Thursday, November 13, 2008

Starbucks in Flint

A reader asked an interesting question: Are there any Starbucks in Flint?

According to the coffee monolith's website, Flint has two stores — one at 3822 E. Court St. and one at 3243 Miller Rd. In other words, right about where you'd expect them to be. Now if Starbucks started serving fries with gravy, they might do a little better in The Vehicle City.



12 comments:

  1. I wonder if they are drive-thru....

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  2. The Miller Road location (in Flint Township) has the expected suburban professional clientele, but the Flint location (across from the Olympic Coney Island) has a surprising amount of hipsters hanging around it. I went there on election day and had to keep reminding myself that I was actually in Flint.

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  3. Both are drive thrus-access on Miller is stupid but that is what the township approved. One store on Corunna in front of Lowe's (next to Krispy Kreme) closed last month. part of the downsizing I guess. I have never been to a Starbucks. I like Beaner's in Lansing better. Oh, I mean Biggby's. Forgot they changed name and coming to downtown Flint soon.

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  4. I guess I have never looked for a Starbucks when in Flint. Personally, I prefer the Brown Sugar Cafe, downtown. I think the owners name is Julie. GREAT service and fabulous coffee!

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  5. Any Whole Foods in Flint?

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  6. We have one Starbucks here in Newburyport, Mass. It is both reviled and beloved, depending on to whom you are speaking. Not because of the coffee per se, but because "townies" hate the "new" people that patronize it.

    Newburyport must have per capita more specialty coffee places - and pizza places - than anywhere!

    I don't suppose you have Dunkin' Donuts out there? Is Dawn Donuts still in operation?

    Why don't I look these things up myself??? :)

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  7. Gotta go to Dales! They are the original Whole Foods.

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  8. Speaking of more beverages... I still miss Dales Papaya juice.

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  9. oh yeah, and the caramel corn. probably should complete a thought before posting 3x. ;)

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  10. I must admit I have a love/hate relationship with Starbucks. It's similar to being a closet Madonna fan.

    As Starbucks ate up every unique cafe in midtown in New York, I was disgusted and was boycotting them, and I made sure to move into a neighborhood that didn't have a Starbucks.

    But I knew I would lose... because let's face it, I'm lazy, and Starbucks took all the convenient real estate. And then after having kids, Starbucks was the only stroller friendly place where you could fit into a bathroom.

    And then I heard about the drive thrus... boy, I wish I lived in Michigan now.

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  11. On the Biggby's downtown: thatvfell through, and the building (complete with torn up facade) is now for sale. We no longer have any Dunkin Donuts (the one on Miller Road in Flint Township closed up about two years ago), with the closest being in Clarkston. Dawn Donuts is still going strong at Clio and Pasadena though, serving as a donut/cigarette/lotto spot. The donuts are still great.

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  12. Judging from the business Starbuck's does here in Vienna, I tend to think it's more beloved than reviled. And that says a lot for a city whose tourism industry is in part based on its cafe life. There is a coffee shop of every architectural and period style with all sorts of coffee served in the numerous traditional Viennese genres - with or without alcohol. There is a cafe every few steps you walk, outnumbered only by the pubs. BUT -if it's a MUG of coffee you're looking for and not a cup you've just paid the equivalent of five bucks plus for and which is empty after the third sip, you HAVE TO go to Starbuck's (or one of the generic Starbuck's lookalikes that have popped up everywhere and which are simply not as tasty). Besides, you simply get more for your money (here, maybe not in the States) and the coffee just tastes better.

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Thanks for commenting. I moderate comments, so it may take a while for your comment to appear. You might enjoy my book about Flint called "Teardown: Memoir of a Vanishing City," a Michigan Notable Book for 2014 and a finalist for the 33rd Annual Northern California Book Award for Creative NonFiction. Filmmaker Michael Moore described Teardown as "a brilliant chronicle of the Mad Maxization of a once-great American city." More information about Teardown is available at www.teardownbook.com.