I should've realized
something was going on earlier this spring when a new building project
developed on State Street and about 5300 S. Here in Murray Utah. A
few days after construction began assign pop-up indicating this be
the home of a new Starbucks coffee. I thought it was a bit
pretentious to have to Starbucks less than a mile from each other but
I didn't for a second think they are going to take away my Starbucks,
by my bus stop. Quite frankly, I'm shocked at how much this blatantly
capitalistic move has moved me. I mean I am almost as ashamed to go
into Starbucks purchase a four dollars cup of coffee as I am to go to
Sam's club or other big-box store and see the opulence and quantity
of goods for sale. I've only amazed or at seeing the shopping carts
stacked high and deep.
I was at my old bus stop
last week when I noted for the first time all the Starbucks identification had been removed from the coffee shop.I instantly knew
what had happened but I rolled over to the front door anyway where I
saw one of the staff coming out. She of course informed me that the
Starbucks had closed down and that in a day or so the new Starbucks at
53rd will open its doors. She seemed genuinely excited at
the prospect of working in a brand-new building. Again what are the
main reasons I even went to the Starbucks was primarily to get out of
the cold but I would catch the bus to work on cold winter mornings.
It was a fun place to be 6:30 AM on a cold workday morning. People
were nice and he seemed genuinely pleased to see me whenever I would
show up – – maybe not as genuineness at the liquor store but
there was a comrade in the building. I vowed I would not go to the
new Starbucks.
I was out test riding my
new power chair Saturday. I jumped the bus gunned down the mall at
5300 S. and State Street. It was during this period that I remember
the new Starbucks and indeed it was open so I figured this was not so
much about breakage of a vow as it was reconnaissance, gathering
Intel. So I wandered through Barnes & Noble, the big electronics
store and eventually snuck in the Starbucks. I was kind of hoping to
run into something wonderful like a Willy Wonka on caffeine or
something out of Harry Potter. What I got was something more like a
sterile version of Clockwork Orange .Everything
from the drive-through on the north end of the building to the
multiple cash registers at checkout to the large windows All around
the building everything was designed to make money. Easy access/flow
meant more people in and more people out as fast as you can go.
Though there are still places a set at far into the building and I'm
sure the whole thing is Wi-Fi friendly which is not the old building,
the place I liked maybe even loved. The old Starbucks had been a
Pizza Hut at the beginning at least 20 some years ago. After Pizza
Hut had abandoned the property it was a couple other places I can't
remember now until Starbucks took over the building. It's not like
the property was dark inside but it was darker than what there is now
on 53rd,
the place was cozy felt like a good place to be early in the morning
or late at night with a cup coffee. They had nights when they hosted
poetry slams, music venues usually some folk guitar strummer Or
something else fun. I'm sure it'll try to do this at the new
Starbucks but I just can't see it taking off I can't see the new
Starbucks being a place where you just want to hang out. I ordered a
nice coffee while I was there, I still have money in my gold card. I
was shocked and amazed when old guy who looked about my age came and
looked around and said he loved the place. I couldn't believe my ears
I just turned on my chair and slowly backed away.
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