Friday 18 May 2007

Cafe Satan


Cafe Satan
Originally uploaded by malias.

They are everywhere in Paris now. Every time I leave my apartment another Starbucks (or as they have affectionately become known, Cafe Satan) has sprung up. I'm not blaming them - they are just another multi-national corporation trying to make money but it's a shame that high streets in all the major cities of Europe are fast becoming clones of one another with the same shops, the same fast-food joints and the same cafés.

I guess that most people prefer familiarity to actually making a choice or trying something new.

Shame that.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey, sometimes I want a huge coffee to go. I don't care if it's from Starbucks, Columbus Cafe, or the coffee-cart man at 23rd and Park.

Come to think of it, I really miss the coffee-cart man at 23rd and Park.

What I'm saying is, it's not about corporate conformity-- sometimes it's just about convenience.

islandgirl4ever2 said...

I would typically agree with you because in California I didn't go to Starbucks much.. Peets Coffee was MUCH better... But, I DO have to say... that being a non-smoker AND a non-dairy person.. it is hard to find a non-smoking atmosphere that serves soymilk with their coffee drinks.. so I am actually thankful.. that there are these cafes around... hehe... I meet my friends there, too.. (French friends!) But I agree that it Starbucks has INVADED its way through Europe...
Ciao, Leesa

Gideon said...

I'm not against Starbucks I'm sure they have their place. What I don't want is EVERY cafe to be a Starbucks or part of a café chain (such as has sadly happened in London). If the neighbourhood cafes of Paris died out that would be a real shame.