OUCH!
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Hey....really. I know this is the least of our worries. But maybe yuppies will 'get smart' a little faster. Hopefully, they'll save their asses before next winter.
...eh...probably not.
Full Version: Starbucks to close 600 stores in the U.S.
Wow that must be almost all the stores in LA! (I hope....)
Wow, good thing we're not in a recession or depression.
this is NOT the least of our worries
first United Airlines lays off 950 pilots! NOT 950 stewardess or clerks, PILOTS!!!
The economy is tanking big time, bush ignores it on purpose, Obama and McCain are focused only on winning, and in the meantime the store is going down the tubes...
first United Airlines lays off 950 pilots! NOT 950 stewardess or clerks, PILOTS!!!
The economy is tanking big time, bush ignores it on purpose, Obama and McCain are focused only on winning, and in the meantime the store is going down the tubes...
QUOTE (Randys @ Jul 1 2008, 05:42 PM) 
this is NOT the least of our worries
first United Airlines lays off 950 pilots! NOT 950 stewardess or clerks, PILOTS!!!
The economy is tanking big time, bush ignores it on purpose, Obama and McCain are focused only on winning, and in the meantime the store is going down the tubes...
first United Airlines lays off 950 pilots! NOT 950 stewardess or clerks, PILOTS!!!
The economy is tanking big time, bush ignores it on purpose, Obama and McCain are focused only on winning, and in the meantime the store is going down the tubes...
Oh yea, Bush ignores it on purpose.. what a crappy world!!
What should Obama & McCain be doing right now (instead of campaigning) that would win your approval?
QUOTE (Randys @ Jul 1 2008, 11:42 AM)
this is NOT the least of our worries
first United Airlines lays off 950 pilots! NOT 950 stewardess or clerks, PILOTS!!!
The economy is tanking big time, bush ignores it on purpose, Obama and McCain are focused only on winning, and in the meantime the store is going down the tubes...
first United Airlines lays off 950 pilots! NOT 950 stewardess or clerks, PILOTS!!!
The economy is tanking big time, bush ignores it on purpose, Obama and McCain are focused only on winning, and in the meantime the store is going down the tubes...
Bad news for tourism in Hawaii.
United is the biggest carrier to the Islands.
But im the decider, and I decide that we are not in a recession, its just a coffee break. So keep the starbuckens open, there will be lots of starbuckens out there, just keep catapultin the starbucken and all will be great. The decider has spoken. Hile me. Signed, Daddys son.(of a bitch)
QUOTE (Mayoria @ Jul 1 2008, 02:45 PM)
Oh yea, Bush ignores it on purpose.. what a crappy world!!
What should Obama & McCain be doing right now (instead of campaigning) that would win your approval?
What should Obama & McCain be doing right now (instead of campaigning) that would win your approval?
How about closing the ports that we can't regulate.
The Iraqis are now waiting in gas lines. Welcome to Amerca guys. Amerca is what used to be America, but we are now too stupid to spell, vote, and know what is in our best interests.
QUOTE (RandiLover @ Jul 1 2008, 05:49 PM)
How about closing the ports that we can't regulate.
They didn't get elected yet.. they're still campaigning.. election is in November.
But you think we should just close our ports?
Why? What kind of regulation do you mean?QUOTE (krinla @ Jul 1 2008, 04:11 PM)
Wow that must be almost all the stores in LA! (I hope....)
Yeah, that just might be all the stores on Santa Monica between Bundy and Western....
QUOTE (Mayoria @ Jul 1 2008, 02:45 PM)
Oh yea, Bush ignores it on purpose.. what a crappy world!!
What should Obama & McCain be doing right now (instead of campaigning) that would win your approval?
What should Obama & McCain be doing right now (instead of campaigning) that would win your approval?
they cant do anything yet and bush refuses to, net result is we are getting screwed
eventually, if you push joe sixpack around long enough, he will push back...
and no, I am not joe sixpack and I am not talking about you, I am talking about corp america and the political establishment
unfortunately, there are both democrats and republicans who are under the control of the corporate structure so much so that what is good for a guy like you is never taken into consideration, never...now, when a democrat needs votes, he panders to the individual and ultimately does things that helps that individual, but once in office they are a loose cannon.
QUOTE (adamquestor @ Jul 1 2008, 03:00 PM)
Yeah, that just might be all the stores on Santa Monica between Bundy and Western....
Or on Ventura between Lankershim and Laurel Canyon.
I used to buy my $3 latte each day, for my wife and myself. $6 a day? 365 days a year. $2200 a year. and that wasn't even Starbucks. Easy to see why that disappears in a tough economy. My compromise: a $600 automatic espresso machine. So paid for itself in 3 months, 8 years ago.
QUOTE (brotherdavid @ Jul 1 2008, 03:01 PM)
Or on Ventura between Lankershim and Laurel Canyon.
you guys may not realize it but you are actually lucky to live in southern calif
i was there recently and absolutely loved it
QUOTE (Randys @ Jul 1 2008, 03:13 PM)
you guys may not realize it but you are actually lucky to live in southern calif
i was there recently and absolutely loved it
i was there recently and absolutely loved it
Oh I love living here. But not crying about Starbucks closing
QUOTE (Randys @ Jul 1 2008, 06:13 PM)
you guys may not realize it but you are actually lucky to live in southern calif
i was there recently and absolutely loved it
i was there recently and absolutely loved it
Along with 20 million or so others
You are always welcome here, Randys. LA is a little rough around the edges and not as homey as NY, but we love it, wackiness and all.I will admit though, that in just my small part of the city, there are 5 Starbucks in a 1 mile radius. Excessive. However, I do like the one in the Washington Building. It has this small garden setting in its sidewalk cafe that's right out of the Champs Elysee, and it once had these big padded platforms that you could lie on or meditate on. They only removed the platforms after the homeless started sleeping on them- oh, well....
Whether you like Starbucks or not, it's scary because it's another nail in the coffin of the economy.
I can't stand all of the Starbuck's stores, and other coffee places like them.
Sometimes I feel like a cup of coffee. Not very often, but if I am near a Starbucks, or other coffee place, I will stop and order a plain old regular coffee, nothing fancy, just coffee in a cup and I will add the splenda and cream.
So what happens, literally all of the time. There is only one person working behind the counter and the person in front of me orders one of those ridiculous coffee drinks that takes forever to make, with all the ingredients, the frothing, the whipping, and all the other little doo dads that go with it.
Finally, about ten minutes later I walk out and find a coke machine.
Where the hell is Dunkin Donuts when you need them?
Nothing like a good old cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee and a plain donut to dunk in it.
Who the hell ever invented all this other over priced coffee crapola?
Like when I was a smoker. Nothing but plain old unfiltered camels for me, for over 40 years. When I first started smoking, as a kid, there were Camels, Luckies, Chesterfield, Pall Mall, Phillip Morris and maybe one or two others.
Then they came out with all these fancy filtered crap and menthol and colors, shorts, longs, extra longs, wides, skinnys, etc....
What the hell is happening to this world?
Sometimes I feel like a cup of coffee. Not very often, but if I am near a Starbucks, or other coffee place, I will stop and order a plain old regular coffee, nothing fancy, just coffee in a cup and I will add the splenda and cream.
So what happens, literally all of the time. There is only one person working behind the counter and the person in front of me orders one of those ridiculous coffee drinks that takes forever to make, with all the ingredients, the frothing, the whipping, and all the other little doo dads that go with it.
Finally, about ten minutes later I walk out and find a coke machine.
Where the hell is Dunkin Donuts when you need them?
Nothing like a good old cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee and a plain donut to dunk in it.
Who the hell ever invented all this other over priced coffee crapola?
Like when I was a smoker. Nothing but plain old unfiltered camels for me, for over 40 years. When I first started smoking, as a kid, there were Camels, Luckies, Chesterfield, Pall Mall, Phillip Morris and maybe one or two others.
Then they came out with all these fancy filtered crap and menthol and colors, shorts, longs, extra longs, wides, skinnys, etc....
What the hell is happening to this world?
QUOTE (krinla @ Jul 1 2008, 03:22 PM)
Oh I love living here. But not crying about Starbucks closing
D'accord.
QUOTE (brotherdavid @ Jul 1 2008, 06:01 PM)
Or on Ventura between Lankershim and Laurel Canyon.
God good! Where will Perez Hilton go now to post his blog? Where will all the angry, young, wannabee screenwriters in LA go to monopolize tables and electrical outlets all day? How many of these places do we need in a five mile radius. And why isn't McDonalds or Burger King closing as well?
Screw Starbucks.
Sorry, I am in a bitter mood tonight watching all these wimpocrats destroy themselves, again.
Sorry, I am in a bitter mood tonight watching all these wimpocrats destroy themselves, again.
QUOTE (GCurry @ Jul 1 2008, 05:12 PM)
I used to buy my $3 latte each day, for my wife and myself. $6 a day? 365 days a year. $2200 a year. and that wasn't even Starbucks. Easy to see why that disappears in a tough economy. My compromise: a $600 automatic espresso machine. So paid for itself in 3 months, 8 years ago.
Way to go
But don't forget, a good grinder is even more important. And fresh beans. Not more than a week, maybe two from roast date.
I used to get Starbucks Mochas (or Mocha frappe in the summer) about twice a week. After a while I started thinking of how ridiculously priced the coffee was and how I was being made to wait in line for as much as 10 minutes for a simple cup of coffee. In the last 3-4 years I think I've had two Mochas total and perhaps 2 Frappe's a year. I've intended to buy more frappes but these days I do a "drive by" to see if there's more than 2-3 people in line. If so, I keep driving.
This year I learned about "Star Labour", the Starbucks designed shifting software that calculates down to the last minute the best way to cover the store while paying as little as possible to workers. They'll do crap like bring someone in for the busiest few hours in the morning then have them come back in the evening for a few more hours. How is anyone supposed to have a life with low pay and crappy hours like this?
Now I find the little Mom & Pop shops and buy coffee there. The price is usually half that of Starbucks while the kids working the bar do a full shift. The pay is still shitty but at least they have a single block of working time and can have a life outside of working. The money I spend also stays in the local economy instead of having the profits go to corporate headquarters.
This year I learned about "Star Labour", the Starbucks designed shifting software that calculates down to the last minute the best way to cover the store while paying as little as possible to workers. They'll do crap like bring someone in for the busiest few hours in the morning then have them come back in the evening for a few more hours. How is anyone supposed to have a life with low pay and crappy hours like this?
Now I find the little Mom & Pop shops and buy coffee there. The price is usually half that of Starbucks while the kids working the bar do a full shift. The pay is still shitty but at least they have a single block of working time and can have a life outside of working. The money I spend also stays in the local economy instead of having the profits go to corporate headquarters.
QUOTE (Canucklehead @ Jul 2 2008, 08:15 AM)
This year I learned about "Star Labour", the Starbucks designed shifting software that calculates down to the last minute the best way to cover the store while paying as little as possible to workers. They'll do crap like bring someone in for the busiest few hours in the morning then have them come back in the evening for a few more hours. How is anyone supposed to have a life with low pay and crappy hours like this?
Now I find the little Mom & Pop shops and buy coffee there. The price is usually half that of Starbucks while the kids working the bar do a full shift. The pay is still shitty but at least they have a single block of working time and can have a life outside of working. The money I spend also stays in the local economy instead of having the profits go to corporate headquarters.
I don't want to be a shill for Starbucks, and I certainly encourage people to patronize local coffee shops. Importantly the coffee should be fresher, resulting in better. Almost always the price is the same, rarely significantly lower.Now I find the little Mom & Pop shops and buy coffee there. The price is usually half that of Starbucks while the kids working the bar do a full shift. The pay is still shitty but at least they have a single block of working time and can have a life outside of working. The money I spend also stays in the local economy instead of having the profits go to corporate headquarters.
But in fairness to Starbucks, they deserve some credit. First off, they can take credit for creating the market for the widespread availability of quality coffee in the US. They are also unusual in providing benefits to lower paid employees. Yes, they are still a big corporation, interested in the bottom line, but compared to most companies in the same category and size; they treat their employees pretty well. (yes, a lot of companies, large and small also use the split shift technique.) They have a wide range of employees they provide benefits and profit sharing and stock availability to. The have move to fair trade, though some companies have pushed beyond that to direct trade, where the grower comes out farther ahead.
The problem is that when you get that size and become a public corporation, it's hard to keep the quality of the product, hard to keep the quality of the employees, and hard to keep the informal quality of smaller shops.
I will be happy to see Starbucks finally go the way of Mrs. Fields, Boston Markets and other vaperous, overcapitalized and inferior chain enterprises.
QUOTE
Some coffee fans get grim delight in Starbucks woes
By Ellen Wulfhorst Sun Jul 6, 7:40 AM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters) - One coffee drinker's bad news is another coffee drinker's good news, it seems.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080706/us_nm/usa_coffeeshops_dc
excerpt:
Financial woes at Starbucks Corp., which is planning to close 600 underperforming U.S. stores, is evoking glee and little sympathy from aficionados who say they resent the coffee shop giant and favor small independent cafes.
"I'm so happy. I'm so not a Starbucks person," said Melinda Vigliotti, sipping iced coffee at the Irving Farm Coffee House in New York. "I believe in supporting small businesses. Starbucks, bye-bye."
"Amen," chimed in Keith DiLauro, a local caterer. "They went too big, too fast."
Seattle-based Starbucks burst onto the national scene in the 1990s and grew to more than 6,000 locations around the world. But with cups of coffee that can cost several dollars, it faces a slowing economy and slowed consumer spending.
"Starbucks has really created a coffee culture, raising awareness of good coffee, which is good for independents," said Carol Watson, owner of the Milk and Honey coffee shop in Chicago. "But on the other hand, they're on practically every corner, and that makes it tough on the little guy too."
In Birmingham, Alabama, retiree Peggy Bonfield, drinking coffee at the Crestwood Coffee Shop, said: "When a Starbucks closes, it makes room for a local business to start.
"I consider that good news," she said.
By Ellen Wulfhorst Sun Jul 6, 7:40 AM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters) - One coffee drinker's bad news is another coffee drinker's good news, it seems.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080706/us_nm/usa_coffeeshops_dc
excerpt:
Financial woes at Starbucks Corp., which is planning to close 600 underperforming U.S. stores, is evoking glee and little sympathy from aficionados who say they resent the coffee shop giant and favor small independent cafes.
"I'm so happy. I'm so not a Starbucks person," said Melinda Vigliotti, sipping iced coffee at the Irving Farm Coffee House in New York. "I believe in supporting small businesses. Starbucks, bye-bye."
"Amen," chimed in Keith DiLauro, a local caterer. "They went too big, too fast."
Seattle-based Starbucks burst onto the national scene in the 1990s and grew to more than 6,000 locations around the world. But with cups of coffee that can cost several dollars, it faces a slowing economy and slowed consumer spending.
"Starbucks has really created a coffee culture, raising awareness of good coffee, which is good for independents," said Carol Watson, owner of the Milk and Honey coffee shop in Chicago. "But on the other hand, they're on practically every corner, and that makes it tough on the little guy too."
In Birmingham, Alabama, retiree Peggy Bonfield, drinking coffee at the Crestwood Coffee Shop, said: "When a Starbucks closes, it makes room for a local business to start.
"I consider that good news," she said.
QUOTE (krinla @ Jul 1 2008, 02:11 PM)
Wow that must be almost all the stores in LA! (I hope....)
Why do so many people hate Starbucks? .. so much that you don't care that 12,000 people are about to loose the shitty job? .. a shitty job that at least offered a healthcare program. Can someone explain the hate on Starbucks?
We are not in an economic recession. Mr Bush told me so.....right there on my TV
If someone gives me a Starbucks gift card, I'll use it. If I'm desparate for coffee and that's my only option, I'll go there. I don't consider myself a fan, but lost jobs are lost jobs, a very bad thing. I'm in a coffee club at work where for $5/month, I'm in a group that gets Kirkland (Costco) coffee for the office. not great, but it will do, especially in the current economy.
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