Perhaps (I thought), it was just that I was not a coffee snob. Try as I might to like it, the Starbuck's coffee flavor was just not my "cup of tea". The aroma was heady, but the taste was bitter and burned -- I felt. So, there I was in San Jose (in the San Francisco Bay Area), politely keeping my opinions on the flavor of Seattle's Totem, to myself.
As an architectural designer, I was taken by the modernity of the Starbucks image and their slick products. But the coffee? No.
Give me the no-name, unchained, corner coffee shops any time.
We are kin, you people of the Southern Cross, and I.
-Raymond MacFarlane
San Jose, California
August 2008
Starbucks in a Land of Coffee Snobs | BTalk Australia
By Phil Dobbie | August 5, 2008
BNET Australia Contributors
Aussie Rules
Biography
BNET Australia Contributors
Brian Haverty is editorial director for CBS Interactive Australia and is responsible for the company's BNET and ZDNet Australia sites.
Robert Gerrish is a coach, author and professional speaker and the founder of Flying Solo, an Australian online community for solo business owners.
Melissa Lourenco is the HR manager for CBS Interactive in Australia.
Chris Golis is the author of The Humm Handbook: Lifting Your Level of Emotional Intelligence. He runs seminars and workshops on EQ.
Suzi Dafnis is Community Director of the Australian Businesswomen's Network.
Yvonne Adele helps organisations build a culture of ideas by teaching people at all levels to access their untapped creative thinking skills.
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(14min 49) Click on “Play” to hear the podcast or click “Get It” to download.
Starbucks is closing coffee shops in the US and, this last week, closed 61 of its 84 shops in Australia. So what went wrong?
Today on BTalk Australia Phil Dobbie talks to Nick Wailes, an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Sydney about the reason for the demise of Starbucks in this market.
Add your thoughts and comments by clicking “Participate” at the bottom of this post.
See also:
Starbucks Swings to Loss on Closures
Starbucks to Close 61 Australian Stores
More from “Aussie Rules”
Talkback 4 Talkbacks
RE: Starbucks in a Land of Coffee Snobs | BTalk Australia
faciliti
08/05/2008 08:01 PM
RE: Starbucks in a Land of Coffee Snobs | BTalk Australia
I agree with you Ray. The coffee is bitter. Just got back from a visit to Vienna and the coffee there is far much better, smoother, and enjoyable. I didn't like the strength of the coffee at Starbucks, nor the size, come to think of it, the last time I sat in one of those joints it must've been some two years ago.
Jim Barghouti / Dubai
Jim Barghouti / Dubai
1261943
08/06/2008 03:48 AM
RE: Starbucks in a Land of Coffee Snobs | BTalk Australia
They should support the troops and not snub them!
dancealot
08/06/2008 04:07 AM
RE: Starbucks in a Land of Coffee Snobs | BTalk Australia
I was always very surprised with its success. For me it was too much quantity of coffee (not that great) and expensive. As they say too much o a good thing is bad.
The market is wise and the snobs when else where for the next thing. I hope that those who lost they're jobs find it in a cozy corner bar with good coffee.
The market is wise and the snobs when else where for the next thing. I hope that those who lost they're jobs find it in a cozy corner bar with good coffee.
Hairmonia BCN
08/07/2008 03:12 PM
