In 1971, a local coffee shop opened in Seattle, Wash., priding itself on its locally roasted coffee and fun atmosphere.
More than 30 years later, Starbucks has become the king of coffee, boasting 8,000 cafes in over thirty countries.
The Starbucks invasion hit the BGSU campus on April 18 when the Carnation Café, which had housed a closing sign for six months, morphed into the suave Starbucks and greeted the Union with long lines and quenched thirsts.
Gail Finan, the director of University Dining services, said Bowling Green obtained a Starbucks license because of a survey that expressed an overwhelming demand for the popular coffee company.
“We decided to bring Starbucks because we did a survey several years ago and the two popular venues that were stated at that time were Starbucks and Subway,” Finan said.
BG students showed their dedication and coffee addictions by pouring out in huge numbers during the opening week, surpassing Carnation Café sales three fold, according to University Dining Services.
Since the pilot program has been so successful, University Dining Services is working to expand the hours of Starbucks, allowing the café to have night operations.
Finan said it wasn’t practical to have night hours with only three weeks of school left.
But the limited hours have not stopped Starbucks addicts from flocking to the café to enjoy their favorite drink.
Lisa Hansen, a senior IPC major, couldn’t agree more. Hansen, who has been a Starbucks patron twice a day since the opening, said Starbucks is superior to the old cafe.
“I thought the Carnation Cafe was fine, it’s just that I think that everyone’s so infatuated with Starbucks because it’s so commercial and they offer more,” Hansen said.
And juniors Stacy Moots and Stephanie Pennington felt the wait first hand, when they stood in line for 20 minutes to get Tazo Chai lattes.
Moots, a Dayton-native tried her first Starbucks drink last week when her friend, Pennington, who is used to Starbucks’ on every corner, introduced her to the café.
“Samantha has me hooked,” Moots said. “I had never had it and I just tried it this week and I’m addicted.”
Feelings are mixed about the new Starbucks, as it replaced the Carnation Café, which used to provide coffee from the popular local vendor, Grounds For Thought.
However, Kelly Wicks, the owner of Grounds For Thought stated that the implementation of the new Starbucks will actually improve business for their wholesale roasting company and their retail store.
“Every time a major player comes to town, whether it is Panera or Starbucks, we manage to survive and thrive because I think more people drink specialty coffee,” Wicks said.
Wicks also pointed out that University Dining Services has been working hard to maintain a good relationship with the local vendor, as the arrival of Starbucks was not an “either/or” situation.
Grounds for Thought is still served at major sporting events and many University dining centers.
“Even though Starbucks is here, we continue to work closely with dining services to provide coffee from a local vendor,” Wicks said.
University Dining Services is also trying to improve relations for students to make Starbucks more accessible.
According to Todd Shayler, a food service coordinator and the Starbucks store team leader, Starbucks has had to turn a few students away based on the fact that they do not possess the equipment needed to take Starbucks gift cards.
However, Gail Finan assures that University Dining Services will attempt to obtain the equipment this summer, as they are staying open through the summer and during Orientation and Registration, and will hopefully be accepting Starbucks Cards in the fall.
Some students, including Moots, wonder why Starbucks is so popular. Moots said she had heard about Starbucks’ reputation as overpriced and had decided to stay away.
However, for many the name brand coffee is well worth the price. Shayler said Starbucks’ popularity is due to their goal of being the “third place,” which Shayler said was the idea that, “Everybody goes to work and everybody goes home and has obligations and the goal of Starbucks is to create that third place where people feel welcome and just is a cool place to go.”
Jeffrey Brown, an associate professor of the popular culture department said their success is mainly because of very successful promotion.
“Starbucks is so popular because of the branding,” Brown said. “They have managed to associate their name with quality products; not just coffee but everything else they sell, music and the merchandise. They have become the namesake for good coffee in North America.”
And while Brown also enjoys Starbucks, he hasn’t been able to get a cup because of the wait line.
Regardless of wait lines and gift cards, Chloe Paessun, a freshman popular culture major, is simply glad that BG now has a Starbucks.
“It makes the transition from home a little easier because I’m so used to it, and it really shows that BG listens to their students,” Paessun said. “Now all we have to do is get a Chipotle!”