Throughout the past several decades of pop culture and media, one location stands out as an ever-present symbol of community, warmth and sensibility: the coffee shop. From Central Perk in Friends to Luke’s Diner in Gilmore Girls, coffee shops are portrayed as that ideal location in which friends converse, meet-cutes are had and breakthrough ideas are scribbled onto napkins. Yet, in the past decade, one commercial coffee line has risen above the myriad of local cafes: Starbucks.
In the past 15 years, Starbucks has more than tripled its yearly revenue and opened over 20,000 new locations with plans for increased expansion to 55,000 stores by 2030.
The rise of Starbucks can be attributed less to their solidly mediocre products and more to their increased accessibility in an age where convenience is everything. With their app, order-online options and rising number of drive-through locations Starbucks has successfully taken coffee from a sitting-down experience to a one behind the wheel.
Over 70% of Starbucks orders are now made through the app or drive through, successfully eliminating the social contact of having your order taken by a barista. People remember their orders and are assured the same cup of coffee or tea no matter where in the world they go. Starbucks has become less akin to a coffee shop and more to a brand, instantly recognizable by their round green and white logo.
Still, the lack of convenience in local coffee shops is often compensated for by an enhanced sense of community. Coffee shops are often important third places, defined by Forbes as “public areas where people relax, gather and bond. Whether they are cozy cafes, community gardens, neighborhood pubs or sports clubs, they offer a social oasis for respite.”
Open mic nights, book clubs and getting to know the barista are all social aspects eliminated by Starbucks. This change alongside the increasingly hostile interiors, devoid of the original warm lighting and comfy chairs, signifies a transition between relaxation and the approaching “grab-and-go” culture.
This, compounded with the lack of community funding plaguing suburbs nationwide, signifies a dangerous shift from community to individualism. As parks, libraries and community centers begin to fall out of favor, the average American is essentially forced to pay for social interaction through gyms and private clubs. Community gardens, known to reduce crime in urban areas, are replaced with concrete lots and building developments.
Green spaces are especially lacking in Los Angeles communities, where according to the LA Times, “51% of the residents of Los Angeles County do not have a park within walking distance of their home.”
As communal spaces and local businesses key to community development and interaction fade in favor of omnipresent Walmarts, Targets and other corporate establishments, the natural and social interaction key to maintaining one’s mental health is severely limited. When there’s nowhere to go but Target or CVS, we find ourselves gravitating towards the stores simply for something to do and spending money just for the sake of it.
From fast food to clothing, we as a society seem to have come to the consensus that convenience and reliability trumps quality and integrity. Yet, the only thing that benefits from this reliance on corporations is the CEOs and presidents who profit greatly from the death of our local businesses and communities. The artisanal element of coffee, for example, is lost in the factory-like climate of a Starbucks, in which lattes and frappuccinos are churned out with sugar-heavy, quality-light efficiency.
Still, these corporations are able to manipulate our wallets at will. In 2024, Californians have seen a roughly 15% increase in Starbucks prices. As the prices of commercial products in all areas of life rise higher each coming year, there comes a point where we must ask ourselves just how much we are willing to pay for familiarity.
In Oak Park alone, there are two Starbucks locations within a 3-mile radius and they are often packed to the brim after school and in the mornings. This popularity begs the question: how enhanced would the culture be if these locations were replaced by establishments with a little more personality? What would the effect be on our community if we invested our time and money into businesses which prioritized social connection over pure transaction?
In 2024, local businesses may be few and far between, but supporting the ones you can find is a fantastic way to improve not only your mental health and connections with others, but also to contribute to the local economy and raise the standards of what you consume. The next time you’re faced with the decision between the familiarity of Starbucks and a new, different place, try widening your horizons.
