Map of the Day: Coffee Overload

the starbuck on court street in brooklyn heights closed down

I used to work in Worldwide Plaza (825 8th Ave). there are TWO Starbacks in the VERY SAME building. One on the 49th street side, and another about 100 feet around the corner on the 8th Avenue side. It's just plain ridiculous.

I wouldn't lump Duane Reade in with Starbucks. Duane Reade sells things you actually need for day to day living, and the prices aren't too bad by New York standards. Starbucks sells really foul, overpriced coffee.

The Times had a good article about DR awhile back, apparently the main reason for their growth is that they are willing to open a store literally anywhere, no matter how much they have to contort the interior. Starbucks, on the other hand, deliberately oversaturates the market to keep competitors away. They will open stores a block apart to make sure that no independent coffee shop grabs that space. There used to be more independent coffee places and other chains than Starbucks in New York.

However, I also agree about bodega coffee. Not only is it too weak (the opposite problem from Starbucks' coffee), half the point of going out for coffee is being able to sit somewhere with a paper and enjoy it.

i make mighty fine coffee at home. alas, i'm not at home all the time.

If you can't make better coffee at home than Starbucks does (and for 1/10th the cost), there's something wrong with you.

Unless you're ordering soy lattes or something.

Good dumpstering man, they throw out all there food, so take this map with you around 10pm with a shopping cart and feed yourself and your friends! Free bathrooms too. But I would never never never buy anything from the evil Charbucks.

I live on 5th ave in parkslope and here everyone worhsips Gorilla coffee like it was the 2nd coming. The staff is mean and the coffee is too strong for me but people seem to love it.

Their baked goods suck much like starbucks!!!

For the record, I happen to really like Starbucks! (And #3, that one on Avenue D is wrong...if you click on it, it says it's at the Manhattan Mall. Whoever plotted the map probably got Sixth Avenue confused with Sixth Street.)

also notice that Gothamist is only showing one specific section of the city. If you go to the map and look north of 110th street to the northern tip of Manhattan, the number of Starbucks goes down really quickly

Sam T.,

I'm with you--when there's no decent coffee shop/house around, the idea of a neighborhood Starbucks starts to sound really, really good. And yes, sometimes I go into the local dominican places where i live and get a cafe con leche, but sometimes I want to get a cappuccino (or in the summer a frappuccino)and a paper and sit down.

"Sam T-

Perhaps stimulate the economy in your own hood by frequenting a bodega. I know it's not the doublesugarlatte candy bar of Starbucks, but cutting back might take a lil cushion out your butt and help you to stop biting your nails."

Jesus Christ - you make one comment about how living in a built-up, perhaps overly-gentrified neighborhood might actually have some conveniences to it and people are all the hell over you. Believe me - you don't want to drink the coffee from any of the depressing, dirty bodegas where I live. I'll have you know that I drink a single cup of regular old American coffee a day.

I'm moving soon to an undisclosed, yuppiefied neighborhood and am counting the frigging days to Fresh Direct delivery and regular subway service.

I, personally, like how strong starbucks coffee tastes. If somewhere else made it that strong, I'd be happy to frequent there instead. Where I grew up, there were other coffee house options in addition to Starbucks, on every corner. Starbucks doesnt really have a whole lot of competition here, I dont understand why. and I'm not talking about bodegas as competition. I'm talking about coffee houses.

Sam T-

Perhaps stimulate the economy in your own hood by frequenting a bodega. I know it's not the doublesugarlatte candy bar of Starbucks, but cutting back might take a lil cushion out your butt and help you to stop biting your nails. My bad, you are probably hoping they turn the bodegas into Duane Reade's...

#10, I think you might need an intervention regarding your caffeine addiction. (Seriously.)

My friend (who works for starbucks) tells me they plan on opening 100+ new locations over the next couple of years in Manhattan alone.

That's kind of scary.

My friend (who works for starbucks) tells me they plan on opening 100+ new locations over the next couple of years in Manhattan alone.

That's kind of scary.

Salim Alakham on 52nd and New Utrecht makes a pretty decent coffee. Maybe not kosher but what is these days ehh??

Please. Try living in a n'hood where there's not a single coffeeshop for a good 3/4 of a mile (seriously). You'd lay your damn life down for a Starbucks.

Kottke noted this a while back.

http://www.kottke.org/05/01/maximum-starbucks-density

Apparently London rivals NY starbucks density, though an article estimates that NYC is only at 1/3 saturation (165 out of about 515 stores).

At least Duane Reade is from New York and is pretty much only in the general New York metro area. Starbucks is from Seattle and has shot their seed all over the PLANET.

As Starbux$ pointed out, there are a billion Duane Reades and Starbucks because people go there. Personally, I'd like to see them go the way of Gaps about five years ago (remember when there seemed to be one on every corner and then, suddenly... not so much).

Well hopefully the closed UWS Starbucks is a sign of people realiziing they are paying way too much for coffee. I would hazzard a guess that on a per gallon basis, gas is cheaper than Starbucks coffee.

possible sign of decline and fall of the starbucks empire: 102nd and broadway starbucks CLOSED suddenly a few weeks ago.

Reason #999,665,147 Starbucks is evil.

starbucks on ave. D? right

It's the Starbucks *customers* that make this all possible. Your patronage fills their coffers, which encourages this growth. Thanks for re-shaping New York!

What I'd really like to see is a map showing the location of every Duane Reade in the city. Those freakin' stores spring up like weeds, it seems...