It gets “curiouser and curiouser,” this thing they call “coffee wars.” In the past year, we’ve been witnesses to all sorts of advertising campaigns from some of the major players in the coffee scene. Who could forget the slew of McDonald’s commercials blasting the supposedly uppity Starbucks? How about the blind taste tests that showed that Starbucks isn’t the first choice of many people?
Anyhow, Starbucks seems to be moving in a different, and somewhat surprising, direction. They are looking to serve alcohol in their shops!
If you think that it is quite strange, here’s another piece of info – the first outlet that will be serving alcohol is also changing its name. From a mere word, Starbucks, the store will be called 15th Ave. Coffee & Tea, inspired by Starbucks. I don’t know, but it reminds me of a beauty salon or a clothing line.
Experts say that this is actually a smart move on the part of the coffee chain, which is struggling with its revenues. In fact, they say that the move is targeted towards increasing sales at the later part of the day. Come to think of it, more people might go to Starbucks at night if they had the chance to drink something of the alcoholic kind.
What bothers me is the price. Starbucks coffee is not known for being cheap. Why would their alcoholic drinks be any different? If so, why should I go to Starbucks for a beer or a mixed drink if I could go to another bar with cheaper stuff on the menu?
What do you think of this development?
Originally posted on July 31, 2009 @ 4:27 am