# 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:** 3
**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 4, 2006, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/41 "2006-09-04T01:37:48Z")
[QUOTE=drachillix] $4-5 for a cup of coffee… [/QUOTE] Is that really their going price for a simple coffa cuppie? Around here (no Starbucks for 40 miles, remember), the quickstop sells a small coffee for 90 cents, the next stage up is Kick’s, for $1.50, and the highest price I know of is at the upscale Bluefront Cafe, $2/mug with unlimited refills. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/42 "2006-09-04T01:48:45Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] Is that really their going price for a simple coffa cuppie? [/QUOTE] No. I rarely go into Starbucks, but when I trapped there at a meeting or something, I get a plain cup of coffee for around $2, including tax. $4-5 will get you a medium (whatever the hell they call a “medium”) froofy coffee with added stuff and swirly foam. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/43 "2006-09-04T02:37:50Z")
The biggest problem with a coffee shop is always making the rent; the rest of the expenses are pretty minimal. There’s a good article online at “Money” or somesuch outlining the problem. Starbucks seems to use the solution of their powerful brand and marketing to keep their volume up, that and renting tiny expensive real estate or normal-sized locations at average-traffic kind of places. By the way, I’ve done business with them, and they are Grade A penny pinchers in a lot of their business, with some serious attention given to optimizing the whole business model. They remind me a lot of Wal-Mart in that regards. [Does Wal-Mart now also invoke Godwin’s Law?] ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/44 "2006-09-04T03:22:16Z")
Seven within five miles of me (up on the Yonk-iz border), then 55 within ten, then, as most of Manhattan comes into the radius, a staggering 292 within 20 miles. :eek: In fact, I just got back from the last show of SWEENEY TOOD (which was incredible!) and got a hot chocolate at the–wait for it–Coffee Pot, a little place on Ninth Ave. that is within two blocks of at least three Starbucks that I know of. Last year, in fact, the Coffee Pot closed down and remodeled and opened up with much plainer decor and a lot more pastries and sandwiches. It’s doing fine. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/45 "2006-09-04T03:23:19Z")
Sweeney TODD, that is. Great, now he’s gonna kill me. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/46 "2006-09-04T03:50:12Z")
Six of 'em in Wenatchee/East Wenatchee, WA. Did Starbucks have a trademark on the term “tall” to describe what size mocha you want? 'Cuz last time I was in Seattle I popped into the Seattle’s Best coffee shop near Pike Place Market and asked for a “Tall bla bla bla” and the barista said, “Sixteen or twenty ounce?” Have I simply misunderstood what “tall” signifies? I’m really more of a tea drinker (Tea! Earl Grey! Hot!) and espressos are more of an every-once-in-while thing, so maybe I mangled the terminology. Or maybe the Seattleite barista couldn’t understand my Eastern Washington yokel drawl 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/47 "2006-09-04T04:35:51Z")
[QUOTE=Phase42] Did Starbucks have a trademark on the term “tall” to describe what size mocha you want? 'Cuz last time I was in Seattle I popped into the Seattle’s Best coffee shop near Pike Place Market and asked for a “Tall bla bla bla” and the barista said, “Sixteen or twenty ounce?” [/QUOTE] Pssst. Wanna know a secret? Who owns Seattle’s Best Coffee? [Starbucks](http://www.seattlesbest.com/About/release.aspx?ID=1), that’s who. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slip\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f475e1/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slip\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slip_1)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/48 "2006-09-04T13:36:00Z")
There were two Starbucks across from each other in Houston (on West Gray and Shepherd). And they were both usually packed. I also live in Vermont - Starbucks population in my town? Zero. The closest stores within 50 miles? All in Queensbury NY 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Walter\_Windchill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Walter\_Windchill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walter_Windchill)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/49 "2006-09-04T14:22:39Z")
One time I went into a big Starbucks that had a little Starbucks kiosk in the back. ---
**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 4, 2006, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/50 "2006-09-04T14:41:10Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] :eek: OK, we’ve finally identified the REAL difference between The North Side and The South Side! 😃 [/QUOTE] You jest, but of all those 7 locations, 2 are in Targets, and 2 aren’t even in Chicago proper, so only 4 stand-alone stores near where I live. (And only one of these what I would call near my neighborhood). I was absolutely shocked when a Starbucks finally opened up on 47th & Cicero in the late 90s. People here don’t go to Starbucks for their coffee–they go to Dunkin Donuts. Hell, I’m a little bit of a coffee snob and even I go to Dunkin Donuts for my coffee. When I was in college in the mid-90s, I had to take my friends to the North Side to introduce them to “coffee culture,” as there was none anywhere near where we lived. The closest experience was sitting in Huck Finn’s drinking our bottomless cups all night and shooting the shit. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/51 "2006-09-04T16:31:01Z")
I have, oddly enough, 10 within 5 miles and 20 within 10 miles. ---
**Author:** ![Catfood\_Purrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Catfood\_Purrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catfood_Purrito)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/52 "2006-09-04T19:17:26Z")
I’ve got none within 5 miles of my apartment, 5 within 10 miles of me, and 6 within 20 miles. There are but 3 within 20 miles of my old apartment in Rochester, MN, two of which are located in other stores (Target and HyVee). I like Dutch Brothers better anyway. My husband and I have oodles of Starbucks gift cards that we’re never going to use, we just don’t like Starbucks at all. ---
**Author:** ![parsnip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parsnip/32/4564_2.png) [@parsnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parsnip)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/53 "2006-09-04T19:27:39Z")
[QUOTE=Mishell] My husband and I have oodles of Starbucks gift cards that we’re never going to use, we just don’t like Starbucks at all. [/QUOTE] I’m a suburban WAHM who does my share of volunteer work. Starbucks cards seem to be a common currency both for giving/receiving to teachers and helpers in all venues. I have $80 worth in my bag, some of which are left over from Christmas. I can’t regift the holiday ones unless I go into the store and swap them out. The 3 stores (1 in a Safeway) within walking distance are always so busy I don’t have the patience to wait to conduct the switch. ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/54 "2006-09-04T21:27:27Z")
Was this the place you were looking for? [http://img365.imageshack.us/img365/6245/strip144qj2.jpg](http://imageshack.us) ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/55 "2006-09-05T02:36:35Z")
[QUOTE=Pork Rind] Pssst. Wanna know a secret? Who owns Seattle’s Best Coffee? [Starbucks](http://www.seattlesbest.com/About/release.aspx?ID=1), that’s who. [/QUOTE] Wow. I did not know that! ---
**Author:** ![Ficer67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/56 "2006-09-05T04:26:56Z")
Does Starbuck’s inside bookstores and grocery stores like Albertson’s count? If so, then Baton Rouge has 4 within one mile, and more outside of that distance. ---
**Author:** ![cstamets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@cstamets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cstamets)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/57 "2006-09-05T04:38:05Z")
[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] The hot chocolate is decent. It’s what I as a non-coffee-drinking person get when I’m unavoidably roped into going to Starbucks with friends. Still, if I’m going out to get hot chocolate on purpose, I go to Tim Horton’s. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/58 "2006-09-05T16:00:40Z")
($4-5) [QUOTE=Musicat] Is that really their going price for a simple coffa cuppie? [/QUOTE] Yep, that’s why a lot of folks here call them Fourbucks. And they’ve got 111 stores within five miles of where I’m sitting. And that’s not counting the cafe in this building that sells Starbucks, as it’s not open to the public. I’d imagine there’s quite a few “secret” locations like this around town. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/59 "2006-09-05T16:08:27Z")
There are 21 free-standing Starbucks withing a five-mile radius of my apartment. This includes the left half of downtown Toronto. I did not search for ‘captive’ locations; I suspect there may be a few more (inside the Chapters bookstore chain, for example). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184/60 "2006-09-05T16:23:10Z")
[QUOTE=FilmGeek] I’ve got 69 Starbucks retail stores within 5 miles of my apartment. It’s insane. [/QUOTE] 54 within 5 miles of home, 75 within 5 miles of work! :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-place-with-4-starbucks/371184.md?page=4)