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Author Topic:   Starbucks
naiad
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Posts: 1645
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posted March 19, 2007 07:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for naiad     Edit/Delete Message
all Starbucks afficionados....and critics...

Starbucks seems to have a persona of its own...people love or despise it. i was under their magic spell of cafe lattes and breves for quite a while.

i have since freed myself of caffeine necessity....so no more coffee beverages for me.

but there is still some kind of magic there...i find myself going in for hot chocolate these days...(the small amount of caffeine in chocolate is minimal enough.)

the atmosphere is cozy and relaxing, and i'm always so taken with their coffee paraphernalia. i love their cups and containers designed for sipping...the music is always sophisticated, or soothing, or invigorating...

Europe probably has much more of a coffee house scene than most places in the U.S., but before Starbucks, there wasn't much in the way of coffee houses to speak of here.

i know there are some cute starbucks perspectives out there....anyone care to share why or why not they will spend as much for a cup o' coffee as for a fast food meal?

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Xodian
Moderator

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posted March 19, 2007 07:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Xodian     Edit/Delete Message
quote:
anyone care to share why or why not they will spend as much for a cup o' coffee as for a fast food meal?

Easily put, Tim Hortons manages to provide me with the same caffine zing! but is easier on my wallet .

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libraschoice7
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From: Arizona
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posted March 19, 2007 08:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for libraschoice7     Edit/Delete Message
Just what I need for an afternoon pick me up...a nice tall vanilla latte from where else, Starbucks! I love it, yummy or for joy!!

------------------
Sun in Libra
Moon in Cancer
Jupiter in Cancer
Venus in Virgo
Mars in Cancer
Ascendant in Cancer

I "FEEL" therefor I am

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Dulce Luna
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From: The Asylum
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posted March 19, 2007 08:29 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Dulce Luna     Edit/Delete Message
Am I the only person on this planet who hates coffee?

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zenwarner
Knowflake

Posts: 401
From: tx, usa
Registered: Aug 2005

posted March 19, 2007 10:38 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for zenwarner     Edit/Delete Message
no. youre not. i cant stand coffee. i cant even enter a starbucks. the smell makes me wanna hurl. haha. but they do have a good chai tea....
but usually if i need a pick me up, its a redbull for me. mmm...

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naiad
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posted March 20, 2007 12:20 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for naiad     Edit/Delete Message
cute...

A Guide to the Menu at Starbucks

Starbucks brews and serves coffee products to the caffeine-crazed populace of urban America. Common in the United States, Starbucks has become the McDonalds of the coffee world; if you are in most major American airports or cities, rest assured, you are never more than 15 minutes from the nearest Starbucks. Starting as an obscure coffee shop in Seattle in the early 1970s, Starbucks has grown so much that they now own significant portions of New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, and almost all of Seattle.

Your First 'Starbucks Experience'

Generally, when walking into a Starbucks establishment, the first thing you notice is the smell. It smells very, very strongly of coffee, which is perfectly understandable. It's as if the very air is caffeinated around you. People who hang out long enough in a Starbucks will get a caffeine buzz, whether or not they actually drink a coffee-based beverage.

Clientele

Walking to the counter, you will notice patrons playing chess, discussing philosophy, or arguing the finer points of the jazz album that is playing over the shop's sound system. Occasionally, there will even be live music, which will drown out the philosophy discussions. From yuppies, to teen 'rebels', to local students, the interior of a Starbucks usually shows a broad spectrum of coffee-drinking stereotypes. If you go to either of the Starbucks in Annapolis, Maryland, USA, you will also see a good number of navy midshipmen, if the Naval Academy is in session. You won't, however, see everyone. Lots of people choose not to go to Starbucks. Many object to what they see as the company's dubious ethical stance with regard to Fairtrade.

Basic Drinkology

Approaching the counter, you will notice two things; the rabid, smiling barista behind the counter and the unintelligible menu. These people behind the counter are really quite hyper; just as you would expect from someone who spends eight hours a day drinking coffee. Some of these baristas may also exhibit a superiority complex. Don't take any notice, though, as most of them are finishing up a masters degree in art history (or something) and very well may be as superior as they think.

Understanding the Starbucks menu may take a little work, but if you'll stick with it for a moment, this entry will give you a brief explanation of each of the drinks that you are likely to find in the average Starbucks. First, one thing that you need to know is that there is a bit of an existential crisis regarding the naming of coffee drinks in a Starbucks: menu items in a Starbucks are often named something completely different somewhere else.

Espresso Shots

Here's a brief breakdown of the number of espresso shots per size: 'Tall' = one shot, 'Grande' = two, 'Venti' = three.

Latte

The latte (pronounced lah-tay) is the beginner's espresso drink. If this is your first time in a Starbucks, this would be a good place to start. The latte consists of espresso, steamed milk and a dollop of foam on top.

Cappuccino

Close cousin to the latte, the cappuccino is a drink that bridges the international gap; it's pretty much the same everywhere you go, even in Europe. The 'cap' is basically the same thing as a latte: it contains the same amount of espresso, but the cappuccino has more foam.

Americano

This drink is in fact made up entirely of steamed water and espresso shots; there is no brewed coffee in it. The steamed water is just water taken from the espresso bar.

Cafe Au Lait

This drink consists of half regular brewed coffee, and half steamed milk, and usually comes with the dollop of foam to top it off.

Advanced Drinkology

Cafe Mocha

This drink is a variation on the latte. Chocolate is added into the mix, and whipped cream is substituted for the dollop of foam.

Cafe Breve

This is another variation of latte (pronounced breh-vay). It's made with half&half (a popular American dairy product), or 'cream'.

Mocha Valencia

This is a basic Cafe Mocha with an orange flavour. The whipped cream on top is likely to be sprinkled with grated orange peel.

Caramel Macchiato

This is one of Starbucks most popular drinks. Some baristas refer to this as the 'cafe tooth decay', and with good reason. The caramel macchiato is basically a latte, with added caramel sauce. It's incredibly sweet and pretty evil, but worth it once in a while.

Frap-puccino

This is basically a coffee milkshake, but it's more than just coffee flavoured. It is made with a very, very dark Italian roast coffee. According to this Researcher, drinking a frap-puccino is a great way to get a buzz in the summer heat, and it comes in about half a dozen different ways.

Chai

Chai means 'tea' in some east Asian languages, so you can have a little chuckle all to yourself when you hear a smarty-pants Starbucks barista yell out 'tall chai tea latte!', as they are in effect saying 'tall tea tea latte!'. It is a tea of sorts, and has vanilla, honey and some spice action going on in it and is reminiscent of pumpkin pie.

Tea

Believe it or not, Starbucks does serve tea, and some of it is even worth drinking, but what is available is a far cry from plain English tea. They serve mostly herbals and flavoured teas, and all of them have somewhat eclectic names. If you are looking for just plain tea, go with 'awake' as it's the closest you'll probably find to the real thing.

Espresso Macchiato

This is just a basic espresso, which has been 'marked' by a tad of milk froth on the top.

Red Eye

Someone who can 'drink' (ie, choke down) a Red Eye deserves your respect. This drink is basically a cup of coffee (already well caffeinated) with either one, two, or three espresso shots added for good measure. People that drink these are either clinically dead and need resurrection, or are writing a doctoral thesis or something equally mind-numbing. You may want to think twice before ordering this drink.

And Finally

No matter how well you study this entry, or how much of a veteran Starbucks customer you are, you may be sure of one thing when ordering your drink; you will order it incorrectly. Some way, somehow, you will say something that is out of line, and the counter person will look down on you. Some ways to avoid this are as follows:

Always order the 'tall' size, this saves you from having to pronounce 'Grande' (pronounced grand-ay) and 'Venti' (no matter which way you pronounce this - ven-tay, or ven-tee, the barista will correct you with whatever form you didn't use! Tread very carefully when ordering this size).

Make your drink as simple as possible. If you don't reel off a list of requirements in your order, the barista cannot correct you on the order you said it in. For example, if you were to order a 'tall, skim, mocha with no whipped cream' invariably, the barrista would tell his colleague behind the bar to make a 'tall, no whip, skim, mocha'. However, if you order a 'tall latte' you can rob them of this satisfaction.

Give up on all espresso drinks and order the Coffee Of the Day. This is whatever coffee they are brewing the regular Christian way for that day. If you want to sound really cool, order a 'COD'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/F65230?thread=111285

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zenwarner
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From: tx, usa
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posted March 20, 2007 01:20 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for zenwarner     Edit/Delete Message
thats hilarious. completely ridiculous. hahaha

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InLoveWithLife
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From: Wonderland
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posted March 20, 2007 01:23 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for InLoveWithLife     Edit/Delete Message
A Red Eye for me please !!

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naiad
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posted March 20, 2007 12:27 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for naiad     Edit/Delete Message
Taking Advantage of Starbucks...

man brings desktop to Starbucks.

http://www.quentecafe.com/index.asp?category=6

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naiad
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posted March 21, 2007 03:08 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for naiad     Edit/Delete Message
China's growing blogosphere turns on US coffee icon

The Starbucks store in the Forbidden City drew criticism when it first opened, but this new wave is broader.
By Peter Ford | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

BEIJING - Starbucks' boss baristas must have known trouble was brewing when they first hung their forest-green logo outside a crimson pavilion in the Forbidden City.

And sure enough, when the arch-symbol of globalization set up shop in the heart of China's most famed historic monument six years ago, Chinese "internauts" did indeed spread their injured dignity all over the Web in a flood of protest.

The world's largest purveyor of "frappuccinos" weathered that PR storm by the tactical expedient of taking down its sign and adopting a more discreet way of doing business. But that was then.

Now another Web-launched tide of criticism is washing over the small cafe tucked in beside the Hall of Preserving Harmony. And with the Chinese blogosphere more than 30 times bigger today than it was last time the latte hit the fan, Starbucks has a much tougher problem on its hands.

"Some things can be changed by public opinion in Chinese cyberspace" says Hu Yong, a TV editor who writes a blog himself. "There are precedents."

The current flap began last week, when a well-known anchorman on Chinese state TV, Rui Chenggang, posted an entry on his personal blog calling for Starbucks to be evicted from its corner of the Forbidden City. The coffee shop's presence "tramples on Chinese culture," he fulminated, and constitutes "an insult to Chinese civilization."

Since that post went up, Mr. Rui's site has registered more than half a million hits and collected thousands of messages of support for his position, the TV personality says.

One, signed Shi Ershao, gives a flavor of the bitter dregs the site serves to America's favorite coffee roaster: "What a humiliation for China," the message reads. "Once it was military invasion, now it is economic invasion. Why can't they just drink tea?"

Authorities in charge of the Forbidden City, home to 24 emperors over 500 years, originally allowed Starbucks to join other food concessions in 2000 to help finance an extensive renovation. Now palace curators also appear to be wondering whether the chain has overstayed its imperial welcome.

"The museum is working with Starbucks to find a solution by this June in response to the protests," the official Xinhua news agency quoted a museum spokesman as saying. "Whether or not Starbucks remains depends upon the entire design plan" that renovators are drawing up.

"I did not expect this response," says Rui, a 29-year-old rising star in Chinese TV who spent last year as a fellow at Yale. "It just shows the power of the Internet."

That power is growing. 123 million Chinese were online at the latest count, and 17.5 million of them maintain blogs that another 75 million netizens read, according to a survey last August by the official "China Internet Network Information Center."

The appeal of blogs in a country where the traditional media are strictly censored by the government which uses them to propagate approved information and opinions, lies in both the relative freedom they enjoy, and in their interactivity.

Even for those not especially interested in politics, "blogs tell me about things that are hot, like pop stars or new movies, and I can tell other people what I think," says Qiao He, a young Chinese teacher. "I can speak my own mind, and maybe somebody will reply."

Freedom and interactivity have typically not been the Chinese government's favorite flavors, but cyberspace is never easy to police.

"The government still really wants to control opinions in the blogosphere, but the essence of the blog phenomenon is that it is uncontrollable," says Hong Bo, a well-known blogger whose site focuses on technology and Internet issues.

Most Chinese blogs are innocuous enough. Many recount personal stories or opine about entertainment stars – some noted blogs are actually written by the stars themselves. Almost all blogs are carried on a handful of portals that are very cautious about what their bloggers say online.

"The portals are businesses, so they try to be on the safer side," says Xiao Qiang, head of the China Internet Project at the University of California at Berkeley. "They are highly cautious and won't promote anything politically risky."

If you know where to look, however, you can find fierce criticism of government officials for a range of sins from corruption to stupidity to political repression.

Not that the criticism of Starbucks fell into those categories. The portal that carries Rui's blog, Sina.com, put his post on its homepage and thus catapulted it to prominence because "it touches nationalist sentiment so there is no political risk," says Mr. Qiang.

"This had all the right ingredients" for a good scandal, Mr. Hu adds. "It pits a transnational corporation against Chinese traditions, Rui is an influential media guy himself, it was bound to snowball."

Rui insists that he did not intend to launch a campaign, and that his post became a big story only because traditional mainstream media picked it up. That is becoming a pattern, says Qiang. "Bloggers create the issues, and the mainstream press follows," he says. "The blogosphere is already setting the agenda."

The blogosphere has even set the government agenda on occasion. An explosion of Internet outrage at the 2003 death of a young man in Guangzhou at the hands of the police prompted a change in the law governing the rights of homeless people, for example.

"That will happen more and more," predicts Mr. Bo. "The 130 million people online are generally well off and their opinions are likely to influence real policy."

If that's the case, Chinese bloggers may have their work cut out for them. Another decidedly American firm made a little-noticed announcement last week: Dunkin' Donuts plans to enter the Chinese market this year.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0123/p01s02-woap.html

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AcousticGod
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From: Pleasanton, CA, USA
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posted March 21, 2007 03:33 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for AcousticGod     Edit/Delete Message
I like the Frapuccino's regardless of the weather.

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maklhouf
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posted March 21, 2007 05:37 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for maklhouf     Edit/Delete Message
Naiad, would you like to write my reviews for me?

------------------

And I will give thee the treasures of darkness
Isiah 45:3

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naiad
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posted March 21, 2007 10:25 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for naiad     Edit/Delete Message
oh Maklhouf how could i ever match your style? if you'd care to share a review i would be more than happy to partake of your wisdom.

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maklhouf
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posted March 21, 2007 10:41 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for maklhouf     Edit/Delete Message
http://travel.ciao.co.uk/Starbucks_London__Review_5634712
But your pictures are better than mine!
BTW were you reading my mind again?

------------------

And I will give thee the treasures of darkness
Isiah 45:3

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naiad
Knowflake

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posted March 21, 2007 11:00 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for naiad     Edit/Delete Message
i have a starbucks conundrum. going there, though they have an abundance of rudeness, as much as anywhere, is an indulgence i can't seem to forgo. i am much too poor to justify spending money that way, so i don't know what it is that compels me. one day i suppose i shall sit on the mountaintop in perfect contemplation and infinite love, without need of external comfort. til then, i thought it might be fun to explore the starbucks phenomenon here.

i'm sure you know that i do not read your mind. even if i were capable of doing such a nefarious thing, i certainly would not impose such indecency on you.

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naiad
Knowflake

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posted March 21, 2007 11:06 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for naiad     Edit/Delete Message
oh lovely review by the way...
yours has an interest level way beyond my own.

what an interesting and compelling style you have.

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double trouble gemini
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From: uae
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posted March 21, 2007 11:53 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for double trouble gemini     Edit/Delete Message
wow naiad
looks like you work for the starbucks marketing dept.
nice info.... i always got stuck on what to order, the names were all so strange to me but now if i decide on visiting starbucks first ill check this post

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naiad
Knowflake

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posted March 21, 2007 12:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for naiad     Edit/Delete Message
really? some of what i've posted about starbucks isn't exactly flattering, i think.

i just thought it an interesting topic, as it seems so many have such strong and differing views about the starbucks persona.

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naiad
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posted March 21, 2007 02:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for naiad     Edit/Delete Message
cute exchange on another bulletin board...

sugeshotcha
posted on 22-6-2005 @ 01:46 PM

Illuminatii, Freemasonry & The Hapsburg European Empire

I've just been travelling around Europe, Ireland, England and Egypt for 5 months and in my travels I have particularly noticed a lot of strange pyramid shapes with the eyes in the middle, as well as a lot of free masonry signs (possibly freemason offices) around. First of all in Austria: in Vienna I was extremely shocked to go under the massive main cathedral there into the catacombs where all the archbishops are buried in tombs, and discovered a mosaic down there. Although prohibited to take photos, I managed to sneak this one in because I just HAD to have it. The mosaic is of what looks like two hills, a very large crucifix, which is ialso doubling as the middle of a pair of scales. On the right hand of the crucifix is what looks like one side of the scales tipping all the way down and on the other side it is going all the way up with a king standing on it with his crown by his toes. Above these scales is a large triangular shape with a large eye in the middle, clearly illuminati style. On the right is what looks like the words "CERICHT" (probably german, unless latin). Next, in Innsbruck, Austsria I was in a museum kind of place with all old furniture. At the top of a wardrobe was a big gold filled triangle, with a coloured eye in the middle, but this gold triangle actually had beams coming from it in gold paint. Further throughout the day I was walking around the streets and came across a painting of a knight in shining armour with a large red Freemasonry shield. A few days later I travelled to nearby Rust, Austria. This time I didn't even have to look!!! On the main street was a cafe with tables and chairs outside and beautiful flowers. Right on the corner was the front of the cafe and right at the top was a large triangular pyramid, with a clear eye in the middle, and shining beams coming from it. Walking around the side of the cafe I saw an actual metaltalic post sticking out from the cafe with the same symbol but this one had a pupil in the middle of the eye. Several days later I went to Budapest, Hungary. Here I saw a freemason sign (on a door I think, I can't remember) wrapped in Germany flag colours. After Budapest I was in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Here I visited the City Hall which is their parliment basically. Very old, and a very traditional english place. Whilst touring the parliament I instantly recognised some strange things. Above all the doors were strange small pyramid shapes carved into the wood, with what looked like an eye in the middle. To strengthen my theory that it was some kind of pyramid illuminati structure, I noticed hours later walking down the street what appears to be a Freemasonry lodge, as a door had the freemasonry sign above it. As ATS upload centre only allows me to upload 100K, if anyone can upload them to a site so I can edit this post and display them then that'd be good. All together the photos takeup 1.5MB. If anyone knows what connection these illuminati pyramids have in the European empire please discuss it on this thread. Some kind of illuminati bloodline that carried down through to the nazis?

--------------------------------------------------------------

JustMe74
posted on 22-6-2005 @ 03:06 PM

quote:
Originally posted by sugeshotcha

This time I didn't even have to look!!! On the main street was a cafe with tables and chairs outside and beautiful flowers. Right on the corner was the front of the cafe and right at the top was a large triangular pyramid, with a clear eye in the middle, and shining beams coming from it. Walking around the side of the cafe I saw an actual metaltalic post sticking out from the cafe with the same symbol but this one had a pupil in the middle of the eye.



Was it a Starbucks?

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread148999/pg1


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maklhouf
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posted March 21, 2007 04:43 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for maklhouf     Edit/Delete Message
I don't think drinking coffee in general is overpriced. I see it as paying for the whole experience, rather than just filling your tank.

------------------

And I will give thee the treasures of darkness
Isiah 45:3

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naiad
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posted March 23, 2007 11:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for naiad     Edit/Delete Message
Starbucks: A grande buying opportunity

Sentiment soured and the stock tumbled after the behemoth coffee company itself noted its growth pains. Now's the time to buy; I expect shares to froth as high as $43 by late next year.

By Jon Markman

Of all the adjectives in the dictionary, "cheap" is not the one that normally leaps to mind when you're talking about Starbucks (SBUX, news, msgs). Ubiquitous, crowded, cheery, kinetic? Sure, all of the above. But not cheap.

Yet that's the word of the day for investors when it comes to the inventor of the $3 cup of coffee right now. A wave of competitive threats -- some real, but most wispier than foam on a nonfat cappuccino -- have shoved its shares to their lowest point, on a valuation basis, in the past five years.

I'm not saying Starbucks is as cheap as a sip of water at a public drinking fountain; compared with most companies, its forward-looking price-earnings multiple, at 28, is rich. But Starbucks isn't most companies. It is one of the most consistent profit machines the world has ever seen, selling the Holy Grail of consumer products: one that is highly addictive but nonlethal. And so this is one bargain-shopping opportunity that investors should not miss.

A shareholders meeting on Wednesday gave the company a chance to tell its story, and predictably skeptics emerged to shout it down. But I want you to listen to your jitterbugging, caffeine-loving, hyperactive heart this week and think about how deeply this company has managed to insinuate itself into most Americans' lives by innovating endlessly on the theme of selling bean-flavored water.

A reliable addiction
Demand for the middle class' favorite drug will remain insatiate for many years to come, as Starbucks has not come close to saturating its potential market, regardless of the number of times you've seen three in a single downtown building. It will open at least 2,500 new stores this year, a pace that it began in the first quarter by opening 728 outlets -- or one every three hours.

At this rate, it will double its total number of stores by 2012. While it would seem that this could harm the business, instead this kind of pace increases margins by allowing the company to leverage its tremendous investment in back-office systems and distribution.

If you think about it, the value of the brand is undiminished after all these years. Many, if not most, of you start your morning with a trip to the local Starbucks, where you are greeted by the scent of roasted coffee and the sound of steaming milk. You declare your drink in the patois of insiders -- extra hot, skinny, no foam or drip -- to a friendly barista in that familiar green uniform. Feels like home.

More from MSN Money
Talk back: Can Starbucks continue its fast growth?

After waiting just a moment in a room buzzing with guitar-flecked alt rock and light chatter, you are soon handed a beverage in the white cup dotted with a happy mermaid. Do you lounge for a few minutes, bantering with the barista, or scurry along to work? Either way, you have just had what Chairman Howard Schultz calls the "Starbucks experience."

This was the subject of an internal memo he penned on Valentine's Day, which ended up on the pages of The Wall Street Journal. In it, he expressed concern that as Starbucks has grown from 1,000 to 13,000 stores over the last 10 years, the famous coffee roaster has lost its edge.

A look at Starbucks' plans to continue the company's future growth, with James Donald, Starbucks president and CEO, and CNBC's Maria Bartiromo.

Schultz thinks the experience has been watered down, and that the company faces "what some might call the commoditization of our brand."

Changed brew
His message resonates. Instead of feeling like a small-time coffeehouse, Starbucks is beginning to act its size. No more open bins of roasted coffee beans. No more sexy, manually operated La Marzocca espresso machines. Instead, automated machines are fed from "flavor locked" bags.

This, combined with weakening margins, slightly slowing same-store sales numbers and a few strong new rivals, had many wondering if Starbucks was beginning to lose its way. The company's recently announced plans to grow to 40,000 locations worldwide seemed unrealistic to many. Sentiment soured. Shares tumbled. Then, adding insult to injury, Consumer Reports ranked McDonald's (MCD, news, msgs) new premium coffee over Starbucks' brew.

At face value, the situation appears grim. But don't be fooled, because the company's underlying fundamentals are sound, there are positive share-boosting catalysts on the horizon, and the stock is darned cheap compared with its past. Plus, you just know the hysteria over McDonald's is misplaced when you consider that Starbucks actually supplies the Golden Arches with its new coffee through its Seattle's Best Coffee subsidiary.

Simply put, Starbucks remains a force to be reckoned with in coffee and casual dining, and that is why I want you to buy it now that many seem to think it is on the ropes.

Although it has achieved so much, the company remains hellbent on continual improvement. This, I believe, was the purpose of the memo. Not to sound the demise of Starbucks' growth strategy, but as a reminder that it is healthy for the company to do some soul searching, see where it stands relative to its principles, and to make sure it's not alienating its loyal customer base. After all, why stop growing when new stores are generating a stunning return on investment in excess of 40%?

The banished bean
Looking back, Starbucks had to make compromises. It sacrificed hand-drawn espresso to ensure speedy service. It substituted open bins of coffee for sealed packages to ensure freshness at distant locations. It standardized store designs to boost profitability. At the time, they seemed like the right choices. Maybe they still are. In retrospect however, something was lost. To point this out is to avoid similar mistakes in the future.

Although profit margins have been under pressure due to rising labor, dairy and coffee prices, I expect them to recover later this year. Actually, since the company voluntarily boosted the pay of its workers, you can view this as an investment in its work force. High-quality staff is something that helps differentiate Starbucks from its competitors. Likewise, same-store sales pressure is expected to mitigate later this year, as difficult comparisons are lapped and sales growth stabilizes in the high single digits.

Catalysts that could get shares moving? Schultz said at the company's shareholder meeting that the company has targeted 20% net revenue growth for this year, and expects to grow earnings even faster, by increasing the number of stores in current markets, increasing each outlet's sales volume, incenting continuous innovation among his staff and leveraging the brand in new ways. That includes an exclusive record label promoted in stores, with Starbucks just having signed Paul McCartney as its first artist. There is also an announcement of March quarter earnings in early May. I'm expecting a nice surprise: 22 cents a share, which would be 2 cents higher than consensus.

The company has historically repurchased its shares in a big way during downturns. Starbucks has more than 20 million shares in its current buyback authorization, and has $635 million in standby credit available to fund the purchases.

A look at Starbucks' plans to continue the company's future growth, with James Donald, Starbucks president and CEO, and CNBC's Maria Bartiromo.

In sum, expect earnings growth in excess of 20% through 2011. With a fiscal 2009 earnings-per-share estimate of $1.35 and a multiple of 32 times earnings, near the bottom of Starbucks' historical range, I am targeting a share price of $43 by late 2008. That would be a 34% move.

Fine Print
I last wrote about the cult of Starbucks in February 2005, in "Starbucks genius combines community, coffee.". . . The company has done pretty well with the sale of books and it plans to start a music label. Read about its Hear Music initiative. A cute project is a CD compilation of music tracks laid down by its employees. Check it out here. . . . Three regional upscale coffee providers have emerged in recent years: The best is probably Green Mountain Coffee (GMCR, news, msgs), based in Vermont, which posted $212 million in sales and $7.9 million profit in the past year. Check it out here.

The second is Peet's Coffee & Tea (PEET, news, msgs), based near Berkeley, Calif., which made $7.8 million on $210 million in sales in the past 12 months. Read about it here. The third is Caribou Coffee (CBOU, news, msgs), which posted $236 million in sales and lost $9 million. It's based in Minneapolis. Learn more here.

Meet Jon Markman at The Money Show Las Vegas

MSN Money's Jon Markman will be among more than 100 renowned money experts, advisers and analysts sharing their wisdom at more than 250 free workshops at The Money Show Las Vegas, May 14-17, 2007, at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino. You can also network with fellow market enthusiasts, exchange investment ideas, share your experiences and enjoy the fellowship of like-minded investors. Admission is free for MSN Money readers. For complete details or to register for free admission, call 1-800-970-4355 (be sure to mention priority code #008096) or visit the Money Show Web site.

At the time of publication, Jon Markman owned shares of Starbucks.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/SuperModels/StarbucksAGrandeBuyingOpportunity.aspx

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maklhouf
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Posts: 1392
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posted March 23, 2007 01:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for maklhouf     Edit/Delete Message
Well don't go to Starbucks, but do go out to drink coffee. I think that is the most civilised thing a person can do. Definitely separates us from the animals!

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And I will give thee the treasures of darkness
Isiah 45:3

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naiad
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posted March 23, 2007 04:18 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for naiad     Edit/Delete Message
If you think about it, the value of the brand is undiminished after all these years. Many, if not most, of you start your morning with a trip to the local Starbucks, where you are greeted by the scent of roasted coffee and the sound of steaming milk. You declare your drink in the patois of insiders -- extra hot, skinny, no foam or drip -- to a friendly barista in that familiar green uniform. Feels like home.

After waiting just a moment in a room buzzing with guitar-flecked alt rock and light chatter, you are soon handed a beverage in the white cup dotted with a happy mermaid. Do you lounge for a few minutes, bantering with the barista, or scurry along to work? Either way, you have just had what Chairman Howard Schultz calls the "Starbucks experience."

the experience...

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=barista

steamy!!

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maklhouf
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posted March 24, 2007 11:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for maklhouf     Edit/Delete Message
The topic of price is tricky. Places that don't charge much for coffee tend to be small. They don't want you to stay very long, unless you buy a cake as well to cover their overheads. I hate drinking coffee with that sensation that the owner is waiting for me to go

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And I will give thee the treasures of darkness
Isiah 45:3

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aquaspryt69
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Posts: 1567
From: Arizona
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posted March 24, 2007 11:30 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for aquaspryt69     Edit/Delete Message
I never liked coffee for 35 yrs, then all of a sudden I love coffee.

Starbucks' iced latte will do in a pinch, but I will always go to Coffee Bean first. They are 100 % better in my book.


Spry

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