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Invasion of an independent coffee shop – Is this the beginning of the end?

Welcome, one and all.

I sat down today at an independent coffee shop in downtown Toronto.  This is interesting in itself, because on my coffee cup was written what was also posted on the wall behind the counter: “We proudly brew Starbucks coffee”. In a spreading sadness I realized that yet another independent business was contributing to the decay of real-life value.  The decay of the actual coffee culture could also be something worth consideration.

The success of Starbucks Coffee Inc. I believe to be largely attributed to the lifestyle it portrays; that of the worldly business person who resides inside us all.  To provide this image the company renames their cup sizes, names its beverages with non-English adjectives, and infuses the drinks themselves with enough sugary additives and flavours to attract the clientelle who don’t particularly enjoy the taste of coffee.  These are marketing strategies that are used to appeal to the largest pool of customers possible; it attracts those with the purchasing power to buy a $3.50 cup of steamed milk with a flavour shot and a splash of coffee.  It also attracts the poor shmoe who can’t afford it but will spend the money anyway in order to pretend for a moment that their socioeconomic condition is above its actual level.  Somehow the Starbucks coffee cup has become a pop icon, a status symbol.  I beg the reader to remember: objects only acquire value because the people consent to it.