Filed under: Barista, Caffeine, Cappuccino, coffee, Coffee Culture, Coffee Roasting, Espresso, food, Starbucks | Tags: Barista, Caffeine, Cappuccino, Coffee Culture, Coffee Roasting, Espresso, food, Starbucks
Thanks to the local suburban Starbucks, I was transmogrified from a run of the mill stale coffee consumer, into the micro-micro-artesian coffee roaster you see before you today.
Let me, with all due alacrity, put my personal transformation into some kind of rough chronology: About a year ago a new Starbucks, with a drive-through, opened about a quarter mile away. In other words: “it was within walking distance”. Initially I was all gung-ho about entering this sophisticated bohemian coffee lovers playground. Maybe I’ll get to see Truman Capote having a caramel macchiato with the mayor while discussing Trickle-Down Economics!
During my initial visit I purchased a pound of coffee beans (of unknown origin that didn’t display its roasting date on the packaging) for ten bucks. I had a $25 gift card that was quickly rejected because, she explained, they were not a Starbucks owned and operated outlet. In other words they were and were not Starbucks. (?) But the counterperson, in order to cheer-up her new customer, brightly informed me that with every purchase I made, I’d receive a free small cup of coffee—which had a mediocre taste—but what to you want for free? I inquired about free WiFi. Again brightly, “It’s in the works, sir!”
After a few more weekly bean purchasing visits, I was informed by the now distracted counterperson (wearing a dirty/stained green apron), “No more free coffee.” WiFi? “It’s coming and you’ll have to pay for that too.” Hmmm, methinks the bloom is off the rose…
I trotted home with my final bag of beans, did a little math and came to the conclusion that after twelve weeks of home roasting on a new hot air Fresh Roast Plus 8 coffee bean roaster (factoring-in the gratis beans used as packing material) I’d hit the break-even point on week thirteen.
I took the gamble and consequently Starbucks lost yet another stalwart customer.
Flash forward: When this coffee shop takes its financial lumps and the contractors are in the process of prying its logo off the side of the building, will I join the “Save Our Starbucks” neighborhood picket line in hopes of saving that poor misunderstood mermaid that was forced to tighten her belt due to tough economic times? Guess…
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