How you know Seattle has too fucking many Starbucks

[jmowreader]

This is Starbucks Center, corporate headquarters for the global coffee leviathan. Starbucks Center used to be Sears' west coast catalog fulfillment warehouse; at 2.1 million square feet it is the biggest building in the state of Washington that isn't owned by Boeing. (It's right next to the Seattle railhead; the plan was for Sears to receive boxcars full of mailed orders then ship merchandise to customers via Parcel Post on other boxcars. Until Sears got out of the catalog-sales business, the plan worked just fine.) It is at the corner of Utah Ave. South and Walker Street. And as one would guess, there is a Starbucks store in this building.

If you go east on Walker Street exactly one block to 1st Avenue, there's another Starbucks.

Interestingly enough, the Fred Meyer chain of general stores, which serves Starbucks in its stores everywhere else, doesn't serve Starbucks in Seattle; there they serve Tully's, another Seattle-based coffee company that runs its operations out of - this is no shit - an abandoned brewery.

[HipChick]

1. I have been to that corporate headquarters..

Starbucks flew me out there ...all expenses paid..for an interview for a corporate job...they put me up in a hotel though, downtown. That building is not in a great area, which is why I guess my hotel was downtown. Anyway, inside they have a nice museum which tells about the history of coffee...there is actually more than one store inside the building. It is actually very modern inside, and looks nothing as grab on the outside

I did get an offer, and they wanted me really bad...but in the end, I ended up taking a job in NYC which also let me work from home a lot of time - I found Seattle a little depressing..

[nolabear]

2. Why do you think we drink so much coffee?

Seriously, although at the moment this city is basking in making Number 1 for Best Summers in the country (and from mid July to Mid to late September it is AWESOME) it's also the city with the least vacation time, some of the highest prices and, in winter, the shortest days in the contiguous 48 (Alaska is a WHOLE 'nother animal). We NEED our caffeine, especially Southern transplants like me.

[Locut0s]

4. As a Vancouverite I have no choice but to reply to this ;)...

We are like sister cities across the boarder here. Though I would argue from a place of pride that ours is the nicer city Not that Seattle is any slouch there. We have been having the same EPIC summer you guys have of course, it down right feels like we are living in Hawaii or something these past 2 months. Every day I wake up to 25 - 30 degree weather and not a cloud in the sky. The whole city is beach crazy right now, and with our annual celebration of light firework festival starting up tonight it's gearing up to go into overdrive. But I agree on our winters Rain rain rain, overcast overcast overcast. I tell you this coming winter is going to be extra hard after this AMAZING summer we are having. Also agree on the expense, we are the most expensive city in Canada, and one of the most expensive in North America (real estate wise I think it may be THE most expensive). But I really love it here!

[nolabear]

6. LOVE Vancouver. I've only touristed around there but I really enjoy it every time.

And I'm hoping the unbelievable summer weather is going to make winter (which I HATE) easier to bear.

[Locut0s]

3. I can beat that :P...

Well I used to be able to anyway. Take a look at the following google streetview link:

http://goo.gl/maps/65mJF

If you zoom in you will see a Starbucks at one of the 4 corners here. If you turn around 180 degrees you will see a Cafe Artigiano, well for a long time that was ANOTHER Starbucks, 2 of them looking at each other right across the street.

[Wounded Bear]

7. Pfft!!!

In Kent at the corner of 132nd and Kent-Kangley Road, there is a drive through Starbucks, a Starbucks in the Safeway just across the parking lot in the same complex, and there used to be a walk in Starbucks across the street in the shopping complex facing.

[pinboy3niner]

8. In McLean, VA, Giant Supermarket opened a store right across the street from its existing store

An A&P Supermarket had had that spot, and when it closed Giant grabbed it to prevent competition coming in. The new store was opened as an upscale 'Gourmet Giant,' but the locals called it the Gucci Giant. Its grand opening was a black tie affair, with some of the Kennedys attending.

[The empressof all]

5. Yeah, but travel outside the PNW and you'll be singing another tune

It was Appalling and totally uncivilized that I couldn't get an half caf/half decaf skinny any where and any time I wanted on the east coast. And I am. I admit, a bit spoiled with the drive throughs on every corner.\\

BTW: There is a 24 hour Starbucks in Everett..... Just in Case you are in Snoho



I know, I know

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

12. Hi Empress

I live in Everett, where is it?

[The empressof all]

13. On Broadway

I just drove by it the other day and was surprised to see an open 24 hour sign in front. It's south of Hewitt on the East side of street. Don't remember the cross streets.

I didn't know there were 24 hour Starbucks.....So I made a mental note for the next time I have an episode of insomnia and am taking a drive

Now that my husband discovered Brooklyn Brothers we are in Everett more often. Pita King changed hands. I don't know if it's the same but I use to love that place. Need to make another visit to check out if the new owners ruined it.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

17. That would be Broadway and 37th

Brooklyn Brothers doesn't do anything special for me but lots of people like it. I like the Chicago style pizza you can get at Giorgios on Evergreen Way south of Casino. Across from Fluke.

[The empressof all]

18. Well I must have been hallucinating

I drove by the Starbucks yesterday afternoon and no more sign that they are open 24 hours. Maybe no one wanted coffee in the middle of the night or I was just dreaming....

We are originally from NY so Brooklyn Bros is now the closest we can find to taste we grew up with.

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. lots in la also

[jmowreader]

10. Can you imagine working at that Starbucks?

Scene inside corporate headquarters:

"Mary, it's going to take half an hour to process the coffee futures data. Got any ideas for a quick time-waster?"

"We haven't inspected the store on First Avenue in a couple hours...that would be fun."

[R B Garr]

11. They just replaced a Tully's with a Starbucks in OC here. How's Tully's doing?

When we were up in Seattle a couple years ago, we stopped at a Tully's which is apparently Seattle based as well. It was inside a corporate office building. When we got home to Orange County, we looked up Tully's locations and found one here in OC and went there (bordering on Corona del Mar area I think...). Anyway, I drove by that location the other day, and the Tully's was gone -- replaced with a Starbucks. Do any of you Seattle folks follow Tully's and know how it's doing? Just curious. We hadn't heard of it before and made an effort to go to any Seattle coffee place that wasn't Starbucks while we were there.

[The empressof all]

14. Tullys was having financial problems

I think they just got sold and bought by Patrick Dempsey. They closed quite a few of their stores.

[R B Garr]

16. Thanks for the reply. I thought maybe it was a regional issue here

so I was curious how it was doing up there in Seattle. I guess Starbucks has the best business model and tons of money to absorb these smaller coffee shops. It's amazing how they keep taking over.

[Arugula Latte]

15. We met at Starbucks ...

[upaloopa]

19. Something like 480 Starbucks in Seattle and they own Seattle's Finest Coffee.

We went to three of them but had to get on the train home. Didn't make the original on Pike St. Line was too long.

[Texasgal]

20. I just got back from Chicago on business

I've never been there. I was shocked to see so many starbucks, they were literally on every corner! I tried to seek out other coffee because I dislike the way their coffee tastes. It was almost impossible!

I'll admit I was in a tourist area, but DAMN! What gives?

[TheMightyFavog]

21. No one has posted this yet?

[tabbycat31]

22. Am I the only coffee drinker who does not like Starbucks

To be honest I prefer gas station coffee (oh how I miss Wawa) because I want to put everything in it myself.

[R B Garr]

23. Starbucks is not my first choice, actually. I'm a Peetnik

Love Peet's coffee. I guess they're originally from the Bay Area. Peet's usually has a fresh nutmeg grinder, which I love because I put cinammon and nutmeg in my coffee.

I know what you mean about the gas station coffee. If you get a place with high turnover, it's usually fresh, and I used to love those little liquid coffee flavorings.