An article in Sustainable Brands Weekly reported that Starbucks is now rebranding. They are opening the first of a series of coffee shops with a local handle. The first one is 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea and it will open this week on 15th Avenue in Seattle. The next two will have names that reflect their local address. What could be more local sounding than that?

Except that they’re not.

If the CIA were running Starbucks, I don’t think they could have come up with a more deceptive plan than this.  One thing is for sure, it’s not rebranding in any way, shape or form. They are merely trying to capitalize on the “go local”, anti-corporate wave that’s growing across the country. For what other possible reason could this launch be taking place?

They won’t look like Starbucks, they won’t taste like Starbucks, but when the green leaves the cash register at the end of the day it’s going to be heading right to the Starbucks corporate offices and there’s nothing local, small scale or Mom & Pop about that.

I’m not saying that it isn’t a smart business move. I am saying that it’s a sheep-in-wolves-clothing move. And it’s certainly anything but green or locally sustainable.

The whole idea of going local is to keep jobs, revenues and profits in the local community.  To give small entrepreneurs a chance to make a living by delivering a local product.  It’s the chance for a whole string of individual business people to secure a market for their locally-made and locally-sold goods from bakery items to bagels to office supplies to restaurant supplies. But when the Big Guys don the mask of being a little guy, watch out. 

Personally, I go out of my way to do business with the local Java Joes or small green grocer or hardware store, and I try to hit the Farmers Market every chance I get. Maybe now I have to insist on proof of residency, a driver license or something like that to make sure the guy in the local store is a local. Not just someone masquerading as such. To me, it’s the same kind of thinking that created derivatives and credit swap that almost brought down the U.S. economy and banking system.

Here a little thought.  Hey Starbucks, if you really care a hill of beans about local coffee shops then leave a piece of the market on the table for them and don’t pretend you’re local when you’re not.   

Is Starbucks full of beans or not? What do you think?

Irv

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