Comments on: Broadway Cafe in the New York Times

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:22:27 +0000

I don’t think Starbucks would have picked up and moved locations if they were making a killing there. Perhaps they would have opened another one down the road, but they would certainly not leave a good thing, right? I can’t imagine how the main street store would be responsible for the others closure. If the one next to Broadway cafe was turning a nice profit, it seems absurd to close it, especially for a location that is no longer in the popular Westport area.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:52:33 +0000

The story that the Starbucks on Main street led to the closing of the Westport location is total bunk. The Main Street location has been open for a couple of years at least, and anyone who has visited other cities can see that Starbucks regularly opens locations across the street from one another if necessary for convenience sake. The two K.C. locations in question are about 1/2 mile apart (and probably don’t serve much of the same customer base).

There have been a number of other business stories in recent weeks addressing Starbucks problems – their chairman has had to step back in to help them get back on track and they are struggling to keep customers (check out the Wall St. Journal for that story).

By: Broadway KC

Broadway KC — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 22:27:06 +0000

[...] BlogKC directs us to a NYT article on how Starbucks has lost its way and one Kansas City coffee shop has shown them whose boss. I have visited Broadway Cafe, and it does have the tasty coffee neighborhood shop appeal down to a T. A tasty T infact. Tasty coffee + tasty prices = tasty hang out. Companies usually survive by satisfying customers wants or needs better than the competition. [...]

By: ChrisM70

ChrisM70 — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:12:44 +0000

Bill, I don’t know if you are being facetious, but if the customer bases couldn’t be more different, then wouldn’t that mean that each store’s business wouldn’t really effect the other?

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:26:13 +0000

Yes, the Main street store was responsible for the Broadway store’s closure. I go to both frequently, their customer bases couldn’t be more different.

By: mainstream

mainstream — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 04:22:59 +0000

that’s a good perspective, Bryan.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 20:45:30 +0000

While not calling out the Starbucks on Main Street by name, the NYT article says “In the nearly 10 years since the Starbucks opened next door, three more opened within a mile or so. And yet, the Broadway Cafe remained popular.”

By: mainstream

mainstream — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:58:26 +0000

That’s exactly right Chris – the new Starbuck on Main Street has at least 3 things the Broadway one doesn’t:

(1) parking
(2) easy access once you’ve parked
(3) drivethru

Starbucks clearly cannibalized itself here, beyond a shadow of a doubt.

BUT – it’s nice to see the Broadway Cafe get the publicity…

By: ChrisM70

ChrisM70 — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:37:51 +0000

Am I wrong, but wasn’t the reason for Starbuck’s closing that location based on the opening ANOTHER NEW location not too far away?
I was under the impression that it wasn’t that the Broadway Cafe ran Starbuck’s off, but that Starbuck’s wanted an even bigger building – and that had nothing to do with the Broadway Cafe.

I would love to be wrong, but it sounds like NYT has a storyline that the “little guy can beat the big guy” and that Starbucks is in trouble, and doesn’t want facts getting in the way.

If I”m wrong, please let me know.