Moms group sets 'Skip Starbucks Saturday' boycott for August 24

A group called Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is trying to pressure Starbucks to change its current policy which allows customers to carry loaded guns into its stores in states where that's permitted.

The Moms are urging Starbucks customers to boycott the coffee giant this Saturday, August 24.

* "Skip Starbucks Saturday" boycott planned for August 24

Comments

[Stevejk]

I don't normally go to Starbucks on weekends, but I will need to make a special trip this Saturday

[Jeff Tom]

Why don't we also have a boycott Starbucks day until children under the age of 18 are no longer allowed. That way these mothers will have more time for them and their children at home. Where they belong.

Pesky thing that freedom of association, and following the law.

If these mother's do not like Starbucks policy, they are MORE THAN FREE to go elsewhere or stay at home.

[Redacted]

I too do not usually go to Starbucks on weekends, but I will go out of my way to go to Starbucks on Saturday.

These "mothers" are the irresponsible ones.

[Crateish]

Good. We're traveling this weekend. Starbucks can wait until Sunday.

[JP]

So this "advocacy group" wants to put Starbucks in the middle of its fight by boycotting.

From the article: "The boycott is an attempt to place the world's biggest coffee chain - which prides itself on consumer advocacy - in the middle of one of the nation's hot-button social issues. Most major companies work to steer clear of such issues for fear of antagonizing customers. The boycott is a bid to force Starbucks to re-think its current policy, which it has previously said is gun-neutral, but which anti-gun groups have tagged as pro-gun."

an attempt to place the coffee giant in the middle of one of the nations hot-button issues. I get that having starbucks on their side would help their cause. This is just the wrong way to do it. Boycotts like this just hurt baristas hours and tips. Not starbucks as a company. Maybe have a rational dialogue and see if starbucks will change their mind and support the cause. Guess this is just easier... other than it wont do anything.

[That Guy]

If they feel so passionately about it they should protest city halls for handing out open carry permits. What does Starbucks have to do with local laws?

[Former barista]

Nobody in my area remotely cares about this issue. Also... Are these mothers and gun advocates going to boycott/patronize EVERY BUSINESS THAT ADHERES TO LOCAL LAWS?

[Former barista]

Furthermore- if Starbucks were to enact a policy dictating it a gun-free zone, that puts baristas in the nerve wracking position to ask gun-toters to leave. On top of doing a lobby slide every 15 minutes and keeping the store QASA ready, asking smokers outside to move 6 feet and waiting on customers while short-handed.

[Charlene]

I'm not overly comfortable wih groups that imply that being a parent makes their members' opinions more important or valuable than those of non-parents. It makes me think less of them and their intentions.

[Former PDXBarista]

This is an interesting "boycott". The organizer states that she wants to "place Starbucks into this hot button issue" as they are a "consumer advocate".

I see her point b/c Starbucks had no problem inserting themselves into the state of Washington's gay marriage ballot initiative, when not all their customers and employees are gay or even support gay marriage.

So why would she not think that Starbucks would support this? Why not try to have Starbucks take a position against the majority of their customers? Did they lose that many customers over supporting gay marriage? How many would they really lose over banning guns in their stores?

They have supported other controversial social issues and faced boycotts. Yet people still go to Starbucks even though they support gay marriage, stronger environmental measures, barely above minimum wage for their employees, offering benefits for p/t employees (well before the AHA became law), charging higher prices for a premium product, and fighting unionization of their employees to name a few. So why not this one also?

Starbucks is the best in the game and in many places the only coffee game. After many years of working for them I have tried to not go there b/c of their position on a few issues. But the 4 other coffee places in town just do not stand up to the quality of Starbucks. That is my town, may not be the case elsewhere. I go to the other places in town but have found myself back at Bux a couple of times. It is that good.

Point #1: Large Companies more and more are going to insert themselves into the political spectrum on all issues - wages, health care, gay marriage, guns, etc. They will do this b/c they can and their customers - "want them to do this, for the children".

Point #2: "Boycotts" by groups of people do have an impact, even a small one. The store I worked at was impacted when Starbucks came out in support of the gay marriage law in WA. I had a number of customers buy there last cup of coffee and tell me they were not coming back...or they were cutting way back. We were impacted about 200-300 customers/visits per week.

Point #3: If you are going to have convictions on an issue and boycott a business b/c they do not support an issue of yours THEN BOYCOTT IT. If you support their position THEN SUPPORT THE BUSINESS. One day of support or of a boycott will not help or hurt that business.

Many of my conservative friends started boycotting Bux after the gay marriage position they took by not coming in at all. Some have since slid back into going back to Bux b/c "it is just so good" or b/c they "support right to carry laws". Guess what boycotters? You cannot have it both ways.

On the converse, many of my more liberal friends started going more often to Starbucks b/c of the gay marriage position. Then they remembered why they boycotted them - high prices, "unfair labor practices", "corporate greed", etc. So they do not go...as often. Again, guess what boycotters? You cannot have it both ways.

I support the right to bear arms and conceal carry permits. Kudos to Starbucks for upholding that in the states where it is allowed BY LAW. If you do not support this, then do not go there. If you do not support the other positions they have taken, then do not go there. Buffalo Wild Wings took a position on guns in their restaurants. I do not agree with it so, I do not go there. I have passed on plans with friends and birthday parties at Buffalo Wild Wings b/c of this position. So I guess I need to decide - go with my convictions and not drink Starbucks or be a hypocrite and still only go just once a week "b/c it tastes so good".

[KDH]

Starbucks is complying with local gun laws? BETTER BOYCOTT THEM. That'll show those gun nuts!

[chicagoshift]

2nd highest sales day this year yesterday. Nice boycott...

[SnowWhite]

What cracks me up about this whole boycott by the MDA is how bad they are at it. Their About page on their website says they're not boycotting companies but they continue to post on Starbucks' Facebook page about the boycott. But their members can't even do that, if you check the comments on their own page, they admit to 'boycotting' by only using the drive thru. And then to make last Saturday a 'boycott' day, um, I thought you were already boycotting, what makes Saturday different from what you said you've been doing all along? That said, the pro-gun/2A backlash against the MDA is only having a positive effect on Starbucks' bottom line. I don't really see Starbucks changing their policy on this one, especially because, as 'Former barista' said above it would put their partners in the unfortunate position of having to ask law-abiding but armed customers to leave. That sentiment is echoed in their three year old press release.

[Guat.my.mala]

I'm a mom and I'd rather have guns and NOT have children in my local Starbucks. The last thing I want to hear when I am relaxing at a coffee shop is a high pitched scream from a toddler.

Plus, I used to manage a Starbucks. Kids make a mess. People with guns usually don't.

[ImChiquita]

AND.....how did it go?