Starbucks, the epitome of coffee indulgence, is scaling back, closing 600 company-owned stores that are underperforming. Most of these stores have been open for less than 2 years. How quickly the tide turns. I have to admit, I was a Starbucks fan back when I was single and flush with cash. Starbucks introduced many of us to a better cup of coffee and there was no going back for me. I gave it up a few years ago, opting to make my own espresso at home and to frequent Starbucks only on special occasions because it is an expensive cup of coffee. I am surprised that Starbucks overbuilt by that many stores considering that their competition had intensified by 2006. Bad management happens all the time, doesn’t it? Then again, Americans were still living large in 2006 and happily willing to pay for a higher-end lifestyle, bigger homes, fancy kitchens and of course, fancy coffee.
Starbucks wasn’t the only one expanding though. In the same 2 years, I have seen a marked increase in the number of Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins combination stores here in Suffolk County. They were ready and waiting just when many of us started to be priced out by Starbucks. When Dunkin' Donuts started to add its own versions of espresso-based coffees, it was a cheaper alternative to Starbucks for the wallet-conscious but lately it seems to be getting pricey as well.
No matter how diligent we are, there are still plenty of mornings when we are running late or have an early appointment and towing groggy children when we are simply going to have to buy a cup of coffee. That rich Starbucks taste has forever spoiled me and though I am always trying to find a cheaper alternative, it is difficult for me to settle for the regular stuff, no matter how hard I try.
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