Starbucks

For a creative-project assignment in my American literature class today, one of my students brought ginger-snap cookies and, to wash down the somewhat bitter taste of these old-fashioned treats, a cardboard pot of Starbucks coffee. The cookies were inspired by Ginger Nut, a young office-boy character in Herman Melville's short story "Bartleby, the Scrivener." Although my student didn't realize it, bringing a pot of Starbucks coffee was an especially inspired addition to this project, since the name of that famous coffee chain was taken from a character in another Herman Melville work, Moby-Dick.  (The founders had wanted to call the shop Pequod's, after the ship in Moby-Dick, but were talked out of it by their financial backers. They settled on the name of the level-headed chief mate on the fictional ship.

Not a Starbucks, in Key West,  Florida (original photo)

I have nothing bad to say about Starbucks, though of course it's been a target of criticism for its ubiquitous presence (a store on every corner) and its supposed role in driving out the smaller coffee shops. (Disclaimer: I happen to own some stock in the company.)  But really, how many small coffeeshops were around before Starbucks?  Didn't they really arise as Starbucks spearheaded the entire coffee-drinking trend? I am not a huge fan of the coffee itself, because I prefer a lighter roast on my coffee beans (contrary to the common view, "dark" roasted coffee has nothing to do with strength in terms of caffeine; it's really just about how long the bean is roasted and the flavor of the final brew). Most Starbucks brews require cream to mellow that "slightly burnt" taste.

I like Starbucks because they treat their customers well, and, not coincidentally, they treat their employees well.  They also allow anyone to use their restrooms, as a matter of policy, whether you're a paying customer or not. That's pretty cool.


And that coffee my student brought to class was pretty darn excellent, even if I did have to put some cream in. "I'd prefer not to" put in the cream, but it beats typical office coffee no matter what.