Starbucks to close 5 stores in Hawaii

Starbucks Corp. has targeted five Hawaii stores as part of the 600 total stores it plans to close in the U.S. beginning this month and continuing through March 2009.

[Keith Haugen]

A day earlier, the local spokesman was on television assuring viewers that no Starbucks in Hawai`i would be closing. There's always someone who is the last to be told.

Maybe it comes from serving coffee that smells and tastes burned, or at least "over-roasted."

I recall a coffee tasting story out of Seattle that put Starbucks fourth out of four, according to the expert judges.
I seem to recall that McDonalds came in first. That should tell everyone something.

Keith Haugen
Nu`uanu

[macuu222]

I can't believe they are closing the one in Hilo inside Borders Books. That has always been extremely crowded and my personal preferred coffee shop. I hope maybe Seattle's Best can move in after they leave.

[bsquare]

I've never had coffee so I think there are way too many high-pricedd coffee shops! The number of Starbucks in any given neighborhood is ridiculous and as the economy slips, more of these shops will close.

[LEGAL immigrant]

Alan Cummings wrote:

I'm sorry for the workers in those stores, but the more money taken out of Howard Schultz's pockets the better. Starbucks is a blight on this nation and world. Seeing a Starbucks in Paris(or any other foreign city) is enough to turn your stomach.

Don't forget to mention McDonald's. Here's one for you: McDonald's wanted to open a location in Paris, and they INSISTED that the location be right under the Tour Eiffel - under one of the 'legs' of the tower. That is tantamount to a French bakery insisting on locating at the feet of the Lincoln statue in DC. Or how about Disneyland in France?!!!

[McLovin]

Hokua was a dumb choice. How can you support the business in a single building.....

[Let Freedom Ring]

Business adjusts to the market. That's what this is. An adjustment.

[Small Coffee]

I hope other, new coffee shops will open up to provide us with some variety. The addition of the Coffee Bean & Tea stores has been welcomed, as have the scattered Seattle's Best. Both have better coffee than Starbucks. But I'm hoping for more non-chain stores, a la Morning Brew in Kailua -- the best coffee shop on the island, check out it's new, renovated store -- Coffee Talk, etc. We've become such a boring, uniform industrial society.

[Joe]

4.40 for a gallon of gas or 4.40 for a cup of coffee. I think people are finally figuring out what priorities really are.

[Earl]

Keith Haugen wrote:

A day earlier, the local spokesman was on television assuring viewers that no Starbucks in Hawai`i would be closing. There's always someone who is the last to be told.

I was thinking exactly the same thing. What I saw was a spokewoman on one of the morning news programs. Feel kind of bad for her now.

[Coffee Lover]

Joe wrote:

4.40 for a gallon of gas or 4.40 for a cup of coffee. I think people are finally figuring out what priorities really are.

A cup of coffee at Starbucks costs no more than a cup at McDonalds or your local drive in - certainly not $4.40. A blended coffee drink that is twice as large as a "cup of coffee" that includes expensive dairy products, syrups, and espresso (which is more costly to produce) naturally costs more. A Starbucks coffee drink costs more to produce than a martini, but most folks fork over $8 -$10 for those cheap ingredients without blinking.

[Coffee Lover]

macuu222 wrote:

I can't believe they are closing the one in Hilo inside Borders Books. That has always been extremely crowded and my personal preferred coffee shop. I hope maybe Seattle's Best can move in after they leave.

The parent company of Seattle's Best is Starbucks, according to Wikipedia.

[melanie Boudar]

Thank Goodness! In a state that grows its own coffee we should be encouraging and supporting our local farmers.

[alice]

i drink a small latte if a nice boy treats me. otherwise it is expensive.

[localboi]

Thaank goodness McCain said the economy is on the right track!

[Lemunui]

Alan Cummings wrote:

I'm sorry for the workers in those stores, but the more money taken out of Howard Schultz's pockets the better. Starbucks is a blight on this nation and world. Seeing a Starbucks in Paris(or any other foreign city) is enough to turn your stomach.

Seems like you have an axe to grind with Starbuck's. What is it?

[Lemunui]

LEGAL immigrant wrote:

<quoted text>
Don't forget to mention McDonald's. Here's one for you: McDonald's wanted to open a location in Paris, and they INSISTED that the location be right under the Tour Eiffel - under one of the 'legs' of the tower. That is tantamount to a French bakery insisting on locating at the feet of the Lincoln statue in DC. Or how about Disneyland in France?!!!

What does this post have to do with the issue of Starbuck's closing 5 stores in Hawaii?

[CoffeeDrinker]

Going to miss the location at Sand Island.

[Beebs]

This was bound to happen when you place many starbucks really close together. I'm amazed the two at Ala Moana are both still open (next to Sears & in Barnes).

[alohamaiazz]

melanie Boudar wrote:

Thank Goodness! In a state that grows its own coffee we should be encouraging and supporting our local farmers.

Mel, I 2nd the motion!! Hawaii grown coffee is much tastier than the Starbucks blend, anyways. Akamai, yeah, you?

[new yorker]

I like IHOP coffee.