The building where I work has two - that's right, two Starbucks. Now the question isn't why Starbucks is closing 600 stores; it's:
Why are there so many to start with?
Starbucks is a victim of its own success. They opened far too many stores, turning the franchise from what was a good, niche coffee house for connoisseurs into what is essentially the coffee equivalent of Burger King. They are essentially cannibalizing their own sales. (While Starbucks screwed up royally with its aggressive expansion in the US, they are in fact planning on expanding in Europe, and are tapping into the China market. They are merely diverting resources elsewhere.)
It's the smaller franchises (yes, including McCafe - their coffee policies are fantastic and their attention to detail beats Starbucks even at the height of their game; just try their Cappuccino and witness the "M" artfully and tastefully placed atop the foam with cinnamon powder and you can see they take their coffee seriously) that are staying true to the tune of brewing and providing quality coffee at reasonable prices. Starbucks is now overpriced and it has lost that exclusive appeal of being "the best coffee shop around" - how can it be, when there are so many?
And, frequently the coffee is simply not up to par. Believe me, I roast and grind my own coffee at home.
Finally, there's this:
[youtube=425,350]Z9iMgSNrwv4[/youtube]
