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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 5 of 5)
Nancy Jul 22nd 2007 4:08AM
Yes, I agree with STEVE Starbucks SUCKS... I do not give any of my hard earned american dollars to Starbucks after this past Christmas. The car in front of me placed their order. The barista said, Merry Christmas and the total. I ordered 3 gift cards, my drink and 2 1lb. bags of CHRISTMAS blend coffee. I was given my total no Merry Christmas no Happy Hanakka nothing. When I pulled forward I heard her tell the couple she was SORRY SHE SAID MERRY CHRISTMAS and there order would be free today.
That is the last time I have been to Starbucks. ONLY IN AMERICA where I still think the dollar bill says in God We Trust. Nancy
Chris Jul 22nd 2007 4:26AM
On the question about Starbucks being Kojaks friend is false. If you read Moby Dick, Starbuck is the new member of the crew on the ship and also is the narrator of the story. Plus when the ship finally does go down at sea, Starbuck is the only one to survive. I like the Seattle based company, if you don't like their heavily creamed coffee like me, try the dark roasts that they have. It's basically their only coffee that I will drink plain. My high school in Florida and Virginia was partially funded by the company, and yes they do support the troops; how do you think the last military base (which was overseas) I was living on had Starbucks on it. I also think that my mom's Starbucks cup that she has from our trip to the forbidden city will be worth allot now that they closed the coffee shop there.
Margaret Callinan Jul 22nd 2007 4:32AM
I forgot to add: Without Starbucks "corporate bohemian imagery", - the price goes with the ambiance - who would really pay $3.50 - $7/cup of coffee at the counter, or the table, or, To-Go? Not many. So, they had to close.
And, bohemian coffee houses were places to go to for a fine cup of coffee, on-the-cheap, Years ago, coffee was called Java...a cup of java, or a cup of joe. I remember an old song - in Jive style: I love coffee, I love tea - I love the Java-jiva, it loves me. coffee and tea - Java-jiva and me - a cup, a cup, a cup....................a-cup-a-coffffeeeee. by the Andrew Sisters.
gary Jul 22nd 2007 4:34AM
starbucks is another perfect example of hype and clever American advertising. I pride myself on nor being 'a sheep' blindly following whatever 'fad' the american advertising public. this weeks' fad 'harry potter' people standing in line till midnite to buy a book? ridiculous. want a good cup of coffee? visit almost any 'smalltime diner' or 'Dunkin' Donuts' Not only will you be glad you did but, you will have money enough to visit, again!
HELLGA Jul 22nd 2007 12:13PM
GET A LIFE, YOU BORING, SELF-RIGHTEOUS, IGNORANT WHINERS. IT'S JUST COFFEE.
Jake Jul 22nd 2007 5:33AM
Starbuck's is nothing but a status thing for all the up and coming wannabee's who get an ego trip by showing everyone they can afford to pay $5 for a cup of coffee. The company is successful because management has succeeded in conning millions of people to hand over $5 for a $0.25 cup of coffee. As far as pitching them out of the Forbidden City...who cares?
honeybunny32 Jul 22nd 2007 9:50AM
STARBUCKS TASTE LIKE CRAP. THEY ARE A BUNCH OF CANDY ASS FRUIT CAKES THAT WORK AND GO THERE. THOSE BIG DUMMIES!!!!!
Diane Privette Jul 22nd 2007 2:08PM
Having recently been to China to visit my daughter and son-in-law who teach school there I can tell you that there are many Starbucks. I flew into Shanghai where they live and there are Starbucks just about on every corner. We then flew to Bejing where the Forbidden City is located. In Bejing there are also many Starbucks...just not in the Forbidden City which is an Ancient sprawling Palace where the emperor used to live. It is big and vast and full of history. Besides not having Starbucks there are not any other shops of that type within the confines of the Forbidden City. You can barely find anything to eat there. I for one can not imagine going inside the walls of the forbidden city and saying "Oh gosh, there is no Starbucks in here..I must leave!" If it was commercialized with western fair it would detract from the history. It was an amazing place with amazing people.
As far as the other Starbucks which were plentiful they were catering to anyone but the Chinese people. Most Chinese people could not afford Starbucks. One cup of coffe is probably more than most of them make per day.
The only time I felt the need to visit Starbucks was to use their western style bathrooms! It was hard to find anaything but a squat potty so Starbucks was the answer for that!
Michael S. Terrell Jul 22nd 2007 4:15PM
so Starbucks is closing in China....so what?...doesn't have an impact on the consumer in America...no biggie....why make a big deaal of it?
Michael S. Terrell Jul 22nd 2007 4:16PM
P.S. if that's the case then get their leaky yellow asses out of America and take their people and investments in America businesses with them
Elizabeth C Jul 22nd 2007 7:10PM
Starbucks coffee is burnt. They over-roast their beans and the resulting coffee is utter crap, hence the need for all the strong, sickly-sweet flavoring. They also have grown as a corporation way beyond anything responsibly necessary and perpetuate gross global cultural homogenization.
I say bravo to the Chinese for closing this shop. If the people of any place do not want any company to put a shop in their homeland, then they have every right to tell them to sod off. They stood up and pushed back against a giant. Good for them!