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Will Starbucks (proper) ever come here?

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  • Nope cos that aint pizza, thats some Irish equivalent. But i do get pizza in 'The Latin Quarter' from Pizza Pasta Napoli, and its by far and a way the best in Galway, they also do a damn nice coffee.

    While I agree that they make absolutely incredible pizzas, it really irks me when people refer to it as "The Latin Quarter".


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,533 ✭✭✭the keen edge


    While I agree that they make absolutely incredible pizzas, it really irks me when people refer to it as "The Latin Quarter".

    Come on that Quarter is so steeped in Latiness. They just wouldn't be allowed to call it such if it wasn't, the Latiners wouldn't let them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,645 ✭✭✭yer man!


    Out of interest is there wifi in Javas? what is it like upstairs? is there couches up there or plain wooden seats?


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,385 ✭✭✭inisboffin


    yer man! wrote: »
    Out of interest is there wifi in Javas? what is it like upstairs? is there couches up there or plain wooden seats?

    Afaik no wifi, but at least one couch upstairs. To be honest I am between two minds about this. On the one hand, I do like to work/surf on my laptop somewhere cosy. On the other hand it's nice to have at least one 'old school' place where people go to talk to each other instead of becoming our individual techcubicles! Nice place to brin a book if you're on your own too (except Sat, very noisy and lots of plinky plonk on Sat!)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,645 ✭✭✭yer man!


    inisboffin wrote: »
    Afaik no wifi, but at least one couch upstairs. To be honest I am between two minds about this. On the one hand, I do like to work/surf on my laptop somewhere cosy. On the other hand it's nice to have at least one 'old school' place where people go to talk to each other instead of becoming our individual techcubicles! Nice place to brin a book if you're on your own too (except Sat, very noisy and lots of plinky plonk on Sat!)
    That's fair enough, I'm sure there is no wifi just for this reason. I do think there is room in Galway for another type of place that is cosy and does wifi for those times when you don't want to talk to anyone and just want to go online with a coffee next to you.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,645 ✭✭✭yer man!


    Gloria Jeans coffee wants to locate here too, they're very similar to costa coffee.

    http://www.barkeeper.ie/page.asp?Page=611


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,913 ✭✭✭✭ben.schlomo


    While I agree that they make absolutely incredible pizzas, it really irks me when people refer to it as "The Latin Quarter".
    Same as,i was just quoting the previous poster.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28,789 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    I've never been in a starbucks, I've just never been around one at the right time. I'll have to go into one next week when I'm in England so that I can come back here and say how bad they are.

    When I'm in other European countries I like going to the smaller local cafes though, I like the whole European urbanite feeling from sitting in one and having someone bringing you down the coffee and saying something foreign.




  • Honestly I don't notice too much difference between what they serve and most other places but their thermos cups they sell are the best I've ever used (I do most of my coffee drinking in the car)




  • Honestly I don't notice too much difference between what they serve and most other places but their thermos cups they sell are the best I've ever used (I do most of my coffee drinking in the car)


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 18,300 ✭✭✭✭Seaneh


    yer man! wrote: »
    One thing a lot of people notice about the Starbucks places is the layout, it's GOOD!! nice balance of chairs + tables and sofas and stuff, nice lighting, free wifi, not too noisy, just comfortable..... This is why I go. So far I have yet to find a place in Galway which can match this and at the same time do a frappuchino..... :D

    Problem being, wifi in Starbucks, atleast on dame street, isn't free, it's a bitbuzz service, which means you have to sign up for it and pre pay.


    Java/Rouge are opening a new cafe on Dominick street aross the road from Rouge where the chemist used to be, looks really nice inside, and it's a big unit, goes really far back.


  • Registered Users Posts: 274 ✭✭macgabhs


    Honestly I don't notice too much difference between what they serve and most other places but their thermos cups they sell are the best I've ever used (I do most of my coffee drinking in the car)

    +1 for the Starbucks thermos cups. I've got a stainless steel one that easily keeps my coffee warm enough to drink for several hours. Fantastic for the car. I'd also agree with the comments about their coffee though really Starbucks are in the milky drink market not real coffee but I can understand their attraction given that you could sit in one all day long and nobody would be trying to get you out. I would say that kind of cafe is missing from Galway


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,325 ✭✭✭Bandana boy


    Paddyfield wrote: »
    Starbucks seem to be closing all over the world as trends are changing.
    http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/business/29sbux.html

    That article is 3+ years old ,there old CEO returned did a consolidation and they have been showing strong growth for the last couple of years


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,645 ✭✭✭yer man!


    Seaneh wrote: »
    Problem being, wifi in Starbucks, atleast on dame street, isn't free, it's a bitbuzz service, which means you have to sign up for it and pre pay.

    They advertise free wifi online anyway. http://www.starbucks.ie/coffeehouse/wireless-internet


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,777 ✭✭✭dmcg90


    A lot of the small coffee places in town are very similar in quality I've found, I'd welcome Starbucks to Galway. Places like Starbucks are what tourists expect from a city nowadays, I don't think any tourist has gone "Right, I'm not going to any city with a Starbucks". I don't see why Galway can't have the best of both worlds and have popular European chains like H&M and Starbucks and still keep it's originality, if Starbucks is as bad as is claimed then the smaller shops won't notice any drop in sales then.

    It brings jobs, and a place to relax in town (that isn't a pub) and isn't that overpriced in it's food compared to some outlets in town (two buns and coffees in Arabica cost me an arm and a leg the last time).

    Personally, location wise? Bar 903's old location or the spare unit beside HMV would be great for it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,153 ✭✭✭Shakti


    dmcg90 wrote: »
    location wise?.

    Inishbofin,


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    I went into a Starbucks for the first time a while back, just out of convenience. I was really disappointed in the quality of the coffee tbh, also a large coffee and muffin was 5.50, which is absolutely fúcking scandalous. The same thing in Insomnia is 3.50 and, while the coffee isn't that great either, it's better than Starbucks.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,645 ✭✭✭yer man!


    Ya tbh I hate Starbucks americanos but i like all the other milky coffees and stuff like frappuchinos, they're just different. I just like the atmosphere and I find them pretty cosy to stay in for a while. I never get the feeling like I'm being rushed or on top of anyone.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28,789 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    dmcg90 wrote: »
    A lot of the small coffee places in town are very similar in quality I've found, I'd welcome Starbucks to Galway. Places like Starbucks are what tourists expect from a city nowadays,
    Yes tourists love travelling thousands of miles to find the same shops and restaurants as the place they just left.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,956 ✭✭✭Doc Ruby


    dmcg90 wrote: »
    I don't see why Galway can't have the best of both worlds and have popular European chains like H&M and Starbucks and still keep it's originality, if Starbucks is as bad as is claimed then the smaller shops won't notice any drop in sales then.
    We could keep them in their own area like Chinatowns in US cities, maybe call it Chaintown or something.


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    dmcg90 wrote: »
    if Starbucks is as bad as is claimed then the smaller shops won't notice any drop in sales then.

    People don't buy products, they buy brands. An independent shop can't compete with the Starbucks brand.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,777 ✭✭✭dmcg90


    People don't buy products, they buy brands. An independent shop can't compete with the Starbucks brand.

    Smokies seems to manage just fine in NUI Galway with the Starbucks 'brand' there.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,777 ✭✭✭dmcg90


    ScumLord wrote: »
    Yes tourists love travelling thousands of miles to find the same shops and restaurants as the place they just left.

    Actually a sense of familiarity helps, such shops bring that. Tourists know exactly what they're going to get because they know it from home. Its the same reason why some people all over the world still go to Mc Donalds while on holiday, because its familiar.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 32,865 ✭✭✭✭MagicMarker


    dmcg90 wrote: »
    Smokies seems to manage just fine in NUI Galway with the Starbucks 'brand' there.

    That doesn't really disprove my point, nor does it change the fact that people buy brands.

    The poster I responded to said that if Starbucks was so bad then other places wouldn't notice a drop in sales (or something to that effect). My point is it doesn't matter how go or bad Starbucks coffee is because in the grand scheme of things people (generally) are buying the white cups with the starbucks logo on it, not the coffee inside.


  • Registered Users Posts: 430 ✭✭Ruben Remus


    dmcg90 wrote: »
    Actually a sense of familiarity helps, such shops bring that. Tourists know exactly what they're going to get because they know it from home

    From where are you pulling this bizarre theory that people travel in the hope of discovering exactly the same stuff they have at home?

    I travel for precisely the opposite reason. So does everyone I know. I dislike what Starbucks represents, and the fact that its business plan is geared towards putting independent coffee shops out of business. Therefore I refuse to spend money in any of its outlets.

    Have you ever heard a tourist saying: "This place would be great if only it had more multinational retail/food outlets"? I can't imagine a visitor to Galway saying or thinking that.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,777 ✭✭✭dmcg90


    From where are you pulling this bizarre theory that people travel in the hope of discovering exactly the same stuff they have at home?

    I travel for precisely the opposite reason. So does everyone I know. I dislike what Starbucks represents, and the fact that its business plan is geared towards putting independent coffee shops out of business. Therefore I refuse to spend money in any of its outlets.

    Have you ever heard a tourist saying: "This place would be great if only it had more multinational retail/food outlets"? I can't imagine a visitor to Galway saying or thinking that.

    Its called homogeneity, similar products, brands etc to your home market. I didn't say its going to attract visitors, its a plus however.


  • Registered Users Posts: 25,594 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    it doesn't matter how go or bad Starbucks coffee is because in the grand scheme of things people (generally) are buying the white cups with the starbucks logo on it, not the coffee inside.

    Actually when I'm travelling, I'm quite often buying the right to spend 30-45 minutes sitting in a nice atmosphere and to use the toilets.

    Sometimes I want the carbon-based things that I get given at the same time, sometimes I don't.

    It'd be great if there were plenty of a locally owned places that could give me this service, but sadly here they're all called "pubs" and seem to come with an expectation that grotty decor and nasty toilets are ok, and I'm available for chatting to.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,629 ✭✭✭NullZer0


    Seaneh wrote: »
    The only starbuckswith free wifi in Dublin is the one in Terminal 1 in Dublin Airport. The rest of the all have either ****ty bitbuzz or other pre paid wifi services.

    They all have free WiFi


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,629 ✭✭✭NullZer0


    I can respect the argument about competition and how this might affect other shops in the area.

    There is a simple solution - do what you do better, offer great service and great products (regardless of what it is).


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