Starbucks Does Not Want Our Business

[Eric]

http://www.starbucks.com/blog/an-ope...d-schultz/1268
It looks like they can have my gold card back as soon as it runs out.


An Open Letter from Howard Schultz, ceo of Starbucks Coffee Company


Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Posted by Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, president and chief executive officer

Dear Fellow Americans,

Few topics in America generate a more polarized and emotional debate than guns. In recent months, Starbucks stores and our partners (employees) who work in our stores have been thrust unwillingly into the middle of this debate. That’s why I am writing today with a respectful request that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas.

From the beginning, our vision at Starbucks has been to create a “third place” between home and work where people can come together to enjoy the peace and pleasure of coffee and community. Our values have always centered on building community rather than dividing people, and our stores exist to give every customer a safe and comfortable respite from the concerns of daily life.

We appreciate that there is a highly sensitive balance of rights and responsibilities surrounding America’s gun laws, and we recognize the deep passion for and against the “open carry” laws adopted by many states. (In the United States, “open carry” is the term used for openly carrying a firearm in public.) For years we have listened carefully to input from our customers, partners, community leaders and voices on both sides of this complicated, highly charged issue.

Our company’s longstanding approach to “open carry” has been to follow local laws: we permit it in states where allowed and we prohibit it in states where these laws don’t exist. We have chosen this approach because we believe our store partners should not be put in the uncomfortable position of requiring customers to disarm or leave our stores. We believe that gun policy should be addressed by government and law enforcement—not by Starbucks and our store partners.

Recently, however, we’ve seen the “open carry” debate become increasingly uncivil and, in some cases, even threatening. Pro-gun activists have used our stores as a political stage for media events misleadingly called “Starbucks Appreciation Days” that disingenuously portray Starbucks as a champion of “open carry.” To be clear: we do not want these events in our stores. Some anti-gun activists have also played a role in ratcheting up the rhetoric and friction, including soliciting and confronting our customers and partners.

For these reasons, today we are respectfully requesting that customers no longer bring firearms into our stores or outdoor seating areas—even in states where “open carry” is permitted—unless they are authorized law enforcement personnel.

I would like to clarify two points. First, this is a request and not an outright ban. Why? Because we want to give responsible gun owners the chance to respect our request—and also because enforcing a ban would potentially require our partners to confront armed customers, and that is not a role I am comfortable asking Starbucks partners to take on. Second, we know we cannot satisfy everyone. For those who oppose “open carry,” we believe the legislative and policy-making process is the proper arena for this debate, not our stores. For those who champion “open carry,” please respect that Starbucks stores are places where everyone should feel relaxed and comfortable. The presence of a weapon in our stores is unsettling and upsetting for many of our customers.

I am proud of our country and our heritage of civil discourse and debate. It is in this spirit that we make today’s request. Whatever your view, I encourage you to be responsible and respectful of each other as citizens and neighbors.

Sincerely,

Howard Schultz

[UWone77]

I don't know how you guys drank that overpriced, over roasted coffee in the first place.

[Army Chief]

I invested in a high-end Jura automatic coffee machine for the home long ago, so Starbucks outings aren't all that frequent for me; that said, this is not welcome news.

We can debate the wisdom of the whole open carry thing as a sidebar, but the real issue here is that, if stores begin posting signs, then the stated "preference" could very well become a felony for CCW holders in many states. Something we apparently brought upon ourselves, sadly enough.

AC

[zero7one]

I don't know how you guys drank that overpriced, over roasted coffee in the first place.

Right?!?!?! How bout some Forza?

[Jerry R]

He only seems to mention "open carry" ----- Concealed Carry okay? If it is concealed, they won't know anyway. I don't do StarBucks (I'm a wuss I guess) too strong (spelled BITTER) for me.

[Army Chief]

He only seems to mention "open carry" ----- Concealed Carry okay? If it is concealed, they won't know anyway. I don't do StarBucks (I'm a wuss I guess) too strong (spelled BITTER) for me.

Actually, his letter requests no guns on store property. He may have been reacting to open carry, but he makes no such distinctions in the written request, which raises serious potential problems for CCW in many states.

AC

[UWone77]

Right?!?!?! How bout some Forza?

Ha! Cheap shot. I don't drink coffee.

[UWone77]

I have a hard time blaming Starbucks for their stand when you have these common sense folks patronizing their stores.

[Jerry R]

Actually, his letter requests no guns on store property. He may have been reacting to open carry, but he makes no such distinctions in the written request, which raises serious potential problems for CCW in many states.

AC

I went back through the letter and stand corrected. Thanks AC.

[FortTom]

Has anyone actually seen this letter from Starbucks? I'm not defending them, but for years they were smeared by a never ending internet email allegedly from a soldier or marine in Iraq. Said troop had requested some coffee from Starbucks and allegedly received a scathing response that basically said Starbucks wouldn't support the war effort or troops (murderer's) and other descriptions, and no they wouldn't send coffee. (all paraphrased). I was in Starbucks this morning, and didn't see any signs requiring me to disarm in order to get a cup of coffee that I happen to like. It turns out that Snopes and other fact check sites and media found the whole Iraq-Coffee thing to be a hoax, but not without a great deal of discontent and fiscal cost to Starbucks, from people who actually thought they were doing a great thing (myself included) by personally boycotting Starbucks. If this is true then I have to wonder why there are no signs here banning CCW on their premisis. If this letter is legit, then I can do without Starbucks, but I'd hate to see them on the receiving end of another internet hoax.

FT

[Vic]

The blog and letter are official. Also, he was interviewed on the local news either last night or the night before.

There will not be any posted signs as this is a request and not an outright ban.

[browcs]

I hope the friends of the fools who thought it a good idea to take a long gun into a private business gave them the mother of all throat punches.

[KevinBLC]

I hope the friends of the fools who thought it a good idea to take a long gun into a private business gave them the mother of all throat punches.

Or for letting his GF carry an XD

[Computalotapus]

Or for letting his GF carry an XD

This had me rolling haha

[FortTom]

The blog and letter are official. Also, he was interviewed on the local news either last night or the night before.

There will not be any posted signs as this is a request and not an outright ban.

Thanks, I missed the link to their site, and the fact that it's a request and not a ban is alright with me, in the sense that I'll still get a cup of java there, when I feel like it. Thanks for straightening me out as far as the validity of this thing.

FT