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Cafe closings hit minority areas (Starbucks racist???)
The Chicago Tribune ^ | July 18, 2008 | Barbara Rose and Wailin Wong

Posted on 07/18/2008 4:11:11 AM PDT by raybbr

Starbucks has identified 18 stores in the Chicago area among the 600 nationwide targeted to close through March 2009, including several in minority neighborhoods that had counted on the green-and-white medallion to signal rebirth.

The Seattle-based coffee giant released Wednesday a full list of the 600 stores anticipated to be shut down resulting in the loss of about 12,000 jobs. Employees at those locations have been notified that their outlet will be closing, though specific dates aren't yet known for all of the stores. Starbucks is expecting to close 25 total cafes in Illinois.

The company had already announced it will shut down shops in Country Club Hills and Elmhurst by the end of July.

The closings include stores in largely minority areas in the south suburbs as well as neighborhoods on Chicago's South and West Sides. "Starbucks became symbolic of a community that was changing and in transition," said Earnest Gates, executive director of the Near West Side Community Development Corp. "To take that away, it's a blow to a community."

(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: coffee; starbucks; urban
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Is there no end to the charges of racism?
1 posted on 07/18/2008 4:11:12 AM PDT by raybbr
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To: dennisw; IncPen; Nailbiter

ping


2 posted on 07/18/2008 4:12:48 AM PDT by raybbr (You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote!)
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To: raybbr
"To take that away, it's a blow to a community."

Oh right, I see so many brothers with a double shot latte in their hands.

3 posted on 07/18/2008 4:13:48 AM PDT by doodad
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To: raybbr
Is there no end to the charges of racism?

No.

Why should there be?

It's profitable.

4 posted on 07/18/2008 4:14:14 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: raybbr

I think it’s more an indication of intelligence that people in minority neighborhoods refuse to spend $5 for a latte.


5 posted on 07/18/2008 4:15:52 AM PDT by Non-Sequitur
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To: raybbr

There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs. There is a certain class of race-problem solvers who don’t want the patient to get well. - Booker T. Washington 1911


6 posted on 07/18/2008 4:20:54 AM PDT by thefactor (the innocent shall not suffer nor the guilty go free...)
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To: raybbr
"Starbucks became symbolic of a community that was changing and in transition,"

The community is changing and transitioning, Starbucks is closing.

You (Starbucks) come here so you can uplift the community.

Caca. Starbucks was there to make money.

7 posted on 07/18/2008 4:24:20 AM PDT by csvset
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To: raybbr

Dare I say it? NYT Headline: “Starbucks close: Women, Minorities Hardest Hit”
;-)


8 posted on 07/18/2008 4:24:44 AM PDT by Drago (Don't blame me...I voted McClintock.)
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To: Non-Sequitur

“I think it’s more an indication of intelligence that people in minority neighborhoods refuse to spend $5 for a latte.”

Yup. They’ve gots to spend it all on the lottery.


9 posted on 07/18/2008 4:25:22 AM PDT by cweese (Hook 'em Horns!!!)
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To: csvset
Caca???


I'm telling Mom! ;)

10 posted on 07/18/2008 4:27:14 AM PDT by G.Mason (Duty, Honor, Country)
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To: raybbr

Let’s just sit back and watch the symbolism. We now have hope for a change!


11 posted on 07/18/2008 4:28:32 AM PDT by rabidralph
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To: Izzy Dunne
Is there no end to the charges of racism?

No.

Why should there be?

It's profitable.

Absolutely! As my wife found out last night when calling her store to check on how they did for the day.

They told her a customer was upset because she had 3 identical coupons and company policy was only one coupon per customer. At checkout, when asked if she found everything alright, the women charged that the clerk who helped her used discriminatory comments (the woman was Black). She wanted the corporate customer service number to register a complaint.

The manager agreed to allow her husband and daughter to use the two additional coupons, and checked the merchandise out in 3 groups. Since the coupons clearly state "one coupon per customer for one regularly-priced item", the customer did have a profitable evening.

And as the manager said, she was treated no differently than anyone else. As I told my wife, she was charged with discrimination by a racist.

12 posted on 07/18/2008 4:31:57 AM PDT by bcsco (To heck with a third party. We need a second one....)
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To: raybbr

“Is there no end to the charges of racism?”

As long as we have the likes of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton around, there will always be racism. In fact, I am surprised that these people have not made such a call for end to racism a racist statement.


13 posted on 07/18/2008 4:33:04 AM PDT by Ben Reyes
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To: raybbr

The fact that the stores targeted for closing are low performance, low profit stores CAN be attributed to percentage of product illicitly boogied out the back door as well as lack of customers.

A fellow I worked with for a short time told me in discussion of the crap we called coffee from the company percolator about how his daughter worked for Starbucks, so he was accustomed to the fresh bean/grind coffee at home she was steadily supplying.

The memory of that discussion of three years ago hit me as I read the headline.


14 posted on 07/18/2008 4:35:56 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists...call 'em what you will...They ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
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To: Drago

I got one better.

“Starbucks closing 600 stores linked to Global Warming”


15 posted on 07/18/2008 4:46:39 AM PDT by ktime
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To: raybbr

“Paging Rev Jackson, Rev Sharpton, paging Rev Jackson, Rev Sharpton there’s a call on the hotline, repeat there’s a call on the hotline”


16 posted on 07/18/2008 4:51:52 AM PDT by mrmargaritaville
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To: raybbr
The closings include stores in largely minority areas in the south suburbs as well as neighborhoods on Chicago's South and West Sides.

Where's the Java Justice? Somebody get Deval Patrick and Janet Reno on the phone! We need the Civil Rights Division on this case. No Justice! No Grande Iced Caramel Macciato!

17 posted on 07/18/2008 4:53:09 AM PDT by RoadKingSE (How do you know that the light at the end of the tunnel isn't a muzzle flash?)
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Comment #18 Removed by Moderator

To: raybbr

LOL good friday laugh


19 posted on 07/18/2008 5:04:41 AM PDT by sickoflibs (We cant win elections (with illegal's votes) by out-welfaring Democrats)
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To: All
If you come to my shop and I don't like you or your attitude ie trying to pound me on my prices.

My prices are at least $600 to $2000 less the the others guys will sell the same product for.

I will tell you to get lost I wont sell to you.

I do not have to sell you anything now girt out.

20 posted on 07/18/2008 5:26:55 AM PDT by troy McClure
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