This is not about technology this is about Life. A special Starbucks is closing and that is very sad. When I say special I visit many Starbuck’s coffee shops wherever I go, I am the Mayor of 3 (Foursquare) and I have always enjoyed all of them however this one is different.
All of the Starbucks I have been to from Ohio to California have always had Good to Great employees and it has always been a pleasure to go there – even at the cost.
What makes this one special is that it is bigger than most, has large tables and during the week you will find a great number of business transactions going on here. People have been hired here, contracted or contacted with here, deals have been made as well as birthday parties and general conversations between friends. It is a very open and pleasant place and I sure that if it was in Seattle it would not be closing.
I have been here in the morning when the line is out the door. The place can pack up and is just warm and friendly. This is one of those places with GREAT employees. This is where you can find me most mornings and then on the weekends. I am here right now writing this post.
I do not know why it is closing however I suspect that it missed the high standards set by the accounting department not customer service. I suspect that in order for the company to maintain stockholder support each store has to achieve a specific profit level, say 15% (just guessing) and if your store only gets to 8% then we close you so that you do not drag down the rest (imagine only 8%).
It is a shame since this place has come to mean a great deal to the local businesses and to the people that stop here. I am all for profit but in today’s day and age when you become a publicly traded stock you must bow down to the shareholders and their needs which is $money$. Woe be onto you that is in it for the service you provide.
I know this small wonderful place is, in the eyes of the company and it’s shareholders, small potatoes (or small beans) but to us who meet here, write here, do business here and drink the Pike Place dry (or the latte) we will be sad to see it and the employees go.
One thing that Starbucks should consider is that those of us who do linger here appreciate the fact that the music is nice but it is in the background. In most of the other places I go the music is way to loud and therefore not a good place to meet, greet and try to do a little work, way to loud. I have always felt they didn’t want us hanging around and perhaps that is a thought here.
One thing that Starbucks should keep in mind. Coffee is a developed taste and we will have to develop another taste now, and then when we travel perhaps we will not search out a Starbucks as we used to.
Just a thought from the Curious Voyager!
