Starbucks Aims To Ruin America's Independent Wine Bars Just Like They Ruined Coffeehouses.

I hate Starbucks and avoid going there as much as possible. There have been times when visiting other cities that they've set up in the hotel and/or neighborhood, making themselves the only caffeinated option available, so of course I've been there before. But I hate myself for giving them money. I hate their beyond ridiculous expansion that resulted in one 2 block radius in downtown San Francisco having 6 Starbucks. I hate that all the cozy, bohemian coffeeshops I used to visit when I lived on the Upper West Side of Manhattan have gone out of business, thanks to people getting their joe from the corporate monstrosity on 80th and Broadway instead. I hate that they've infiltrated many European cities, where some of the cutest, most delicious little cafes I can't get enough of abound, yet there is a line out the door for the buckies. And I hate their coffee. If I have to go to a chain, I'll buy coffee from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf or Caribou over Starbucks anytime. And while I'm on the subject, Dunn Bros coffee is burnt and nasty..I don't know why anyone goes there. I am happy to live in a city where many independent coffeeshops with fantastic coffee can thrive..I love Urban Bean, Wilde Roast, Corner Coffee, Java J's, Moose & Sadies, Cake Eater and Butter to name a few. But in many cities, this is not the case anymore, thanks to Starbucks.

And apparently, they are trying to do the same thing to all the unique, independently owned wine bars across America by offering wine and cheese and trying to get more people to go there at night. I can't think of a place I'd enjoy a glass of wine less. Every Starbucks is as sterile as a doctors office, and I can guarantee that if they ever do this wine/cheese thing in Minneapolis, you will never find me there sipping a $10 glass of bad merlot. Hopefully other people won't either, but it worries me because there are already about 10000000 Starbucks locations, and people are generally lazy, so they will most likely pop into a Starbucks for vino instead of heading to the cute little wine bar with a great list a few blocks away, causing many authentic wine bars to go under, just like the coffeeshops did.  Which makes me depressed.