Everything comes in cycles, real estate, employment and economic growth, even coffee? Once I started seeing StarBucks on every damn street corner in Vancouver (and on Robson kiddie corner to one another), then you know it can’t last forever. In one way Starbucks killed themselves with their saturation of the coffee market. Starbucks made coffee what it is in Vancouver, but at the same time they over killed it. I mean seriously, they went overboard. Robson street alone has over 5 coffee shops, on one street!

I just saw in the news today that Starbucks is closing 600 stores in the USA. Yeah, yeah I know it’s because of the economic slowdown in the U.S but they grew fast, really fast. And seriously, the prices are killer. People drink coffee everyday, well I do anyways. However you won’t catch me buying a Caffe Mocha every day for one reason, the price. I don’t feel like paying $4.50 every single day for that Mocha. After a month at $4.50 per cup, it’s $135 a month just on Caffe Mocha, no thanks….

I could go to Tim Hortons and pay about $1.50 a cup, so $45 for the month compared to $135, you do the math. I make my coffee at home, way cheaper than buying it. If I do go out for coffee (roughly 3 times a week), I go to Tim Hortons. I visit Starbucks maybe once every 2 months. Sorry Starbucks but come on, $4.50 for a Mocha? Hell, even McDonalds sells iced coffee and it tastes just as good as Starbucks but only $1.35 compared to Starbucks at $4.50, again no thanks. I mean geez, it’s only coffee, why do you guys charge so much????

Gas is at $1.50 per litre in Vancouver, houses here have doubled in the last 5 years to an average price of just under $550,000 for an OLD home. Once prices start rising on staple products, then the luxuries such as Starbucks go first.

Thanks for some good times but I’m not that sad to see you go, sorry. I get ripped off enough at the gas pump, government taxes and at the grocery store. Good luck Starbucks.

Sincerely,

C.V

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random pics

sunset shot from my porch Canada Day July 1, 2008

seagull on lamp post in AmbleSide Park, West Van