Soon there will be one on every street corner. It spreads, like the Borg.

# posted by Scubes : 12:53 AM  

It's the "central perk" (from "Friends") effect!
It won't last...

# posted by Le Piou : 1:10 AM  

Tour went very well thank you. There are no starbucks here in south east NM--there is hope and I really do think european coffee is better--hopefully it wont last. I wish we could have a Parisian cafe here.

# posted by Pecos Blue : 1:49 AM  

honestly ... I love Starbucks. because I travel so much ... it has become a home away from home ... walk in, plunck down, plug in ... it's all familiar and just like my home Starbucks down the street ... and I always know what to order and it's always good!

# posted by Becca : 1:55 AM  

The sad thing is, (I live in Washington State, Starbucks Capital of the world) many people have never had good coffee(not that it's the case in Paris). So, they experiece their first "real" coffee through a Starbucks. I just wish they had stronger control over their "mass marketing" and were cool about it.

# posted by BohemianMama : 2:54 AM  

Wow - 12 here already!!!!

# posted by Pat : 10:18 AM  

I'm very curious who the main customers are that patronize those 12 starbucks - tourists? Wonder how all 12 came about? In my city, they are currently fighting the city not to allow one in one of the last three Japantowns in the US and a few small mom and pop neighborhoods have successfully fended off a few starbucks too. Keep us posted Auntie M - this has got me curious. Terry in SF

# posted by Anonymous : 11:56 AM  

I just recently moved back to Washington DC from Paris after five years there and have to say that the whole coffee place thing has gone absolutely nuts -- Beyond security security everywhere it is the one thing that struck me as having changed. I counted from Metro Center 6 coffee places on my short walk to work. And I refuse to say skinny grahnday lattay ...

Great blog you have here Auntie, it makes me homesick. I came over from Kaysbargains site where you were nominated for a bloggette award. Good luck
Mike in DC

# posted by Anonymous : 2:06 PM  

As much as I hate the idea of Starbucks in Paris, please don't hate me for asking...do they have Wifi? (I'm a girl with a column to send, and blog items to post, and I generally spend July in Paris.) Trying to exchange my place in Venice, CA, now, for a place with DSL so I won't have to worry so much about connecting outside the place I end up staying.

# posted by Amy Alkon : 5:51 PM  

To make more French-tasting coffee in the USA, get a Chemex glass coffee "jar"-style thing you pour the coffee into and Chemex filters. Has to be watched while water keeps getting poured on and best if coffee is ground "fine" and used liberally. Very.

# posted by Amy Alkon : 5:53 PM  

I love your blog. Very cool. Hi from Michele!

# posted by Nic : 5:56 PM  

I can understand why Britain would need Starbucks (in fact applauded their arrival there so I could get coffee that wasn't weak and insipid), but it seems incongrous in Paris (no weak coffee there).

But had there been a Starbucks with wi-fi in Paris when I was there -- I guess I would have been there...

# posted by Donna : 12:23 AM  

I just thought that Paris would be a Starbucks free town but it seems that this too works here as does McDonalds.

I must admit that I do enjoy their BIG coffees but Starbucks will never beat out the ambiance of a Parisian cafe.

# posted by Flare : 10:04 PM  

Scubes, Nice to see you again. I know you're right... they seem to multiply.
Le Piou, I'm not sure...
Pecos Blue, That is surprising that there are no Starbucks hear you. I thought they covered the US.
Becca, I kind of like the place too. But I'm glad there isn't one near my home.
BM, I did have the best coffee the other day at some cafe near my place... I was thinking, this is what coffee should tast like all the time!
Pat, I know. I was really surprised. They moved fast.
Terry, When I've been to Starbucks there have been an equal number of French and english speakers in the place.
Mike in DC, Thank you for your kind note. The coffee house thing does seem to have gotten out of hand in the US. Maybe by the time you come back to Paris there will be many more Starbucks... they seem to grow at a very fast rate.
Amy, I'm almost embarrassed to say, I didn't notice if there was a wifi connection there. I don't recall seeing anyone with a computer, so I don't think there is... at least at the place near Opera.
Nic, Thanks!
Donna, I know, that wi-fi is attractive. Sometimes we look for hotels that have wi fi when we are on vacation.
Flare, I must admit I really miss the whole carry your coffee around while watching the kids and eating a bagel. I really saw myself being that kind of mom... but bagels and carry-out coffee were not in my cards.

# posted by Auntie M in Paris : 11:39 PM  

Starbucks in Paris does have WiFi, at least the one near the Opera, for sure, and probably the others as well. The people I see when I go to Starbucks are a mix of French, lots of American tourists, and other tourists. When it first opened I went eagerly because it reminded me of home. Now, I don't go out of my way, but if I'm in the neighborhood I'll stop in for a chai or mocha. It's a nice change from my usual cafe creme.

# posted by Lisa : 1:53 PM  

Lisa, Thanks so much for the clarifying information about WiFi. I just never noticed it!

# posted by Auntie M in Paris : 9:28 PM  

I can't believe somebody was hawking Starbucks at ASP! Is ASP going corporate? Are they so hard for contributions? Maybe I need to increase my donation the next time...

# posted by Susanne : 12:45 AM  

> Amy

Yes they all have Wi-Fi but if I remeber well it's pretty expensive. However most Mc Donald's in Paris offre free Wi-Fi and that is very cool!

# posted by Eric : 2:53 PM