Third Places and Neighborhood Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Starbucks Cafés • Hacker News Board

Re: Third Places and Neighborhood Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Starbucks Cafés

#31

Post by griftrejection » Fri, Jul 12, 2024, 2:29 AM UTC

nine_k wrote: post #22

s1artibartfast wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The locally owned coffee shop is optimizing profits too, just going after a smaller, more niche demographic. Inversely, if everyone wanted cozy shops, that is exactly what Starbucks would build.

Everyone may be wanting cozy shops, large apartments, free ice cream, and a pony. Cozy shops bring in much less profit per $ invested. They cannot seriously compete with kiosks, when the majority of customers just want some competently brewed joe on the way to work (or even half-competently, since we mention Starbucks). Maybe a bagel with it. Next customer! A cozy shop with seating for customers who want to sit there…

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Re: Third Places and Neighborhood Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Starbucks Cafés

#32

Post by griftrejection » Fri, Jul 12, 2024, 2:31 AM UTC

crooked-v wrote: post #11

trollbridge wrote: post #8

Unfortunately, Starbucks is opening “kiosk only” locations with no seating that, obviously, fail to function as a third place. My partner finished up a medical appointment and was waiting for me to arrive, and decided to stop in Starbucks. Oops, just a kiosk. The options left for a “third place” was a petrol station that had seating and a grocery store. Somehow I don’t think petrol station seating areas will promotin…

At this point, I feel like that kind of thing is an obvious consequence of, among other issues, most of the US going straight to "we've tried nothing and we're all out of ideas" when it comes to mental health issues and the homeless.

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Re: Third Places and Neighborhood Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Starbucks Cafés

#33

Post by shermantanktop » Fri, Jul 12, 2024, 2:31 AM UTC

ETHisso2017 wrote: post #28

willsmith72 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems like everyone's experience is highly localised. Even within 3km of my place I have 4 starbucks. 1 is amazing, 2 are not great, and 1 is the takeaway variant. Which one is the true measure of "Starbucks"? It's the same for local cafes too. Also what's with the "they just want to make a profit" argument going round here? Why wouldn't they? They literally have a legal duty to do so. Should we instead incentivis…

Sounds like they need to split up the brand. Customers need to have a consistent experience across locations

Let’s segment this market!

“Starbucks Deluxe” for the golfers and yacht owners.

“Starbucks Influencer,” with pink cups and led rings at every table.

“Starbucks Classic” for the retired and confused.

And of course, “Starbucks Homeless” to capture the downtown vibe.

Re: Third Places and Neighborhood Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Starbucks Cafés

#34

Post by griftrejection » Fri, Jul 12, 2024, 2:32 AM UTC

jmyeet wrote: post #15

What I don't see in these conversations is how much increasing property prices contribute to killing third places. People get excited because they bought a house for $200k and it's notionally worth $800k now. In reality they haven't gained anything because every house is $800k and you still need somewhere to live so you still only own one housing unit of wealth. Worse, people actively lobby for policies that increase…

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Re: Third Places and Neighborhood Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Starbucks Cafés

#35

Post by griftrejection » Fri, Jul 12, 2024, 2:35 AM UTC

ec109685 wrote: post #24

jmyeet wrote: post #15

What I don't see in these conversations is how much increasing property prices contribute to killing third places. People get excited because they bought a house for $200k and it's notionally worth $800k now. In reality they haven't gained anything because every house is $800k and you still need somewhere to live so you still only own one housing unit of wealth. Worse, people actively lobby for policies that increase…

That $200k purchaser is sitting on $760k in equity and paying 1/4th in housing that their peers are, which is its own form of wealth.

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Re: Third Places and Neighborhood Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Starbucks Cafés

#36

Post by deadbabe » Fri, Jul 12, 2024, 2:41 AM UTC

There’s a nice coffee shop near me but they have somewhat hostile policies toward people wanting to sit on their laptops and work for hours, which makes it hard to be a decent third place. On weekends, laptops are banned entirely.

Re: Third Places and Neighborhood Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Starbucks Cafés

#37

Post by willsmith72 » Fri, Jul 12, 2024, 2:45 AM UTC

ETHisso2017 wrote: post #28

willsmith72 wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems like everyone's experience is highly localised. Even within 3km of my place I have 4 starbucks. 1 is amazing, 2 are not great, and 1 is the takeaway variant. Which one is the true measure of "Starbucks"? It's the same for local cafes too. Also what's with the "they just want to make a profit" argument going round here? Why wouldn't they? They literally have a legal duty to do so. Should we instead incentivis…

Sounds like they need to split up the brand. Customers need to have a consistent experience across locations

do they? when i want to work, ill go to the big one. if im late for work and feel like coffee, the takeaway one is quicker and less chaotic without the tourists/campers/families

im not usually one to defend a company, and i dont know what's best for starbucks the company and brand. but what i see isn't necessarily or obviously bad

Re: Third Places and Neighborhood Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Starbucks Cafés

#38

Post by yuzhun » Fri, Jul 12, 2024, 2:48 AM UTC

I'm from a city in central China, where Starbucks is a great place to talk because it's located around a mall, and unlike other stores, the seating is less crowded, but if I want to study or get quiet to do something, I'll choose the library or a less lively local café.

Re: Third Places and Neighborhood Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Starbucks Cafés

#39

Post by jerkstate » Fri, Jul 12, 2024, 2:50 AM UTC

shermantanktop wrote: post #33

ETHisso2017 wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like they need to split up the brand. Customers need to have a consistent experience across locations

Let’s segment this market! “Starbucks Deluxe” for the golfers and yacht owners. “Starbucks Influencer,” with pink cups and led rings at every table. “Starbucks Classic” for the retired and confused. And of course, “Starbucks Homeless” to capture the downtown vibe.

I think they are doing this already, I was in NYC a few months ago and saw a “Starbucks Reserve”

Re: Third Places and Neighborhood Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Starbucks Cafés

#40

Post by carlosjobim » Fri, Jul 12, 2024, 3:03 AM UTC

jmyeet wrote: post #15

What I don't see in these conversations is how much increasing property prices contribute to killing third places. People get excited because they bought a house for $200k and it's notionally worth $800k now. In reality they haven't gained anything because every house is $800k and you still need somewhere to live so you still only own one housing unit of wealth. Worse, people actively lobby for policies that increase…

> In reality they haven't gained anything because every house is $800k and you still need somewhere to live so you still only own one housing unit of wealth.

They can borrow money against the extra value of their house. They don't need to move out. That's what everybody in the landed gentry has been doing for the past two decades.