Catholic Substitute for Starbucks Suggestion

[captaincatholic]

There have been several threads about Starbucks lately. Some posters want to boycott them, others want to get a Catholic message out through them, and still others complain of their inflated prices. I count myself among the latter!

I was wondering, does anyone go to other coffeeshops, i.e. “Mom and Pop” coffeshops, or even gather at friends houses for coffee and chat? I agree with others who posit that Starbucks has tried to become the “front porch of America”, so why not take back the title and the role and reinstate our front porches, back porches, living rooms, or whatever? I remember some great visits over cups of coffee and some homemade cookies or cakes that I used to have while in college-- at my own place! Let’s take back our front porches, or even just our kitchen tables!

 

[maendem]

My husband and I generally avoid Starbucks, not just for the prices, but for the healthy serving of Starbucks tow-the-party-line attitude required (“May I have a small cup of coffee”? “You mean a talllattefrappucinowithskimmilkorregular?”)

I would wager that no matter where you live, there are good alternatives. Cities like DC, where we live now, have thousands. I would imagine that in more rural areas, Starbucks is less ubiquitous anyway, while Mom and Pops abound…

'Course that’s just our cup of tea, uh coffee.

 

[canne]

You know I like Starbucks-the coffee and our local one (we only have one)…some people gather at the donut shop, some at starbucks (they are right night door). Dh and I like to drop in for a cup of coffee often. The staff is friendly, the atmosphere unhurried and relaxed. I like it and despite what others think you can just order a cup of coffee with cream and sugar.

 

[SMHW]

I’m not that fond of Starbucks to begin with… Their coffee is too bitter. But in addition to the two stand-a-lone Starbucks in my town we have a couple more in grocery stores, one in a Target store, another stand-a-lone being built, and probably more that I haven’t seen yet. I’ve heard there will be one in the new city library (which is in the process of being built) I live in a suburban city of about 60,000 people.

We have a wonderful independent coffee place right up the street from us. (In the same shopping center where the grocery store added a Starbucks. ) But it’s only open until about 7:00pm.
What we do have are “Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf” stores. It’s a chain which is mostly in California but has spread to a few other places. Their coffee is SO much better than Starbucks. It is strong but not nearly so bitter.

I also like “Seattle’s Best”. I think they are taking over the coffee shop at our nearby “Borders Books”. Unfortunately we have to travel to neighboring cities. 60,000 people and we have no major book store? But that’s another story.

 

[captaincatholic]

I guess what I was saying in my earlier post is how much I miss the old-timey tradition of inviting people over for informal gettogethers, for coffee, etc. I grew up with it inspite of being only 22, primarily because we didn’t have the money to go out, and my mom doesn’t like restaurant germs (YUCKY!). I do miss the way people used to get together, though!

I remember always taking a caraffe of coffee and the fixings to string quartet rehearsals to share with the other members of the quartet and whoever else happened by. Once a week, I would have the same people over to my house and we would have a home-cooked meal, usually made by me, but quite often a group effort. One of my fondest memories was when my roomie and I made homemade donuts at 9:00 one night. When they were done, we called up some friends and stayed up just talking and socializing until 11;30 or 12… maybe even later.

Now that I have moved to a more urban area where I do not know as many people, the atmosphere is much different. Even my next-door neighbors don’t really talk to us. They keep to themselves, just like the rest of the people in our neighborhood. I miss the friendliness, and the opportunity for witnessing and evangelizing.

The prices and the consumer attitudes at Starbucks are just sidepoints for me, but they do add up. Most of all, I miss the way people used to talk. Does anyone know what I mean?