As with Whole Foods, Starbucks is another major company that has taken a look at themselves and are offering something new. A Starbucks that is not a "Starbucks"!! NPR reported Saturday, Starbucks Goes Into Stealth Mode. Starbucks, a company that has done pretty much everything it can do, has found a way to continue to grow in their same niche. They looked outside themselves, the ones who commercialized and popularized the industry, to find out what more they could do. They "dropped" their own name, and essentially the brand recognition that they have "taken over the world" to achieve, to offer a "mom-and-pop" feeling coffee house experience. Two more additions to this new venture is the addition of alcoholic beverages and live music.
I do admire and even encourage major corporations to take a look at themselves to discover opportunities for growth. However, I do have a criticism on this Starbucks approach. If they identified the late(r) night, live music/poetry/open-mike, and craft beers as a niche they could further their growth, then why not do it under the Starbucks name? Many many years ago, McDonalds was another company that grew to the point of almost appearing on every corner. Instead of offering a "Mcdonalds in disguise", they did such things as install a stock-ticker at a location near Wall Street in NYC, and a live grand-piano player at another location. McDonalds used creativity and local trends to create a "neighborhood" restaurant. Starbucks has a love/hate relationship with society. People love their coffee, but hate the way they have flexed their corporate muscle in putting the "mom-and-pop" places out of business. I think this approach, because of the actual idea, will succeed. I just wonder if it won't also strike another negative blow to Starbuck's overall image.
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