[spargo]

This is brilliant news for Australian retailing. The less chains like Starbucks and Gloria Jeans the better.

Support your local!!

[Madone]

Originally Posted by spargo

This is brilliant news for Australian retailing. The less chains like Starbucks and Gloria Jeans the better.

Support your local!!

Local what? Cafe? That employs one or two people, on crap wages, is able to sack them when they feel like it. Often don't pay holiday pay, or super.

At least the big places offer all of the 'legal requirements of employment', and many have training programmes, to help young people gain retail qualifications.

These are just chains, these are people losing jobs... You mums, dads, sisters and brothers, girlfriends, boyfriends etc.
Just imagine if your a parent, who child has lost there job, guess whose wallet/purse is going to get lighter.

[spargo]

Yes, my local cafe. My money will always go to a local retailer than a company like Starbucks. The closures say it all really - good riddance to bad rubbish. Where there is a Starbucks in Brisbane, there is a far superior local retailer not far away far more deserving of your coinage and patronage.


I wouldn't let my children or family work there, out of principle.

[Madone]

Originally Posted by spargo

I wouldn't let my children or family work there, out of principle.

Nor Maccas, HJ's KFC, Woolies etc...

Looks like your kids will have there hands in your pockets for years. Good luck with that!

[Rasta]

Originally Posted by spargo

Yes, my local cafe. My money will always go to a local retailer than a company like Starbucks. The closures say it all really - good riddance to bad rubbish. Where there is a Starbucks in Brisbane, there is a far superior local retailer not far away far more deserving of your coinage and patronage.


I wouldn't let my children or family work there, out of principle.

Exactly!

Support your local cafe. They take pride in what they serve, they know what they serve, they live their product.

At BarSucks you get pimply faced 17 year olds talking about their favourite comic book hero with each other in front of you ("because it ads cred to be seen as a little alternative in this industry") while they make a cup of brown, burnt, tasteless shit then serve it to you with a smile calling out your name announcing your crap choice of coffee to the rest of the customers who aren't interested a bit in what bad decision you've made.

"One Venti, double shot, caramel macchiato for (insert gullible dumb shit customers name here)"

(Diclaimer - I don't drink StarBucks on principle, but have the displeasure of hearing this called out every day at my work.. why they let these bastards into a hospital foyer I'll never really understand)

[spargo]

Originally Posted by Rasta

...
At BarSucks you get pimply faced 17 year olds talking about their favourite comic book hero with each other in front of you ("because it ads cred to be seen as a little alternative in this industry") while they make a cup of brown, burnt, tasteless shit then serve it to you with a smile calling out your name announcing your crap choice of coffee to the rest of the customers who aren't interested a bit in what bad decision you've made.

"One Venti, double shot, caramel macchiato for (insert gullible dumb shit customers name here)"
...

oh how you make me laugh sir!

[m_242]

You have got to feel for the employees, but still what a victory for quality and diversity. Almost everything about a Starbucks coffee is wrong, beginning with them calling untrained teenagers 'baristas', then the coffee grind, the uneven tamping, the milk temperature (in the US I've even seen them reheating already steamed milk), the size of the cups (it's a coffee not a f@@ing milkshake), those ridiculous sleeves they put on the throwaway cups, and the ghastly flavours they try and foist on you.

[BLINDER]

Originally Posted by spargo

My money will always go to a local retailer than a company like Starbucks. T

spargo - not wishing to make an example out of you - just the comment.
Apple??
Isn't it the third biggest global computer company now?

[Phase]

Hey, to everyone telling me to support my local.

Brisbane CBD

They're not open after office hours.

If they could be bothered to extend their trading, I might be bothered to give them my patronage.

[mitty]

Originally Posted by 23MAL

I can't believe that there are so many people that are upset that Starbucks is having to close stores.

For an Alternative, try your local Cafe and see what they do.

If you are anywhere near Swinburne Uni in Hawthorn, I'd recommend Alley Tunes.

I've walked past there a million times but never been in, it looks inviting though.

I like "Cafe Vamp" on Glenferrie Road but it's mostly packed full of annoying baby boomers or triathletes.

I'm guessing the Hawthorn store will likely close... it seems to be closed half the time anyway!

[Alucard]

Originally Posted by cosmichobo

No personal stakes, as I only drink bubbly acidic cafeine drinks... but that could be pretty bad for a lot of workers... I'd assumed they were all franchises...

Starbucks wont franchise unfortunatly... I have the perfect position and could make a fortune. I base this on not a great deal at all though. If i had enough capital, i would probably open up my own chain starting there... but i don't

[katiehepburn]

Finally, finally, finally - we have 2 Starbucks in our small city where one out of three is a college student. Home of Cornell University, Ithaca College and a small community college. I used to travel and enjoyed the indulgence of a frappucino (once I knew what it was - although I am not sure I spelled it correctly). In any event, our Starbucks will remain open even though I read that hundreds will close. We have the LARGEST "nimby" ratio in the world in this educational community. Wallmart was 'locked out' due to an uprising of transients (we locals enjoy new commerce) that don't want their (their?) town to change. Some clever businessmen figured out how to overcome diversity ----- Build everything at once.... BB&B, Walmart, Pier1, Lowes, Home Depot, Michaels, and Barnes & Nobles appeared almost overnight. It was most entertaining. A boon for the local economy. In any event..... Anyone want to talk about Nokia cellphones?

[watters]

to the person saying they wouldn't let their kids work at a starbucks please let them love their own life. It's hard enough getting your first job let alone your parents stopping you working at the places that give teenagers their first jobs.

Don't really care about starbucks to be closing, I'm More of a Gloria Jeans person.

[Currawong]

Originally Posted by stefanlod

I think finding decent, real coffee in Japan is almost impossible. Last time I returned to Melbourne from Japan, one of the first things I did was go to my favourite coffee shop in Chapel St and order a large double-shot vanilla latte.

Absolutely true, Japan has no idea about coffee. I know of a couple of "real" coffee shops here that stock exotic beans, but I make coffee the way I like it, which few shops can match. Starbucks has resorted to selling excessively sweet flavoured specials of the month that are closer to milkshakes than coffee. Screw that entirely.

For the interested, my coffee recipe, inherited from my parents:

Start up your kettle then microwave a 2/3rds full mug of milk to hot, not boiling, while filling up your coffee grinder with 1.5x the amount of coffee you need for a cup.

Option A: Using paper filters: before putting the coffee in the filter, pour boiled water over it. This prevents the filter absorbing the oils from the coffee and makes a huge difference in taste. Put the coffee in the wet filter, the filter on the mug of hot milk and pour the boiled water slowly over the grinds, using only just enough water to keep them wet. This causes a very strong coffee to drip through, ultimately resulting in a mug of very milky and not at all watery coffee. If you use fresh beans and add just the right amount of sugar, the result will almost be an almost chocolate-like taste.

Option B: Using a coffee syphon: This only works if you are doing 2 cups minimum. To get the extra-strong coffee effect, you need to be using 1.5x the amount of coffee you'd normally use for 2 cups and use only the correct amount of water for 2 cups. This is the minimum in the common Bodum syphons. Since you're adding the resulting coffee to two mugs of milk, it'll be a little watery compared to the filter method but still great.

[The Fluffy Duck]

And it has begun. The economic down turn has started costing people their jobs.

[bennettnz]

Originally Posted by Phase

Hey, to everyone telling me to support my local.

Brisbane CBD

They're not open after office hours.

If they could be bothered to extend their trading, I might be bothered to give them my patronage.

I'm hearing you Phase, Brisbane likes to close down as soon as it gets dark. It's not very cool to walk into one of the few restaurants remaining open for dinner services and only order coffee and good luck trying to get a take away!

[silverdreamer]

Originally Posted by Phase

I personally love my Starbucks coffee.

I also have my own grinder and beans at home, however I challenge you to find me another coffee store that's open in the Brisbane CBD at 10pm at night.

Because there isn't one.

McCafe?........

[Kuma]

Originally Posted by Currawong

Absolutely true, Japan has no idea about coffee. I know of a couple of "real" coffee shops here that stock exotic beans,

that is absolutely true.. that is why Starbucks is generally the best coffee going around in Japan.. they may have their seasonal fruit favourites... (which sell well)

there are exceptional little local shops... but japan seems to have inherited their coffee drinking from the american occupation... so it is crap. doutor (the other large chain) makes black dishwater... but it is reasonably priced and they do make good sando's. Unfortunately (unless they have changed their policy recently) they are the "café" of choice for smokers.

Which has always been Starbucks great point. Smoke Free!

As for Spargo - the local may make better (and that wouldn't be hard) but as was pointed out Starbucks is a great place to work for young people. All the legal requirements met.

Over here I know quite a few of the girls who work in Starbucks.. and they love their job. And that isn't talk over the counter.. that is talk in a bar after a few of whatever they are drinking. For many it may not be a job for life... but I know a few girls who are on the managerial pathway, I'd hate to see them lose their jobs.

[Comet]

Originally Posted by Kuma

that is absolutely true.. that is why Starbucks is generally the best coffee going around in Japan.. they may have their seasonal fruit favourites... (which sell well)

If you're around the Tokyo area, Segafredo offer good coffee. I always grab my coffee from them when I'm in Tokyo.

Segafredo ZANETTI espresso I “X•Ü�Љî

Starbucks in the US is good though. Other coffee tastes like the filter paper where as Starbucks coffee has at least the taste of the coffee beans. Their espressos suck though.

They used to be good when they were using proper machines and a proper grinder, but these days their replacing them with a one button function which does the grinding etc. End result is a weak shot.

[cmjl]

Originally Posted by watters

Don't really care about starbucks to be closing, I'm More of a Gloria Jeans person.

Now that's the next chain I'd like to see shut down. Their ownership links and close involvement with a certain tax-exempt body is a bit too cosy for my liking.

And while I do feel for the people who may be out of work as a result of this, if the situation is anything like where I live (here in sleepy old Adelaide), there are many jobs going in smaller businesses such as bakeries and local supermarkets. And I say this as someone who works for an ex-car manufacturer and is soon to be looking for work himself.