ribeirasacra - quite right. This is a black day for Italy.

Oh who gives a toss. It's not exactly the end of days for Italy.

Judging by the number of Italian families in McDonalds in Rome, Pisa and Naples, it will probably be patronised pretty well.

Black Day? Referring to coffee I assume?

Blueeyedcod - McDonalds for all its faults is competitively priced whereas Starbucks is hugely overpriced as far as the Italian market is concerned.

PalenQ - as a Starbucks tifoso I am surprised you did not pick up on the news earlier.

nochblad - I read the story in today's NYTimes but....

<i><font color=#555555>"This is a black day for Italy."</font></i>

What an absolutely ridiculous sentiment. I know plenty of people living in Italy who will enjoy access to a cup of American-style coffee, and that really depends on whether Starbucks Italy will offer such a thing. According to Shultz's "humility" comments so far, it isn't quite clear how "American" the place will be.

I remember the day when Bialetti and DeLonghi became available in America's better home stores. Perhaps it made Black & Decker and Hamilton Beach a little nervous, but Americans who traveled and appreciated the brands celebrated.

@ nochblad - and I say again. Who gives a toss? The market will decide. If it's overpriced, then people simply won't go.

abboccati ....

but NYCFoodSnob I am surprised you fell for it

Is this protest simply a matter of forcing 'Italy' to conform to over-arching stereotypes?
My family find it hilarious that many overseas tourists want - no - demand - the Hollywood-esque Italy - cypress pines in the mist, nonna heaping plates of spaghetti under a vine-covered trellis, smiling, happy people who double cheek kiss everyone they see, tiny cobbled streets with no intrusion of 21st century life (aka satellite dishes or even evidence of electricity).
One little Starbucks in Milan does not a tidal wave of cultural obliteration make.

ribeirasacra,

Funny comment. I very much agree. Although fairly quicky, I would say.

I hear Starbucks wants Italy so much because they won't have to pay any taxes?

It will be easy to locate in Milano...just follow the smell of burnt coffee.

Buon viaggio,

Burnt coffee seems fabulously popular in London, Amsterdam, Paris and even Vienna and many other European places.

Italy is about espresso (and with a dollop of foam, a macchiato - - no relation to Starbucks "caramel macchiato" which is a frou-frou sugar bomb).

Starbucks has espresso, and the very best Starbucks espresso I've had, has been better than the very worst Italian espresso I've had (at a cafe just west of Firenze SMN - - bitter vetch).

But young people in Italy will go to Starbucks - - for the frou-frou sugar bombs, and for the pretty little chocolate lollipops - - stuff like that - - not for the espresso - - particularly if the espresso at Starbucks costs 3 Euro, and at the corner cafe a markedly better (non burnt) espresso still costs 1 Euro.

I think of Starbucks as sort of a milkshake & pastry place. I know of no one (in the US) that goes to Starbucks for coffee. All I see are giant cups up liquids of varying thickness covered with whip cream, sprinkles, etc. These drinks have long annoying names that sound made up or not actually related to coffee.

I know they also sell some baked sweets though I've never heard much about them. I assume they are far from fresh & taste like something you'd be served in coach.

I'm sure the trendy milkshake drinks and posting photos of them with hashtags will be just as popular in Italy as the US. And people seeking actual coffee will find themselves at a Starbucks once in a while out of circumstance just like it seems to happen here.

<Burnt coffee seems fabulously popular in London, Amsterdam, Paris and even Vienna and many other European places.>

Right.

I think a lot of you have either never had Starbucks coffee, or have forgotten how bleak the coffee landscape was in the US before its advent.

It's not my ideal cup, but it beats the crap you used to get at diners and bakeries and fast food joints by a country mile. Who served cappuccino, espresso, latte and the like across the US before them?

As for Italy, I can't imagine that Starbucks will push out the traditional coffee bar, but it's trendy, and it will occupy a niche.

<i><font color=#555555>" I know of no one (in the US) that goes to Starbucks for coffee."</font></i>

LOL. Then you must live in a cave surrounded by no other human beings. And you've certainly have never worked on a feature film location shoot.

The anti-Starbucks folks are just as silly and boring as the anti-Oprah folks. The people who are jealous-of-any-success just love to get their "hate" on, and travel forums provide a free opportunity. What else is new?

I thought the NY Times article on Mr. Schultz's humility offered some interesting anecdotes.

<i><font color=#555555>"1. Each week, roughly 90 million people pass through a Starbucks somewhere on earth.

2. For Mr. Schultz, coming to Italy is personal…“There are very few markets and stores that I’m as intimately involved in as this,” he said, adding, “We’re going to come (to Italy) with great humility.”

3. Mr. Schultz credits Italy’s distinct coffee culture for inspiring him to create the Starbucks of today. In 1983, he visited Milan for a trade show and wandered into coffee bars in the city. Then, he was marketing director for Starbucks, a chain of four stores in Seattle that sold coffee for people to make at home. His visit to Milan’s coffee bars convinced him that the coffee shop was an experience and culture that could work in the United States.

4. Mr. Schultz has returned to Italy at least once a year since 1983, befriending business leaders while studying the local market.

5. Mr. Schultz said the first store in Milan would open early next year, followed by others in the city before the company expands elsewhere in Italy. And as has happened in other countries, Starbucks will tailor itself to local coffee habits.

6. “There will definitely be a bar,” Mr. Schultz said…He also said Starbucks would be competitive on price.

7. “We’re not coming here to teach Italians to make coffee — nothing like that at all,” Mr. Schultz said, adding that Starbucks should not be perceived as a threat to local coffee bars. “We have to earn the respect.”

8. Mr. Schultz said Starbucks planned to develop a proprietary coffee blend for the Italian market, and he predicted that the quality of Starbucks coffee “is going to surprise people in Italy.”

9. But also important is an atmosphere intended to appeal to young Italians (as well as the promise of seamless Wi-Fi)."</font></i>

Milan is not known for its "great" coffee. It hosts millions of internationals per year, and I'm sure many will appreciate the product and experience. I don't know how Mr. Schultz plans to deliver on the "seamless WiFi," but if he succeeds, that alone will makes Starbucks a winner in Italy.

Since you quoted me, I'm assuming you are referring to me with this:

"LOL. Then you must live in a cave surrounded by no other human beings. And you've certainly have never worked on a feature film location shoot.

The anti-Starbucks folks are just as silly and boring as the anti-Oprah folks......................."

Never worked on a feature film location shoot? What a very odd, very specific thing to point out. No, I do not work in film. What is that relevant to? I do work on location from time to time, and that is exactly the kind of "circumstance" where people find themselves at a Starbucks counter for coffee that I referred to in my post.

"The anti Starbucks people are as silly and boring as.." Are you referring to me? Anti Starbucks? If you are referring to me, it is you who invented that. I'm not anti Starbucks & never said I was. Not anti Oprah either for that matter. As for boring, I'd say picking a random post to use for a nonsensical straw man argument and to insult someone is boring behavior.

I do not live on a cave. I don't know anyone that goes to Starbucks to get actual coffee unless due to circumstance. I don't know anyone that goes out on a dedicated coffee date, to sit and enjoy coffee, to Starbucks. They go to get dessert type drinks and/or use wifi. Other than that they go when they need a water/iced tea/coffee when they are busy doing other things and there are 5 Starbucks between them and the next option. Circumstance.

Yes Sdtarbucks is a lot more than coffee!

< I don't know anyone that goes to Starbucks to get actual coffee unless due to circumstance. I don't know anyone that goes out on a dedicated coffee date, to sit and enjoy coffee, to Starbucks. >

That does seem unusual, but I suppose a lot depends on where you live. I live in a city with a lot of coffee bars serving artisan coffee (yes, it's a thing), but Starbucks is still packed at all hours of the day and night.