Evicted for Manhattan Starbucks No. 188, Shop Fights Back - NYTimes.com - 0 views
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The city sheds its skin every day; Mom & Pop are always getting the boot. Manhattan now has 186 Starbucks, which is eight per square mile. There are more Starbuckses than subway stations. You might think that 186 stores on one small island is the functional equivalent of everywhere, but it turns out not to be, in Starbuckian terms, enough: outlet No. 187 is opening Friday in Times Square, and sometime early next year, No. 188 — or so — will be hanging its shingle on Third Street, right down the block from the world headquarters of the Hell’s Angels. But sing no sad songs for the Bean. By the time Starbucks has rebuilt the corner of Third Street and First Avenue to meet its quality standards for hospitable monotony, the Bean will be flying its flag about 100 yards south.
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I find this story newsworthy because I am a Starbucks-lover and visit the city often. However, I like the idea of a small mom-and-pop coffee shop fighting back against such a huge chain. The story contains two qualities of newsworthiness: timeliness and conflict. The move has not happened yet, but the Bean is set to evict soon, and the news of this necessity is very recent. The story also involves conflict between Starbucks and it's ever-changing crown and ever-growing chain, and this small coffee shop with its loyal customers and homey feel.
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The city sheds its skin every day; Mom & Pop are always getting the boot. Manhattan now has 186 Starbucks, which is eight per square mile. There are more Starbuckses than subway stations. You might think that 186 stores on one small island is the functional equivalent of everywhere, but it turns out not to be, in Starbuckian terms, enough: outlet No. 187 is opening Friday in Times Square, and sometime early next year, No. 188 - or so - will be hanging its shingle on Third Street, right down the block from the world headquarters of the Hell's Angels. But sing no sad songs for the Bean. By the time Starbucks has rebuilt the corner of Third Street and First Avenue to meet its quality standards for hospitable monotony, the Bean will be flying its flag about 100 yards south.