PaullyInNYC

I heard a lot of NY's saying that they think local tiny coffee shops are losing business due to the popular international Starbucks ....
What do others think?

cscgal

There's a starbucks on every corner. Are there REALLY tiny coffee shops as well? I don't think I've ever seen / noticed any other than the sidewalk coffee stands. Just goes to show I guess that it's true

CityGuy

There are actually tons of great Cafe's. Chelsea's Espresso bar was the last one I was at. It is a great place to relax on a nice afternoon. The concept of Starbucks taking away from the smaller Cafe's is interesting though. Never thought about that.

cscgal

I think the only coffee shop I know of is on "Friends" LOL! But then again, I don't drink coffee.

MrMan

hah, that reminds me of a time I was walking with a friend.

Him: let's go to Starbucks.
Me: Okay, it's right here (We're on 59th Street and 9th Avenue).
Him: No not that one, the one by the subway.
Me: Okay, it's that way (pointing to 60th Street).
Him: No, it's that way (pointing to 58th Street).

After arguing a little, I gave up and went with him. Turns out, there was a Starbucks on 58th between 8th and 9th Avenue, as well as 60th and Columbus Circle, 59th and 9th.

I don't know if Starbucks is putting smaller cafes out of business, but I think Starbucks prices are still higher than smaller cafes. It would be another thing if Starbucks lowered their prices and smaller cafes cannot compete.

Gortonsfi

Does anyone else feel duped by Starbucks into paying all that money for their delicious addictive treats? hehehe.

The nice thing about Starbucks is you know what to expect before you walk in the door, even many miles away.

Matteo

Okay- let me settle this shit.

Of course Starbucks takes business away from small coffee shops the same way Fox's books took away business from that little bookstore that Meg Ryan owned in "You've got Mail."

Starbucks has stronger coffee than most placxes which is important to me.
when it comes to coffee i really dont fuck around and unless i get it in me first thing every morning then i know a terrible migraine will ensue. Starbucks coffee, and im talking drip coffee, not those sugary 8 dollar cocktails they make, is good strong coffee. I dont mind paying 2 dollars for a beverage that contains as much caffeine as i would get in 5 65 cent coffees from the corner store or the cart guy.

In terms of contenders. Mud coffee- the store is on 9th street between 1st and 2nd ave, they also have a truck i hit up most mornings parked on lafayette and st. marks in front of the 6 train entrance.
There coffee is also strong, and extremely tasty as a result of them mixing (i cant remember how many) different grounds together. Oh yeah, they also have a counter set up in the Kiehls store on 3rd ave and 12th street.

there are countless other coffee shops all over the city. From alt.coffee on avenue a to esperanto on mcdougal street, to a boat load in the west village, to hundreds of others scattered from wall street to the bronx.

Don't say there are none- there isnt a shoe store on every block either,
open your eyes and search around a bit.

MrMan

So if Starbucks sellers stronger, better tasting coffee for a higher price... and most local shops have regular coffee at a lower price, how is Starbucks taking away business from the local shops? The way I see it, you will have people that love or need a specific type of coffee and are willing to pay for it, and you'll have people that can't distinguish good coffee from regular, and may not be willing to pay more for better coffee.

SwimCoach

Yea I agree, when it comes to coffee I dont mess around. I need something that will spark my taste and freshen me up for a long day of work ahead. So as far as coffee is concerned I dont really care where it comes from as long as its good. Starbucks has been my place so far but if there are local coffee shops that can compete and are conveniently located to where I live Im down for a change.

latenite77

Yea I love starbucks but some guy at work actually mentioned the fact that starbucks is monopolizing the coffee industry with its delicious coffee. But it is too good to resist. Luckily in NYC there are soo many starbucks, its never an issue of having to worry about where to get a good solid cup of coffee.