The Errant Æsthete

People shouldn’t worry about the new Starbucks steamrolling their favorite local coffeehouse out of existence, says Taylor Clark in Slate. In reality, the Seattle-based chain often boosts business at the mom-and-pop coffee shop next door.

The boost to local cafes, which was first noticed as the chain started massing a presence in communities around the U.S., shows no sign of slowing even as the retailer rapidly expands. In what Mr. Clark calls the “Starbucks reverse jinx,” the chain’s arrival continues to stimulate demand for coffee and the cafe experience that spills over into independent shops. Some customers, having cultivated a taste for drinks like espresso and cappuccino at Starbucks, look for less-pricey versions at locally owned shops. From 2000 to 2005, a period when Starbucks tripled in size, the number of independent cafes in the U.S. grew from 9,800 to 14,000.

One Los Angeles cafe owner tells him that, although he initially dreaded Starbucks’ arrival, his business soared once the chain opened a nearby shop. Starbucks essentially had marketed the idea of coffee-drinking to the entire community. [Link]