Vanishing Starbucks

Alsea the company that runs Starbucks in Mexico and Latam as well as parts of Europe has gotten very aggressive about closing stores which they think are underperforming.

Some demographics for some of the stores from when they first opened them have shifted and/or they’ve now been able to score better locations even if it’s just a few blocks from the closed stores.

This is happening in Spain too. I’ll find that a Starbucks which had been around for 10 years has closed, only to see a new and nicer one 3 blocks down the street.
 
maybe rent increases make it more advantageous to move to a new site for less with a couple of free months. Doubt it?
 
Just passed the SB in Recoleta Mall, shades drawn in mid-day, dark inside. Generally a busy area if ever there is one and often a line of people waiting to place orders. In recent months have resorted to their Espresso - dark roasted Columbian beans. The past week or so that coffee disappeared from the shelves. Something's afoot!
 
Just a side note to the SB phenomenon. As it looked like my SB source of dark roasted beans was drying up, and having exhausted finding the quality I wanted from other roasted coffee bean sources I remembered a company that, at the time was great but too pricey. Cafe Crisolero, several locations around town. Tried their Columbian 60% Brazilian 40% blend as a cafe doble today. Better it is than the dark roasted Espresso Columbian of SB, last price was 470 p a 1/4 kilo..Cafe Crisolero blend is 500 p a 1/4 kilo. Some discount on 1/2 or 1 kg. Dark roast coffee, non-interruptus then.
 
Best coffee, lunch place yet opened on Riobamba 1175 "Tonico" Great service, best coffee I've had here by far, great food super reasonable prices. Their coffee machine has more chrome than a 55' Buick.
 
SB coffee is just par, but they've learned from McD to standardize service very well. They do have some pretty plush layouts around the world. Great for digital nomads.
 
I like going to Santa Fe & Scalabrini Ortiz: Café del Botánico with Bakery inside and in Juramento 2857 "La Capital" with Bakery inside as well. My favourite coffee trademark is "5 Hispanos".
 
There was once upon a time when you could go to Starbucks and for well under 100 pesos get a decent coffee or similar beverage, a quiet place to get some work done, or just find a place to chill. Now, your lucky if you can find a clean table, and electric outlet that works, WiFi that has signal, and not get frustrated by their bizarre marketing offers made for what is without a doubt one of the worst thought out customer loyalty/affinity programs ever rolled out, All this joy and pleasure for just about 220 pesos for a cup of blender chopped ice, a 2 oz shot of espresso and a dollop of whipped cream, or sans the ice, the same price. When a simple filtered "Cafe del dia" hot 150+ pesos, three hour free refill or not for my pretty damn useless GOLD status Starbucks (lack of) Rewards Program membership I called it quits! They could close all of them for all I care because the chain started going down the ole inodoro about 3 years or so ago and isn't done swirling around yet! Set the sopapa!
 
The double espresso macchiato from SB (4 shots) has the strength that no other coffee shop can offer..! The prize . who cares! Self Service, outlets? wifi? a place to work? no tables all taken by teenagers! The toilets always busy , used by homeless that bathe inside for 30 minutes.
 
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