I have been to Paris and one of the things I loved was the culture of small coffee shops and bistros on every other street, so people could take time out of their day to sit and converse over coffee.
I’m pleased to hear that STARBUCKS has moved into PARIS about the same amount that I am pleased to hear that MacDonald’s exists in the poorest countries in Africa and South America.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been to both Mickey D’s and STARBUCKS. I love coffee. I even buy STARBUCKS coffee cards and use them as stocking stuffers at Xmas!
But, the article from USA Today “Starbucks Tries Its Special Ambiance On Paris” bothers me enough to write to your web site.
To suggest that STARBUCKS in Paris might serve as a symbol that America embraces the French and this will help “bridge the gap” and be a “turning point” between America and France is well, in a word, LUDICROUS! Which, if I’m not mistaken is both French and English for STUPID!
The only reason that STARBUCKS is in any country, including FRANCE, is to make money, and also because North American tourists travel to Europe. And when they travel they want their comforts of the homeland. What’s next, a Krispy Kreme kiosks so a North American tourist can have their Chocolate Iced With Sprinkles, with their Grande Double Decaf Non-Fat Soy No-Whip Mocha on a 500-year-old street in Paris known for some historically significant moment that hardly anyone in North America learned about in school? YUCK!
This article is an insult to the very real tension that was brought to the people and government of France for not endorsing the American and British led war in Iraq. The Bush administration doesn’t like anyone who says “No Thanks Shrub”. When France said, “No Thanks” to Dubyah’s invasion on Iraq, people all over America acted just as irrationally to the French [and to anything with a French name] as they did to “brown” people after 9/11.
The article just should have said, “Hey tourists, now there’s a STARBUCKS in Paris! Oh, and by the way don’t forget to check out the Rodin museum for a spot of culture on your way down the street with your steaming hot cup of sock juice!”
Keep up the good work Monsieur/Madame Miquelon!
S.K. – New York NY