I live on E. Lake St. between Michigan Ave. & Wabash in downtown Chicago. There are 95 Starbucks within a 5 mile radius and 63 Starbucks within a 2 mile radius!
Seeing as though Starbucks owns Seattle's Best, I'd say the ratios might be worse in some areas than you guys think. They bought the brand to help combat Starbucks fatigue. That way, if you're sick of Starbucks and still want a venti latte, they still most likely get the business.
Read No Logo by Naomi Campbell to learn why they do this! "Starbucks is notorious for its saturation policy, seeking out competitors in the urban space and building in close proximity to them. Even as its competitors are driven from the field, crushed by its economies of scale, Starbucks will continue to build until its accountants determine that saturation has been reached and superfluous stores are closed. Like Wal-Mart, it hires part-timers who are kept on call, working drastically abbreviated shifts several times a day. It was practices like these that triggered direct action against the chain in Seattle." from http://newleftreview.org/?page=article&view=2265
sounds like heaven on earth to me. honestly my fav diner. texas cheesesteak plate w/hashbrowns scattered, smothered, and covered. it's good for people watchers. it's best on sunday mornings... you have the folks who just got out of the club, the church-goers, the truckers, the folks that just happened to stumble in, and the cool arse waitresses. total cluster phock. if the one by the blackeyed pea didn't have that one across the street, it'd be the busiest one in houston. tops for the busiest is the galleria location of course and the second is... yeah... the w gray one by the black eyed pea (fact). it's a good one to chill at and play around on the laptop (if you don't mind older big-boned chicks telling you that you shouldn't smoke.
I don't go starbucks often, at all. I've always wanted to go to those two starbucks though. I've driven past them SOOOO Many times.
