Local Coffee Shop Outlasts Starbucks

Kansas City Star   |  Joyce Smith   |   December 12, 2007 12:26 PM


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Hometown favorite Broadway Cafe has been going head-to-head against multibillion-dollar next-door neighbor Starbucks in midtown for nine years.

But not for much longer.

Starbucks on Tuesday confirmed that it would close its store at 401 Westport Road in late winter. The Seattle-based chain, which has thousands of locations worldwide, hopes to place the coffee shop's employees at other area Starbucks.

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I actually like Tim Horton's coffee better than Starbucks. Cheaper also, but I still frequent Starbucks at times. Its the only coffe spot near where I work.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:30 AM on 12/13/2007

Just like "whack a mole", for every Starbucks that loses, 5 more pop their heads up. Sometimes within sight of another. Kind of like Chi-Mart.

Starbucks built a big drive through monstrosity just a half-mile away from this one they closed.

At least that gaudy Starbucks sign won't destroy the local flavor of the prominent spot at the corner of Broadway & Westport Rd anymore.

Good job, KC midtowners!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:52 AM on 12/13/2007
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5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Starbucks haters here you come!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:02 PM on 12/12/2007

(Chuckle...) Starbucks has one problem: their coffee sucks.

They've gone a long way teaching yuppies to order a cup of coffee in pig-latin, hoping they would ignore the fact that a 5-cent product costs them $3.00 and they get no refills.

But their coffee still sucks.

Fortunately, I live in a town where there are at least six thriving roasters, all of whom know how to roast. I buy a half-pound sometimes twice a week so that it's the freshest available. Starby's can't match that, and never will.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:26 PM on 12/12/2007
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The day of the $5 cup of coffee will soon be over anyway. When the recession hits full force it will be a LUXURY many cannot afford.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:03 PM on 12/12/2007
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I always liked the Westport section of Kansas City. Now? a little more. BTW what's with Starbucks filthy bathrooms? The store itself is always clean and nicely laid out, but the bathrooms, esp. in New York, are poorly maintained. The coffee is too burnt/bitter. This should be the one business where small owners, fronting stores with individual character, are able to make a go of it. In at least one locale that is now so. You go Broadway Cafe!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:00 PM on 12/12/2007

what the Star neglects to tell mention, and is typical of this newspaper, is that Starbucks is closing that store and opening up a drive thru down the street. Lower overhead, more profit.

Broadway would be fine if they could just loose the chainsmoking art school psuedo-intellectual wanna be types.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:50 PM on 12/12/2007
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