Comments on: Starbucks’ Soul Search http://www.bloggle.com/2007/02/starbucks-soul-search/ Coffee & Commentary Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:52:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Irene http://www.bloggle.com/2007/02/starbucks-soul-search/#comment-13291 Irene Sun, 04 Mar 2007 22:58:31 +0000 http://www.bloggle.com/2007/02/starbucks-soul-search/#comment-13291 Starbucks used to be a great coffee retailer. Streamlining meant cutting down the number of items carried. I miss this because I'm not a coffee drinker so while my husband ordered his brew, I enjoyed shopping! Starbucks used to be a great coffee retailer. Streamlining meant cutting down the number of items carried. I miss this because I’m not a coffee drinker so while my husband ordered his brew, I enjoyed shopping!

]]> By: Marcelo L http://www.bloggle.com/2007/02/starbucks-soul-search/#comment-13138 Marcelo L Fri, 02 Mar 2007 14:40:19 +0000 http://www.bloggle.com/2007/02/starbucks-soul-search/#comment-13138 I could not agree more. I look at pictures of shops like Pike's Place in Seattle, and then at my local Starbucks, and feel this small wave of envy come over me. Why isn't it possible to have that ambience elsewhere. "My" Starbucks is probably just as busy as the "original" Starbucks shop, so there's definitely the traffic to sustain it. I remember as a early teenager watching my aunt grinding coffee for making"Cafe con leche", the Cuban experience of the Latte'. And the way the coffee was slightly brewed in a pot, and then slow filtered and finished brewing in a specially made cloth filter mechanism called a "Tetera", which can only be described as a teet where dark, rich liquid would come out of. Sure, an experience like that doesn't exactly lend itself to a production line speeds at the stores today. But I'm sure that the clientele exists that would not only appreciate to be part of such an experience, but would sustain it with their continued patronage. Get down to the roots of how old fashioned coffee was ( and in some cases still is ) brewed in some countries. Bring that back to the US, and then sit back and watch your Soul come back, Starbucks. I know my soul's a little reinvigorated just thinking about my first Cafe con Leche. No froth necessary. I could not agree more. I look at pictures of shops like Pike’s Place in Seattle, and then at my local Starbucks, and feel this small wave of envy come over me. Why isn’t it possible to have that ambience elsewhere. “My” Starbucks is probably just as busy as the “original” Starbucks shop, so there’s definitely the traffic to sustain it.

I remember as a early teenager watching my aunt grinding coffee for making”Cafe con leche”, the Cuban experience of the Latte’. And the way the coffee was slightly brewed in a pot, and then slow filtered and finished brewing in a specially made cloth filter mechanism called a “Tetera”, which can only be described as a teet where dark, rich liquid would come out of.

Sure, an experience like that doesn’t exactly lend itself to a production line speeds at the stores today. But I’m sure that the clientele exists that would not only appreciate to be part of such an experience, but would sustain it with their continued patronage.

Get down to the roots of how old fashioned coffee was ( and in some cases still is ) brewed in some countries. Bring that back to the US, and then sit back and watch your Soul come back, Starbucks. I know my soul’s a little reinvigorated just thinking about my first Cafe con Leche. No froth necessary.

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