OPEN THREAD conversation-starter: Howard Schultz for president? (PLUS: Halloween at Starbucks)

News reports say a group called Americans Elect is looking to add a third party centrist candidate to the 2012 presidential race, and one of the names being thrown out as a possibility is Howard Schultz. (Americans Elect is a collection of Republicans, Democrats and independents who have had it with the direction of American politics.) The Starbucks CEO would have more appeal than any of the GOP candidates, in my opinion, but I'm skeptical of businessmen who jump into government. YOUR THOUGHTS? Discuss this or anything else Starbucks-related -- including your store's Halloween fun -- in the OPEN THREAD.

Comments

[Reading Onward]

If I had a choice of a businessman to run this country, it would be Warren Buffet, someone who has extensive background in economics. Howard is a great business man, but even when you read Onward, he admits he's not the best when it comes to matters of politics, government, and economics.

[Zimmerman]

America will have a just say yes policy.

[matt]

America already has a just say yes policy...that's where most of our problems come from

[SBUX Alum Bill]

If Howie the Hypocrite becomes president, you're going to see a reversal of the immigration problem (the Mexicans will be talking about buiding a wall to keep US out).

[Herman]

Send on another clown.

[Me]

Not necessarily taking other things into consideration, I'd rather have the former CEO of Starbucks run our country than the former CEO of Godfather's pizza.

[Di p]

Howard and Warren would be the best dark horse since Secretariat! I would vote on that triple crown race!

[Di p]

Howard S. rules! smart man with one heck of a workforce behind him! And I AM PART OF THAT WORK FORCE!

[Slake]

He'd lose Washington state but win Oklahoma.

[Ian]

He's better than Perry, that's for sure.

[Jeff Tom]

Hell, he's better than Obama. At least Howie understands financial issues, and how to grow/manage and lead people. Let him run as a Dimocrat.

[Jeff Tom]

You knew it was going to come to this. Just had to wait for the first person (Ian) to take a shot at someone. This thread will not end up well....

[doubletall]

If this happens I'm moving to Canada, no questions asked, and NEVER looking back!

[Coffeegeek]

So I opened up a new store. And this is the first that I've used Vitamix blenders. Number 1 is the only button programed besides number 3 for bananas. Is there a way to program number 2 for two drink?

[br2master]

coffee geek-we do ONE DRINK AT A TIME. you should not use 2 for two drinks.

[TheRootinator]

@Coffeegeek The #3 button will blend multiple drinks kind of like the old option on the Blendtec equipment. But, like br2master said, corporate intends us to do one beverage at a time using the repeatable routines.

[Cupcake]

So, are the Holiday cups already out everywhere? I got one today, and was just thinkin' it's a little early. Also, do all stores close at the same time? Every store I've ever seen stays open until 10 (well, unless they're 24 hr obvi), but the one I usually stop at seems to close whenever they feel like. Usually around 8, but the other day I stopped by at 7:30 and they were already closed.

[Waltie]

Holiday cups should not be out anywhere yet. Not until tomorrow, anyway. And every store should have clearly posted hours. If this isn't posted and seems to fluctuate, you might want to bring it to the attention of the store's manager or DM. That's a pretty big deal.

[spence]

I would vote for someone who is fiscally proven responsible. That would be Howard. It's so unlikely to happen.

[RedCupLover]

@Waltie so the Holiday cups should be out at all stores tomorrow?

[dontmindme]

No matter who gets elected, nothing will change anyways. Who cares?

[Daniel Rappaport]

He's certainly excellent at creating jobs. What multi billion dollar company has any other president ran?

Maybe the nation will buy more Starbucks than it already is, thusly fueling growth.

As well, the economic ingenuity of things like the Red Card, Ethos, and every other social program they have is brilliant.

Speaking personally, with the Red Card, I am able to give back with something that I wouldn't be able to afford otherwise, buying products that I normally do anyway.

So, yes, Howard Schultz, for President would probably be one of the wisest decisions this company could make in it's short history

BRING IT ON!

[Jeff Tom]

Holiday cups - should be tomorrow, but some stores here in SEA got a jump as well. I guess today is a holiday.....

Store hours vary by type, location, traffic. Some here (also in SEA) close anywhere from 6-10(ish).

[Peach pit]

Partners / ex partners: think about the damaging results his learship would have on the nation!

He will successfully squeeze the life out of all lower class and middle class scum to ensure his agenda succeeds! "Medeokre coffee for medeokre people." has he listened to all of the customers who hate pikes place? No!

Anyways, the rumor mill did this marketing scam with Donald Trump just a few months back. His intent is to build the brand!

[usorthem3]

@Daniel Rappaport Howard also ran the company when 900 stores worldwide were closed and 30,000 people lost their jobs. In Onward when he was told at a SSC meeting by an employee, "We took a hit for you yesterday(termination of employment), we need to know that you know that, we don't want to ever have to go thru that again."
Business can not maintain eternal growth. At some time, setting the bar ever higher uses up all the resources that support it.

[James Connolly]

Not to mention Citizens Elect is a joke of an organization anyways, so this really isn't anything.

It's not like voting changes anything, anyways. Case in point: people voted for a center-left Democrat in 2008 and got 85% of a third Bush term.

[ncsm]

How can anybody even half seriously entertain the notion of having Howard run for president. He is nothing but an arrogant dip shit and god knows we have enough of them already running!

[spence]

@usorthem: Howard also ran the company when there were a dozen employees and one single store. Now, we employ over a 100,000 people world wide.

[NoWay]

Horrifying. I wish people would realize, especially managers and ASMs that Howard has you by the short and curly's. He talks about caring for the partner, and he does that but only on paper. Healthcare and stability is what kept me around for 7 years until I got the balls to admit I'd been had. He doesn't treat you well, he certainly doesn't trust you ( playbook is just another way to control you, same as BRR, lean, Simphony).

Look at how he "ran" the Seattle Supersonics. Disaster. Absolute disaster. He is a horrible leader, a good entrepreneur, but a TERRIBLE leader.

Hell. No.

[Jeff Tom]

What is new in the stores today? is it just the Red Cups and the Thanksgiving roast?

[Jeff]

14.95 for a bag of Thanksgiving Blend seems a bit pricey to me.

[Jeff Tom]

That is what their speciality blends have been for a while ($14.95)

[SwabnTheDeck]

Any other partners out there told to offer free drinks to customers if they bought a pound of coffee?

[Jeff Tom]

Stores here have signs up re: the drink/lb of coffee.

[Sbux Guy]

Just because someone loves the company and Howard Schultz so much does not make him qualified to be President. Just because you've run and managed a successful business doesn't make you knowledgable and an authority when it comes to foreign affairs, beltway politics, economics, or social affairs for that matter.

[Alicia Ramsey]

for SwabnTheDeck-customers can get
Free Beverage with Whole Bean Purchase once they have at least 5 stars on their rewards card.. (https://www.starbucks.com/card/rewards)

Get more coffee with your coffee. When you use your registered Starbucks Card to buy 1 lb of whole bean coffee at a participating store, we’ll give you a handcrafted Tall (12 fl oz) beverage of your choice.

[frapatte]

Alicia, I read it as swab referring to the unfortunate practice of pressuring partners to commit illicit acts. There are many individual stores trying to push pounds by saying "We'll give you a free drink, any drink, whatever, just buy this wholebean!" or offering discounts on merchandise or so-on. It isn't condoned by the company, quite the contrary. But many managers and even their DMs rely on it to bump up their CaH numbers.

[Obrother]

To all the Barristas out there... Is there a polite way to ask you not to touch the rim of my lid where I will be drinking from? I'm not really a germaphobe but it just doesn't feel right to drink from a spot that someone just pressed down with their palm.

The customer owns the top 25% of the cup!