Slog - Comments on The Rise and Fall http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall This neat little article convincingly corresponds the recent expansion and contraction of Starbucks with the real estate boom and bust that triggered the current economic crisis: This recent crisis has its roots in the unhappy coupling of a frenzied nationwide real-estate market centered in California, Las Vegas, and Florida, and a nationwide credit mania centered in New York. If you could pick one brand name that personified these twin bubbles, it was Starbucks. The Seattle-based coffee chain followed new housing developments into the suburbs and exurbs, where its outlets became pit stops for real-estate brokers and their clients. It... Copyright 2008 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:45:48 -0800 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 01:52:23 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Betsy Ross Starbucks' crash also coincides pretty closely with Howard Schultz et. al. selling the Sonics to Oklahoma City. Bad karma, perhaps?

]]> Betsy Ross http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180505 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180505 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:00:06 -0800 Comment by Bellevue Ave unfortunately those breakfast sammies were the only reason I'd go to starbucks.

]]> Bellevue Ave http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180526 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180526 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:18:15 -0800 Comment by MEC the picture upsets me.

]]> MEC http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180528 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180528 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:19:07 -0800 Comment by Bellevue Ave @3 You're a pussy.

]]> Bellevue Ave http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180529 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180529 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:21:09 -0800 Comment by jackie treehorn Stumptown coffee is delicious.

]]> jackie treehorn http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180547 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180547 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:35:27 -0800 Comment by 2 please What the fuck? I don't see how Starbucks sandwiches were any more subprime than Jack in the Box. I really thought the spinach florentine with harvarti and roasted red pepper was good. Then again, it was probably because my boss used to give me Starbucks gift cards every other month.

]]> 2 please http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180582 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180582 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:01:10 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle The thing is, you can parallel this with Microsoft - initial expansion into an untapped market is always met by other competitors who end up offering cheaper and better products and services to compete with you (e.g. Linux / Mac).

Patents are intended to give you a grace period, but business processes throughout the world are not patentable (except here in Socialist Amerika).

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180585 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180585 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:02:36 -0800 Comment by Non @6

Starbucks has sun dried tomato on wholewheat.
Jack in the Box has a huge bowl with every breakfast ingredient dumped into it

ummmmm ya.

]]> Non http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180591 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180591 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:05:09 -0800 Comment by Mikki @6: If you live and work downtown you can find a Starbucks by walking one block in any direction. Where is the closest Jack in the Box? I used to go to Starbucks for the sandwiches pretty often. Now I never go there.

]]> Mikki http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180599 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180599 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:08:02 -0800 Comment by leek You're losing out, then. They reversed their decision on the breakfast sandwiches and are still selling them. DOH!

]]> leek http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180617 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180617 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:21:38 -0800 Comment by crazycatguy It wasn't "frothy treats" keeping the deal jockeys and mortgage brokers up all hours.

]]> crazycatguy http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180618 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180618 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:22:56 -0800 Comment by Joe M Everybody wants/needs a nearby place to get coffee. That's like saying bathrooms fueled the real estate boom.

]]> Joe M http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180626 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180626 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:27:21 -0800 Comment by horsense Another parallel can be drawn:

"Like so many sadder-but-wiser Miami condo developers, [Sound Transit] operated on a “build it and they will come” philosophy."

All those promised ridership numbers for 2030? As ephemeral as cappucino froth . . ..

]]> horsense http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180655 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180655 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:40:42 -0800 Comment by onewink3 @8, Thanks for that. How are you feeling?

]]> onewink3 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180711 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180711 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:12:59 -0800 Comment by cressona MEC @3: the picture upsets me.

I'm just wondering where Charles came across that photo. I mean, Charles's post has a better illustration than the original article.

]]> cressona http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180741 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180741 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:48:31 -0800 Comment by josh when I read that article on monday I thought its arguments were so flimsy and poorly reasoned that it was intended to be a parody.

]]> josh http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180871 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180871 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:59:47 -0800 Comment by henry @12, the general public was not chugging 16oz lattes every day until Starbucks came along and created the market. people have been going to the bathroom for, well, forever.

]]> henry http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180887 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1180887 Money Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:07:23 -0800 Comment by Agent of Chaos ""Like so many sadder-but-wiser Miami condo developers..." philosophy.""

Let's get something straight, Miami condo developers are many things. 'Wiser' is not one of them. Ever.
They are merely restrained for a period of time. And then, like Jason, they return.

]]> Agent of Chaos http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1181409 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/the_rise_and_fall#c1181409 Money Thu, 23 Oct 2008 01:52:23 -0800