Customer Reviews

Starbucked: A Double Tall Tale of Caffeine, Commerce, and Culture

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"Starbucked" is a tremendous piece of journalism. It strikes just the right balance - serious but with a sharp sense of humor (it had me laughing outright in many places because Taylor Clark is wickedly funny), and neither pro- nor anti-Starbucks. Given Clark's street cred with alt-weekly Willamette Week, some might expect something bordering on a screed. But, as other writers point out here, it is a balanced, nuanced and simply finely researched piece of work. Most notably, Clark scores an interview with Howard Schultz. I think even Schultz (though he occasionally suffers, as co-workers note, from believing his own PR) would, however begrudgingly, admit that his company gets more than a fair shake from the author.

For example, Clark puts to rest the fallacy that - like Wal-Mart - Starbucks puts Mom and Pop stores out of business. [Actually, sales in those stores rise when Starbucks drops anchor near-by.] He also notes of Schultz's genuineness on the issues of health insurance and stock options, noting that Schultz offered these to even part-time workers "as a matter of principle...[He] has always taken his employers' welfare seriously." Nothing in Clark's research refutes that statement. It's stated and accepted here as a fact. He also clarifies that Starbucks bears little responsibility for the drop in coffee bean prices, noting that the "Big Four" (Nestle, P&G, Philip Morris, Massimo Zanetti - owner of the Hills Bros. and MJB brands) "provide 60% of America's coffee supply" and roil the market by cutting their product with the low-quality, highly available robusta plant (incrementally substituting it for the Arabica that Starbucks and others use).

Taylor Clark's excellent book reminds me Charles Fishman's equally compelling and balanced look at Wal-Mart (The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and How It's Transforming the American Economy). These are two works I can highly recommend without reservation.

Reviewed by Muhammed Hassanali

Starbucked is divided into two parts. The first part describes the rise of Starbucks. Clark briefly summarizes coffee drinking practices outside the United States and moves to Prescott's work on coffee at MIT in the 1920s. From there Clark outlines the changes in American coffee consumption. The main focus of the first part is rightly on Starbucks - especially after Howard Schultz took over the company, making it into the coffee juggernaut it has become.

The second part focuses on the criticisms that are levied against Starbucks. Clark divides these into five main categories, which he lists as [pg. 145]:

* Killing the character of neighborhoods and employing predatory tactics to take out locally owned coffeehouses.

* Causing the suffering of millions of Third World coffee farmers by paying unfair prices for beans.

* Peddling a product that is harmful to our health (and our delicate palates).

* Exploiting its employees and crushing their attempts to unionize.

* Homogenizing the planet and destroying cultural diversity by saturating the world with its stores.

It is in this section that one would find the most contentious parts of the book. While Clark does address all of the categories above, and draws upon all the major criticisms leveled against Starbucks, to some readers he may come across as being pro-Starbucks. Other readers would contend that Clark is merely mapping the fault lines of the debate. Whatever the reader's stand, most would agree that Clark has outlined both sides of the debate. It was instructive for me to read the epilogue, titled "The Last Drop." It recounts Clark's personal encounter with Starbucks as it entered his home town and probably influenced his ambivalence towards the company.

Starbucked does not purport to be a management book or a book on how to create a culture (as some books on Starbucks are). This book outlines its rise from a historical perspective and reports both sides of the ethical transgressions that Starbucks has been accused of. The journalistic writing style is crisp and flows well. Overall, it is well researched and well written.

Armchair Interviews says: Highly recommended for those who are passionate about Starbucks.

Clark's research, reporting, and writing are superb. You'll learn a number of things about Starbucks, coffees from around the world, and coffee drinks of all ilks that you never knew before. If you're looking for a book bashing Starbucks this is NOT it. It is, however, one of the most fair and balanced books I've read on any subject on which there is at least some disagreement. Clark will have you thinking critically about both sides of many issues, including the company's treatment of employees, coffee and your health, even cultural imperialism. This is a VERY interesting read.

People that have a 'passion' for starbucks or the for coffeehouses in general and want to learn more about coffee's history will enjoy this heady brew of coffee lore. The format of the book works for me. The first half explores the rise of the mermaid and how starbucks capitalized on this undervalued and much abused bean and the consuming public. The second half explores the ethical issues and the criticism that success often engenders. I enjoyed learning about starbuck's retail design that enabled it to grow and expand so quickly. Also, it's cut throat competition in it's real estate department is clearly one of the secrets to it's success. The book also addresses the critics. The chapter on Fair Trade coffee was enlightening and somewhat disappointing from a consumers point of view that want to 'do good' for the farmers. The impact of more starbucks in your town and how that may be negatively impacting the local mom & pop coffee shops was also an education. My town also looked to ban any new coffeeshops after a 2nd store opened in the same downtown street. I signed a petition in my local coffeeshop, so as not to lose my favorite table and personal service. I'm happy to report the coffeehouses are alive and well including both starbucks.

When I moved up to the Seattle area in 1997, I was struck by the frenzied coffee culture. I was appalled to see one professional colleague chugging back several triple-shot espresso drinks a day. I wrote it off as a regional thing, but when I moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area two years later, I saw the same thing happening here. After encountering four Starbucks cafes within spitting distance of each other in downtown San Francisco, I began warning friends that Starbucks was an insidious cancer heading toward global domination. Friends were not equally alarmed. They just laughed politely.

I found a kindred spirit in Taylor Clark, who also became worried when he noticed that three Starbucks stores had cropped up overnight in his small hometown of Ashland, Oregon. Unlike me, Clark turned his trepidation into investigation. The resultant tome is a well-researched, humorous, and educational account of Starbucks' history, economics, and culture.

Starbucks is ubiquitous. They've managed to quietly turn a non-essential product into the second-most-traded physical commodity in the world. This is the story of the brilliant psychological techniques the company uses to endless expand, creating myriad new customers everywhere it goes while squeezing the maximum cash from each through outrageous price markups. As Clark explains, Starbucks' success is due in part to its sophisticated real estate machine, which ruthlessly grabs prime spots in all desirable (upscale) locales. The company's aim is to be inescapable, an unavoidable obstacle in your path.

Starbucks is, of course, a huge dope pusher, addicting people to hyper-caffeinated products. Indeed, the world would come to a screeching halt if all of the Starbucks stores were suddenly closed one day; the millions of Starbucks customers would have massive headaches and be unable to think straight. Starbucks doesn't want to talk about the physically addictive aspect of its product. They'd rather talk about the community they create. And, complimentary to its real estate machine, the other key to Starbucks' success is the way that it has tapped into modern emotional earnings. As Clark discusses, Starbucks offers the disconnected a place to belong while remaining alone, in "a constantly exhausted, hyperprosperous society in search of emotional soothing."

I guarantee that after reading this book, you'll notice more when you walk into a Starbucks, or simply drive down any street in almost any country. That includes Seoul, Korea, which houses the biggest Starbucks, or London, which has more Starbucks cafes than does New York, or even Saudi Arabia, which has an interesting relationship with the company. You'll have a greater appreciation of coffee dispensing as both theater and religion.

This book presents a concise and informative history of the development of the modern coffee industry, from the importation of African slaves to grueling Brazilian coffee plantations (where their average life expectancy was seven years!) to the deliberate degradation of coffee quality through the introduction of cheaper, horrible-tasting Robusta beans by the "Big Four" (Procter & Gamble, etc.), leading to a consumer revolt and the gourmet coffee revolution.

I was surprised to hear that Starbucks is considered by many to be more of a milk pusher than anything else. Indeed, it spends more money on milk than on coffee. And some of its high-sugar drinks have more calories and fat than a Big Mac and a medium soda combined!

As a teaser, if you read this book you will learn why Starbucks should rightfully be known as Il Giornale, while Peet's (a fixture here in the San Francisco Bay Area) is the real Starbucks. (I won't spoil the surprise by saying more.)

Despite Clark's initial stance toward Starbucks, the book is remarkably balanced, presenting some of the corporation's positives aspects and arguing with the cookie cutter portrayal of Starbucks as the arch villain of corporate expansionism and cultural homogeneity. You'll also be treated to the lowdown on the Fair Trade movement. I recommend this humorous and fast-paced book to anyone who drinks caffeine in any form, or whose path regularly crosses a Starbucks. I don't think I've left you out.

I don't drink coffee, seriously, and it would take quite a miracle for me to pay $4.50+ for a cup if I ever decided to have some. But, that doesn't mean I'm not interested in knowing more about the Starbucks phenomena and how the owner created such a stronghold in the beverage market. The book is actually very good - its revealing, to say the least, and was obviously well-researched. The author was able to interview (in-person) the key players within the company, including its founder, Howard Schultz. Schultz is an egotistical tycoon, but he has a singular vision that definitely comes across through his own words and the words of others who have worked for and against him. The book is separated into two parts - the first part mainly covers the history of coffee, the development of the Starbucks company, some of the key changes and executives it went through, and how the company was able to develop so quickly. There was a large section devoted to the planning/esthetics of each store (and Massay, the main architect/designer) which I found particularly interesting. In fact, it seems that Massay is one of the few people that Schultz deferred to. I felt that pictures would have helped in this book (there are none), especially pictures of the first store, and some of the unique 'models' the author mentions. It would have been helpful, especially for those of us who never go into a Starbucks and don't know what makes them so unique inside. The second part of the book covers the impact that the company is having on Americans, in general, and the effect it has on other coffeehouses. Overall, I was surprised by the readability of this book, and ended up really liking the author's style and in-depth research. I also ended up not liking Starbucks very much, especially the principles of its owner, Schultz. He is pretty cut-throat, particularly when it comes to real estate and development. Some might call it good business, but I see it as devious, underhanded, and overly competitive. It made me glad to not support his company, Anyway, the book is definitely worth recommending, especially for people with an interest in biographies, entrepreneurship, or company profiles.

As one who has heard many controversies about, complaints of and praises for the Starbucks enterprise, this book stood out to me. "Starbucked," by Taylor Clark was a nice summarization of both the history of Starbucks and the history of coffee. It is well written with a definite sense of humor, and clearly well researched. If you are looking for an articulate and interesting story about Starbucks, seemingly uninfluenced by any party, I would highly recommend this book. Clark was a bit vague about some things, which is to be expected, as he includes many facts, stories and history into his book. I still enjoyed this, as a light interesting read, worth giving to any coffee aficionado.

While in a training class, a coworker recommended that I read this book... Starbucked: A Double Tall Tale of Caffeine, Commerce, and Culture by Taylor Clark. Now, I'm not a coffee drinker, so it's not like I have some overwhelming love-hate relationship with Starbucks. But I *have* wondered about the reality of how they operate, and how a company can place stores across from one another and *still* hit max sales in both locations. Clark does an excellent job in telling the Starbucks story, both the good and the bad sides...

Contents:
Introduction: The Experiment
Part 1 - The Rise of the Mermaid: Life Before Lattes; A Caffeinated Craze; The Siren's Song; Leviathan
Part 2 - Getting Steamed: Storm Brewing; A Fair Trade?; What's In Your Cup; Green-Apron Army; The Seattle Colonies
Epilogue - The Last Drop
Acknowledgments; Notes; Index

Clark was a reporter and writer for the Willamette Week paper here in Portland. If you're familiar with WW, then you know that they have no qualms about going after anyone and anything that appears to be playing a less-than-honest game with the public. Therefore, I somewhat expected this to be a slanted, Starbucks-is-evil rant of the first degree. I was pleasantly surprised to find out otherwise. Clark goes back to the early days of Starbucks, when Zev Siegl, Gordon Bowker, and Jerry Baldwin decided that they didn't want to endure any more bad coffee in Seattle, so they traveled down to Alfred Peet's coffeeshop in Berkeley to get a crash course on how to roast coffee beans properly. Given that percolated and instant coffee was the overwhelming choice of the American coffee drinker, the attention to detail and quality they learned at Peet's delivered a coffee experience that most had never experienced. It took awhile for Seattlites to get accustomed to the darker blend, but once it caught on the lines were never-ending. What moved Starbucks into the fast lane of growth was the hiring of Howard Schultz. He pestered the owners to get a job as director of marketing, and eventually ended up becoming the CEO and face of the company. Along the way, Schultz and Starbucks broke just about every rule of how food/drink chains work and operate, and they have become the overwhelming leader in the world of coffee marketing. It's a financial success story by any measure, but underneath that success lies a less-talked-about reality.

Starbucks presents an image of humanitarian concern and specialized service. And at the beginning, those corporate values were solidly ingrained in just about every employee. But when you grow as quickly as they have, it's impossible to keep those same values without having them diluted along the way. Clark documents how Starbucks doesn't do much more than pay lip services to the Fair Trade coffee movement. The image of specialized baristas learning to mix your drinks has given way to automated espresso machines that only require a couple of button presses to operate. And while everyone working over 20 hours a week (on average) can get health insurance, the normal wage is barely above minimum. Couple that with shift scheduling that is often without rhyme or reason, and the person behind the counter isn't necessarily getting a great deal. The image and reality of working at Starbucks are divided by a significant chasm, and after Clark is done, you understand why.

Starbucked is not the only book out there about the coffee giant. But it is one of the few that I feel doesn't have a vested interest in hyping or vilifying the company. If you've read any of the Starbucks books written by their senior management over the last few years, you owe it to yourself to follow up with this title. You'll still come away with an appreciation for what they've been able to accomplish, as well as the necessary insights to be able to view the company as it really is (rather than what management would like you to think they are).

I recently became friends with an independent coffee shop owner, ([...]) The Bean Cup, and the owner worked at Starbucks for many of the early years out in California. I noticed immediately that the expresso was much richer and smoother and was amazed at the difference in flavor and even the smell of the brew.

Chris started teaching me how to pour shots properly and the science behind the beans, the grind, the packing of the shot, the temperature of the water (and the steamed milk) - and how long the shots took to pour. I was amazed that I could see and taste such a difference. Truth be told, I still like 'Charbucks' and love the hustle and bustle of the stores as well as the blast of caffeine in a morning mocha that I can get. I simply enjoy The Bean Cup's brew rather much more.

With all of that, this book was an amazing read from front to back and Taylor Clark is a great writer (I especially appreciated many of the insights and off remarks he put as footnotes throughout the book). At times I thought he took it easy on Starbucks. They have enough pull that they COULD change the industry, the pay of coffee farmers, etc. They simply choose not to because it's convenient to the bottom line.

This is a great story any way you slice it, though. Howard sounds like someone I'd love to meet. No doubt that his passion and enthusiasm have driven Starbucks to where they are today. I am anxious to see where they go from here - with such an expensive product, it seems like the McCafe will be a shoe-in to dethrone a lot of Starbuck's sales.

Great book. I consumed it a lot faster than my most recent reads!

Fun details - my daughter is a young Barista so I wanted a peek behind the scenes with this book. I must say I am impressed with the company and it's background- recommend this as a quick fun read for any Starbucks fan, it seems to offer a balanced view of the Starbucks phenomenom.