my benefits were THE SAME as the baristas. OK, getting off my soapbox now…
Good riddance I say. I love Diva just down the street and I’m sure when Starbucks moved in, they saw a decline in customers.
So there’s going to be an empty store sitting there for 8 years!? Now there’s a landlord who really cares about the neighborhood. How sad. :p
Although that development’s an improvement over the McDonald’s that used to sit there I am pretty disappointed in the retail that now occupies the space. Tanning salon, smoothie shop, frame store, cell phones… boring.
Hopefully with Archie McPhee’s moving in across the street someone will see an opportunity to make the Starbucks space into something a little more interesting. Please, please don’t be a Subway…
I agree about the stores that are currently in those spaces…and let alone the pretty typical looking building structure. I am tired of everything having that same look these days.
I do a lot of work for starbucks…and while I enjoy going to the smaller community coffee shops…I do realize that I do not have health insurance and the person making my coffee at starbucks does. I wish more companies would step up to the plate in that way. It would make my life better I know.
Shoot just build another molly moons so maybe I can get some ice cream.
Whats with the hate for corporations… that store closing probably cost 20 people their jobs (and health care). Im sure they really dont care if they work for the “little guy” or the “big guy.” And why you would get “schadenfreude” at this is beyond me. Sounds like someone has been living in their own little protected world for a bit too long. Would you all of a sudden hate Molly Moons if they were lucky enough to go nationwide and started providing health care, profit sharing, and 401Ks for their employees?
I imagine the building owner can only hold Starbucks responsible until the space is leased again to someone else. Times are tough though, so it may be vacant for a while like the space where Jamba Juice was in the same building.
Strange how much retail space is vacant in Wallyhood, but the state can’t seem to find a place to sign a lease for a new liquor store.
Good points, Ryan. It’s a complicated web: big corps can crush small businesses, but also provide jobs along the way.
My beef with Starbucks is that I feel like they McDonaldized a vibrant underground cafe culture. On the other hand, they spread a version of it to places it didn’t exist.
I believe strongly in locavore principles: I think the variety created by small, distributed, independent producers is inherently valuable, and that multi-national corporations work against that.
Walmart is another example: yes, great, low prices, but at what cost to society at large? How many mom and pop businesses driven out of business (and now all the more dependent on the low prices of Walmart, because Walmart hurt their ability to earn a living).
I was hoping the self-deprecating nature of the post (I got crappy coffee due to my blind idealism) would communicate my ambivalence on this topic, and maybe be a bit amusing.
The undiscovered gem in Wallingford is Kuma Coffee on 45th. In my mind it beats Vivace Victrola and the other big Seattle names. And yes, I like to support the llittle guy.
I have to agree with Ryan and others. I’m sure the intent of this post was not to begin a debate on the social benefits/perils of free market capitalism, but as an avid Wallyhood reader, it was disappointing to see such blanket judgment spread across all corporations. There are certainly irresponsible, greed-driven companies out there (ie, your reference to Wal-Mart)…I’d even agree they make up the vast majority. But as an insider, I can tell you that, while far from perfect, Starbucks makes a genuine effort to use its size for the betterment of society, whether that be health insurance for baristas or fair, eco-friendly purchasing practices.
I enjoy the independents as much as anyone else, but people often forget that many independents are IN business because of the culture that Starbucks helped socialize. And for many Wallingford residents, the 45th/Stone Starbucks IS their ‘local coffee shop’, with baristas they call friends that may soon be out of work.
I did, however, enjoy your subtle jab such idealism. In true Wallyhood form.
Isn’t Starbuck’s responsible for the $5 coffee culture? That, in and of itself, is a crime! I miss the $1.25 20 oz drip coffees of many many flavors that I used to be able to choose from at various indie shops about a decade ago. (In Texas)
Go Wallyhood, FINALLY a blogger that ain’t afraid to speak their mind. WHEW! I get tired of whiners who don’t want anyone to say anything bad about any company, it’s rediculous. Brainwashed to be corporate cheerleaders<<a travesty.
Newsflash, starbucks isn’t a “nationwide” company it’s a WORLD WIDE company. I think people turn a blind eye to huge corporations putting small businesses out of business with their sould crushing walmartizations. ME ME generation, as long as they can get their cheap crap, who cares about the locals, huh?. I DO. I did a freelance job there and the people are self obsessed, jacked up on coffee, and EXTREMELY rude to freelancers, so i have 0 sympathy.
Besides their coffee tastes like dirt. GO SMALL LOCALS!
p.s. Molly Moons ain’t up an tryin to put anyone out of business even if she did go nationwide.
I second the comments made by Ryan and Nate. Starbucks is making changes and responding to customers wishes. They are starting to allow a lot more store managers to make their own decisions about how their shop is run such as whether they display art from local artists and many aspects of supply and demand that allow to do green trade. The president’s heart is in the right place, but yes they are a worldwide business. I’m glad that the smaller coffee shops put pressure on Starbucks to open their eyes and take note on new ways to produce better drip coffee (read Clover) and espressos.