# Is there a place with 4 StarBucks? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 2, 2006, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184 "2006-09-02T08:27:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/21 "2006-09-03T05:43:50Z")
Within 5 miles of my house, there are 21 Starbucks Retail stores. Within 10 miles, there are 96. This includes downtown Los Angeles. In the rectangle formed by Figueroa, 3rd, Olive, and 5th, a rectangle less than a third of a mile on its long side and less than a quarter mile on its short side, there are _eight_. ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/22 "2006-09-03T06:00:28Z")
[QUOTE=scotandrsn] Within 5 miles of my house, there are 21 Starbucks Retail stores. Within 10 miles, there are 96. This includes downtown Los Angeles. In the rectangle formed by Figueroa, 3rd, Olive, and 5th, a rectangle less than a third of a mile on its long side and less than a quarter mile on its short side, there are _eight_. [/QUOTE] Whoops! Miscounted because the dots on the map representing the ones at 330 South Hope st. and 333 South Hope Street were on top of each other. There are in fact, _nine_ Starbucks in this very walkable area. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/23 "2006-09-03T06:00:45Z")
We don’t have as many Starbucks here in England as you guys have (thank Og) I’ve visited a few when in Manchester centre and to be honest with you I was not impressed with the coffee. OTOH I’ve had Starbucks coffee in Rhode Island/Illinois/Michigan and a few other states and have found it quite acceptable. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/24 "2006-09-03T06:24:20Z")
I’ve never been to Starbucks, since all coffee tastes like piss to me, but do they sell anything else there that’s good? Pastries? or vodka? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/25 "2006-09-03T06:32:04Z")
[QUOTE=kawaiitentaclebeast] I’ve never been to Starbucks, since all coffee tastes like piss to me, but do they sell anything else there that’s good? Pastries? or vodka? [/QUOTE] Hell yes. They sell all kinds of frappucino (ice-blended) drinks, many of which don’t even have coffee in them at all. And they are delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/26 "2006-09-03T14:22:37Z")
[QUOTE=FrantzJ] I live in Seattle, the tumor from which the worldwide cancer of StarBucks originated. I have seen streets where there are StarBucks across the street from StarBucks, and I have seen intersections with 3 StarBucks on different corners. However, I am yet to see four. Are there places, in Seattle our otherwise, where there are four StarBucks locations in a very tight vicinity? Joey [/QUOTE] Definitely _not_ here in New Haven. In contrast to these posters with dozens of hits, there are only four within five miles from me, and only one of those is a walkable five. Yes, there are a few places where the local chains have not been ground into a paste and show no signs of doing so. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/27 "2006-09-03T14:29:25Z")
[QUOTE=Rigamarole] Hell yes. They sell all kinds of frappucino (ice-blended) drinks, many of which don’t even have coffee in them at all. And they are delicious. [/QUOTE] Try the Stoli Blended Tea sometime. \ ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/28 "2006-09-03T14:46:18Z")
[QUOTE=Rigamarole] Whew, only 34 Starbucks within a 5-mile radius of _my_ apartment. Glad we haven’t been overrun here yet. [/QUOTE] I’m pretty low on the scale of Starbucks to where I live: 2 miles - 0 5 miles - 1 10 - 2 20 - 4 50 - 20 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/29 "2006-09-03T15:10:51Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] 41 within 5 miles, and 8 within 2 miles, and I’m not even in The Loop! (In The Loop there are 97 in 5 miles, 64 in 2 miles - none of them in my first count)! [/QUOTE] Seven, only seven, and I live near Midway Airport, in the city proper. ---
**Author:** ![mike1dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mike1dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mike1dog)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/30 "2006-09-03T15:24:51Z")
Zero within fifty miles here. I’ve never even seen a Starbucks. Evidently they’ve concentrated on large cities. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/31 "2006-09-03T15:26:16Z")
[QUOTE=scotandrsn] Within 5 miles of my house, there are 21 Starbucks Retail stores. Within 10 miles, there are 96. This includes downtown Los Angeles. In the rectangle formed by Figueroa, 3rd, Olive, and 5th, a rectangle less than a third of a mile on its long side and less than a quarter mile on its short side, there are _eight_. [/QUOTE] I work in downtown and was going to do this same search, but I’m glad you beat me to it. Unfortunately, I have no use for any of the Starbucks as I don’t drink coffee. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/32 "2006-09-03T16:02:34Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] Seven, only seven, and I live near Midway Airport, in the city proper. [/QUOTE] :eek: OK, we’ve finally identified the REAL difference between The North Side and The South Side! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/33 "2006-09-03T16:54:17Z")
John DiFool writes: \> What exactly is the overall strategic business plan here (if any)? Their business plan is the following: Continue to look for likely new sites for Starbucks, even in places where there are already many of them. If you identify a good location for one, open up a new Starbucks there, regardless of how close it is to other Starbucks. If it doesn’t get enough business within a given time, close it. If it pulls away much of the business from another Starbucks, close the old one. They consider it a waste of time to worry about whether opening a new place will result in decreased business at an old place or whether a new place is definitely a good place for business. They figure they can always close Starbucks which don’t get good enough sales. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/34 "2006-09-03T17:50:01Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] Try the Stoli Blended Tea sometime. \ [/QUOTE] He asked if they had anything else that was good. Vodka was only a suggestion - although a Stoli Blended Tea might not be a bad idea. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/35 "2006-09-03T20:16:22Z")
Lets see… Starbucks’ within 5 miles of my home: 0. Starbucks’ in my entire country: 0. The last one shut down 3 years ago. Couldn’t handle the competition. ---
**Author:** ![ChicanoRojo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@ChicanoRojo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChicanoRojo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/36 "2006-09-03T20:19:30Z")
McAllen, TX Pop. 116,501 3 StarBucks ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/37 "2006-09-03T21:59:32Z")
The store locator doesn’t list any near me, but I think there’s one in one of the bookstores in town. The locator lists 13 in the state. I was going to claim that I won the thread, until I saw **Alessan** ’s post (I think Israel is smaller in area than Montana, but it has higher population, and besides, it _is_ a country). Are all of these across-the-street stores really different establishments, though? It seems more likely to me that all of the 'bucks at a single intersection would have the same management and employee pool. Like, a barrista might show up for work, “Hey, Sara, Bob’s sick, so you’ll be working the south store today”. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/38 "2006-09-03T23:46:37Z")
There are four Starbucks in Vermont. In ALL of Vermont. Another reason to like Vermont. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2006, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/39 "2006-09-03T23:59:50Z")
I feel so lucky. Number of Starbucks within a 40-mile radius: 0. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/40 "2006-09-04T00:51:58Z")
[QUOTE=John DiFool] The obvious question which is begged is: how the hey do these outlets make any profit? What exactly is the overall strategic business plan here (if any)? As a non-coffee drinker perhaps I’m not grasping something obvious… [/QUOTE] $4-5 for a cup of coffee and a few teaspoons of milk, sugar, few ice cubes and 30 seconds of an employees time. Multiply that by 200-300 per day and you have your answer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184.md?page=3)