Return to the Inevitable
Back in Pedro after a much needed road trip - I know I'm home when I see that Interstate 110 sign that says San Pedro on it.There are some things in life that are inevitable and unavoidable - ear hair, liver spots, etc... And there are some things in a development cycle that are equally unavoidable, in this case, a Starbucks. While the currently floated proposal (Breeze coverage here) hasn't been carved in stone yet, it is inevitable that one of the first signs of San Pedro's return to economic normalcy will be that black, green and white circle on Gaffey or in the Downtown core. Although I will probably never set foot in the building, and anyone who drinks their poor excuse for coffee should suffer from tongue burns until Doomsday, it's hard not to appreciate the first potential sign of an oncoming spring after a long winter.
The proposed location for our coffee overlord's next location is the 400 block of Gaffey, where the "Mega Taco Bell" proposal was floated a few years ago. Unlike the poorly imagined Taco Bell proposal, there is no inention to tear down any houses adjacent, nor is there a drive-thru (the last thing that section of Gaffey needs is another drive-thru). If it comes to pass, our new Starbucks will be accompanied by a T-Mobile, making it possible for me to get incompetent customer service closer than the awkwardly placed T-Mobile up on Western and PV Drive! Woo Hoo. (Full disclosure - I was in at that T-Mobile yesterday, trying to replace/rescue/upgrade my ancient Blackberry. Don't go there - the employees are lobotomised and couldn't answer a single one of my questions. I went immediately home and handled my issue with the help of their website and their phone customer service.)
Interestingly - the Breeze has another article about Downtown El Segundo's debate the arrival of their java tyrant. I feel very much the same as the business owners in El Segundo seem to feel - I don't want to see a Starbucks in Downtown San Pedro, especially since we have such a well loved coffee house and hangout in the form of Sacred Grounds.
3 Comments:
Remember that Starbucks first started out as a small entrepeneurship (sp?) in Pikes Place Market, Seattle. They musta done something right, and then grew and grew and grew... beyond all comprehension as to their degree of market share. I don't think that their coffee is bad (actually I like it), but now buy smaller grower beans from the grocery store (organic preferred) and brew my espresso at home, just as a small attempt to keep the market in balance (ha!).
Every business starts off as a small something - that doesn't excuse Starbucks for their crimes against coffee and local businesses. I'd rather not have them in the community (We already have great local coffee shops and I'd hate to see them lose business to Starbucks), but opposing a Starbucks on Gaffey would be retarded.
My one and only customer experience with Starbucks was when I was in high school. I bought a hot cider at a Starbucks, proceeded to drink a sip of the boiling water (it was so hot that I couldn't taste anything at the time, and not for about a week later). As I dropped the cup due to total shock, the lid came off and spewed boiling cider through my clothes, giving me low grade burns all over my torso. I haven't been back since.
Sounds like my 2 recent experiences with public transit.
No. 1, was dropped off within 1/4 mile of getting on, and waited 3/4 hour for police to mop up some incident, arriving late at a conference downtown. No. 2, the MTA express from USC broke down on the way back to Pedro, leaving us to sorta fend for ourselves figuring out the obsure route south, curbside. The bus driver was totally unsympathetic and uninterested. The system telephone helpline was pathetic. Trying to get up the nerve to try it again.
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