Missionary Call
12 years ago
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Starbucks
As I was walking from my car to school, I saw a bumper sticker that set my mind to ruminating:
My mind started ruminating about the uproar I overheard when we first moved to Chico about how many Starbucks' there were in town. For those who don't know, Chico is adamantly against growth, wants to stay a small town, and many people are against anything like Walmart, Starbucks, etc. I don't drink coffee, but I do enjoy their hot chocolate, but when I saw the bumper sticker, I started thinking about how un-capitalistic their opinion. They complain that Starbucks is going to drive the little guys out and that is bad for the community. I argue that, in a free market economy, jobs are jobs. Sure, the entrepreneurial spirit should be encouraged and supported, but that entrepreneur better have something that people want or they're not going to last, no matter what the competition is. If they want to own a coffee shop and their little one goes under, they can always buy a franchise. Starbucks is obviously successful and in demand here, otherwise, the supply would not be what it is (Econ 101, people). Why does Chico want to drive Starbucks and Walmart out? they provide jobs for locals. Its not like when they set up shop, they ship in a squadron of clones or outsiders to work there, they provide jobs for those that live here.
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My opinion on the Walmart side of things (I'm fine with your argument for Starbucks) is that they provide a cut rate product for cheap, and the locals who get run out of business usually provide a much better product. For example... shoes. You can get a pair of shoes at Walmart for $10, but they'll probably fall apart in no time. However, from a local shoe store, you might pay $30, but the shoes will last 10 times as long, fit better, and the service will be better when you're picking them out. In the case of Walmart, consumers are often swayed only by prices, rather than the additional benefits of buying locally. Plus, local owners make more working for themselves (both financially and in intagible benefits) than they ever will working for a big company like Walmart.
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