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Americano To Go (Away from Forbidden City)
Following up on Neil's post, the Starbucks in Forbidden City is in fact, closing. The Chinese have gathered 500,000 signatures that caused the management to shut it down.
Is that good or bad news?
Tim Footman of The Guardian expresses a concern in his column today that "in a global market of implied cultural signifiers, absolutely any product - even a cup of mediocre coffee - seems to have the potential to challenge socialism with Chinese characteristics."
He points out what we all know: it is not coffee that Starbucks sells. They sell "a lifestyle, a feeling, a brand, a corporate reimagining of bohemian leisure." Although the Chinese are perfectly willing to sell the fancy coffee, they refuse to sell the name and lifestyle. It was either changing the name or closing shop.
If you change the name, you end up with mediocre coffee. Closing shop, I guess, made perfect sense.
Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Food and Drink, Asia, China
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 5)
Dux Jul 22nd 2007 1:42AM
I went to Starbucks twice one day; the first time and the last time. I ordered a French Vanilla Cappacino.....the girl behind the counter said "you understand this is not your 'gas station cappacino' don't you"? I said "well, at least the gas station has the dignity to have a sign on the door that says 'No shirt, no shoes, no service' not like those two aging hippies over there with their sandals on the floor and their bare feet on the table." Seven bucks for a cup of crap.....I'll buy mine at the gas station, much cheaper ($1.50) and it tastes better.
TL Jul 22nd 2007 1:55AM
I stopped using Starbucks when the company would not send USA troops coffee. I do not care if you are for or against the war .... IF OUR TROOPS WANT SOMETHING WHILE WE ARE LIVING AT HOME FREE ...WELL THEY SHOULD GET IT .... to ME they made a statement that I do not support. And now I get my coffee somewhere that supports not only our troops but all that profect and serve.
eves Jul 22nd 2007 2:01AM
Have any of you even BEEN to the Starbucks in The Forbidden City? I have...twice. The reason they are closing it is because it devalues their culture and their history. How would you feel if someone put a starbucks in the Sistine Chapel? Or perhaps in the middle of the Vietnam War Memorial? That would be super disrespectful to history. The Forbidden City is over 1,000 years old. I'd be pissed if some foreign corporate fajita stand set up shop in the Lincoln Memorial...
eves Jul 22nd 2007 2:02AM
Also, there are Starbucks EVERYWHERE in china! Don't be an ignorant redneck and assume just because they want to preserve ONE historical landmark that they don't freakin love American food. There are more KFC's in China than there are in America. They even named Starbucks Shing Ba Ke(pronounced "Shing-ba-kuh") The Shing means "star", and the Ba Ke is the Chinese pheonetic translation for "Bucks". Oh, and Starbucks blows...
JP Jul 22nd 2007 2:09AM
It's just amazing that those people who express their opinion in the affirmative of Starbucks write their messages in huge, obnoxious letters. Oh, and the coffee you brew at home is real coffee too (imagine that)not just the kind you get at Starbucks. I wonder if these morons even know where the name hails from.
Ron Powell Jul 22nd 2007 2:58AM
I have never been in Starbucks there are a few around here but not in my town-we have several good coffee shops and don't need a franchise with over-
priced and over-rated coffee--according to Consumer
Reports MacDonalds coffee tastes better---there testers said Starbucks coffee has a "burnt' taste. A pound of coffee makes 72 cups of fairly strong coffee and domestic brands sell for around $7 for 39 ounces. Do the math and you'll see why there are so many Starbucks
Brittany Jul 25th 2007 12:31PM
Ya know, I went to the Forbidden City a year or two ago, and had coffee in this Starbucks. It was shocking to see it there, and I definitely thought it was highly unlikely.. I'm glad they're shutting it down; it seemed kind of disrespectful almost. Didn't stop me from getting coffee, though. It's nice they donate the proceeds, there was a lot of construction going on when I was there. I wonder if that'll stop now that the place is closing, if they have other funding for the project?
eves Jul 22nd 2007 2:19AM
The more I read these comments, the more I understand why America is going to Hell (not in a religious way). It is people like you all (posting people) that can't get an education and you can't keep your ignorant mouths shut. There are hundreds of Starbucks in China. There are Hooters, Walmarts, TGI Fridays, Hard Rocks, Mcdonalds, Dairy Queens, KFCs, Burger Kings, Pizza Huts, Papa Johns (free delivery), and you IGNORANT dumbasses run your mouths about how china "doesn't like america". Please, get an EDUCATION. YOU are ruining America. YOU are the reason the rest of the world hates us. YOU are so arrogant and stupid that you don't bother to find out the facts, you just make a quick judgement. PLEASE I BEG YOU, GET AN EDUCATION AND TRAVEL SO YOU DON'T KEEP MAKING A FOOL OUT OF YOURSELF. How dare you talk about a place you have never even been. You all disgust me. then again, I guess someone has to do complain and get welfare ("beacause the foreigners took my job")...better you than me.
eves Jul 22nd 2007 2:20AM
oh, I forgot to add...maybe you all are making these ill-informed comments (seeing as how only one person has actually BEEN to china...) because this article is incredibly biased. Apparently, the writer never bothered to do a full investigation and research. There was a traditional tea house in The Forbidden City for years and years....Starbucks shut it down (and you idiots complain about how you hate foreigners coming in and taking your jobs. That's exactly what Starbucks did to them.)
Rick Jul 23rd 2007 7:31PM
I was in the Forbidden City in March. The Starbucks is still there but all the signs have been removed and it is no longer called Starbucks. Same Starbucks coffee though!
Alan Cohen Jul 22nd 2007 2:25AM
I went to Charbucks once, took one sip, poured the rest out on a tree. By the time I got back from throwing the empty cup in the trash can, the tree was dead, and you folks drink this battery acid? I drank army coffee for 4 years and I preferred that to charbucks, home of the overroasted and burned coffee beans!
nonesuch Jul 22nd 2007 2:31AM
It may sound ridiculous to forbid Starbucks in China, judging by the fact that China embraced all lifestyle choices like jeans, DVDs, internets etc., it is the Chinese' prerogative to accept Starbucks in their community. Personally, I find Starbuck's java expensive and inferior as compared to other cafes available in NYC,and that the shop multiplies like rabbits, edging out some really good neighborhood cafes, but obviously I am not the majority.
Christy Jul 22nd 2007 2:43AM
Someone commented that they like the kids 'upbeat attitude' that work at Starbucks. That person has obviously never been to the one I used to go to. I have never run into such a snotty, surly bunch of kids. The manager was surly, and it was obviously a 'trickle down' effect. I tried my local Starbucks 5 different times and finally gave up. The coffee or treats aren't worth putting up with the foul attitude.
happy70sgirl Jul 22nd 2007 2:54AM
Why is the coffee shop being forced to close in China? Was someone making it with not enough poisonous chemicals or something?...
Tony Jul 22nd 2007 2:51AM
"...a corporate reimagining of bohemian leisure"
What the hell is that - a new way to get high on caffiene?
Sheesh... people need to grow up and realize that Starbucks is nothing more than an over-priced coffee shop that causes further class separation in our country and other countries too.
As for the Communist Chinese - they can straight to hell.
CPP Jul 22nd 2007 3:02AM
The price of a cup of coffee at STARBUCK's is RIDICULOUS. I am Brazilian and I recognize a good cup of coffe when I taste one. And it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.
Margaret Calljnan Jul 22nd 2007 3:13AM
If the STYLE inwhich Star Bucks uses to sell coffee at a far higher price range is offensive to the local culture, perhaps the company didnt do their homework.
DARKSIDE Jul 22nd 2007 3:20AM
They don't need a Starbucks in China why? Because they just use forced prison labor to make their coffee!
Dave K Jul 22nd 2007 3:24AM
Dunkin Donuts coffee anytime is better
enemyofsocialdistortion Jul 22nd 2007 3:54AM
annie wth are you saying? THE ARMY ISNT FIGHTING FOR OUR FREEDOM WTF? THEY ARE FIGHTING FOR LEISURE AND FOR THE AMBITION OF STUPIDASS BUSH!!! starbucks is growing cause its pushing out local cafe shops AND fooling stupid people into buying their products. this corporation supports the war in the middle east and the killings of many palestinians. this is fucked up, how people still dont know. thats how they make corporations and companies rich! is it worth it?