As a European living in America, in early 2000s, I always wondered why there was no Càfe culture here in the states. And It wasn’t that Americans are unsocial or they didn’t wanna sit next to each other while sipping their coffee. Because I knew people go to bars to drink beer while sitting on a stool. I also knew Americans loved drinking coffee and almost everyone had a coffee pot on their kitchen counters.
An average person spends $60 on a coffee in a month in the states. It’s a $110billion industry.
So why there was no Càfes?
It was a supply issue. No one offered an unique ambiance and customer service. Until Howard Shultz-Starbucks came around and changed the vision of Americans. He was obsessed with espresso and he liked how Italians enjoyed sitting in Càfes. He nearly lost a deal buying Starbucks and Bill Gates’ father helped him secured the funds.
The Rise of Starbucks and the Café Culture in the USA
In 2005, When I visited the first Starbucks store ever in Seattle, near the fish market. It was a small, tiny store and there was no tables and chairs. I don’t remember what I ordered but I wasn’t that impressed but the ambience was good. Since then Starbucks opened thousands of stores around the world and it changed forever how Americans work and socialize. Stores are usually mid to large scale with unique customer service. Starbucks become people’s office and its a meeting point. They constantly changing or adding new flavors.
So why do I hate Starbucks? Because they get my $6.65 every day. I get one grande pike in the morning, one in the afternoon. Its just a medium roast coffee. It’s the way I start my day and its my fuel in the afternoon.
Thank god, I am not into those expensive drinks. If you are, I am sure you hate Starbucks.
