Chantelle writes “I’m from the rural North. I accept that when I am in Owen Sound, Ontario, all I will be able to find is fifteen Tim Horton’s. But, like you, I know that when you are in a city you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a bunch of Starbucks. I know they’ve hit on hard times and are shutting down 100 stores. But even Buffalo has ‘em. Drive thru Starbucks. Pure satisfaction.”

And I comment,

The thinking at Starbucks about 4-5 years ago was that the Pacific Northwest (Starbucks’ stronghold) was saturated, and that they were going to move into new markets.  So, then they decided to open stores across the world, in such illustrious coffee places such as “Texas”.  Lo, Texans drink oil, not coffee, so these stores started tanking.  The last couple of years (with Schultz now at the helm) have meant a “return to the roots”, realizing that the Pacific Northwest isn’t yet saturated!  In my hometown of Victoria BC there are half a dozen Starbucks slated to open (or have recently opened) in the next few years.  Of course, as we all know, that isn’t enough.  Stores have been closing, they are getting rid of the stupid breakfast items (because they mask the all important “coffee aroma”) and Schultz decries the new auto-machines as reducing the coffee experience to a McDonald’s-like experience (although I don’t know if they will get rid of them, at $50K each).  Last week’s global Starbucks shutdown was an even more aggressive attempt to rally the troops and get Starbucks back to its core—-selling “premium” coffee and being the “third place” (after “home” and “work”).  Of course, this means your beloved drive-through isn’t going to get to keep its coveted place, unless you are in Texas.

For your return to Toronto, my evolving and expanding Google map of quality coffee places (i.e., no Timmy, no Williams, no Second Cup, and no Starbucks), including my reviews, can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/2y684z