Meet the college prof who's been doing a lot of thinking about Starbucks

The Temple University professor who calls Starbucks "the corner bar of the 21st century" is doing research for a book with the working title, "Starbucks Is Now Open in Your Neighborhood: How a Coffee Company Changed Public Space and Day-to-Day Life Around the Globe." That prof, Bryant Simon, says: "Starbucks is about class markers. You mark who you are by what you consume. Drink Starbucks, and you become sophisticated." And, he adds, "That's why you pay $5 for a 75-cent cup of coffee." (Philadelphia Inquirer/reg. req.)
> Use bugmenot.com to get a password to read this story

Comments

[kellan]

Does Starbucks still read culturally as sophisticated?

Sure once upon a time, but I can't help but believe that the total saturation, plus the shift away from selling coffee to selling milkshakes have really undercut this.

[Cletus (the slack jawed yokel)]

I tends to drink cofee from them Starbucks places, and I am a sophisimicated kinda guy too! I do my business there. I feel like if I am sittin in one a them fancy coffe parlors, I can cipher a whole lots better than I do at home!

[Greg]

Cletus...you are my new demi-God!