Think Twice About Starbucks?
Think Twice About Starbucks?
#0Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 10:59am
I always felt a little dirty for drinking a Mocha at Starbucks, since they have been predatory businesness destroying the competition around them . . . I always try to find a local store that is not part of a chain . . . perhaps this is not a bad idea . . . especially in New York.
"Starbucks faces buggy rap
BY PAUL H.B. SHIN
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Should it be Starbucks or Star...bugs?
Current and former employees of the gourmet coffee chain filed a federal complaint yesterday claiming their corporate bosses have refused to heed repeated warnings about inadequate training and chronic infestations of roaches, rats and other vermin in New York stores.
But the company strongly denied the allegations, noting the complaints were coordinated by a handful of activists who are trying to unionize the chain's normally merry band of baristas.
Out of the 201 Starbucks stores in the city, the Department of Health issued notices of violation to 44 for rodent or insect activity in the most recent round of inspections, city records show.
The complaints filed by Starbucks employees with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration focus on three stores - at Union Square East, E. Ninth St. and Second Ave., and E. 57th St. and Lexington Ave.
"I constantly have to deal with mice, cockroaches and fruit flies all over the place," said Tomer Malchi, 24, who works at the Union Square store. "The root of the problem is that we're never staffed properly to clean the place right and we never have the right equipment to clean the stores."
Starbucks faces buggy rap
Updated On: 8/17/06 at 10:59 AM
#1re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:04am
Ever been in that Union Square store? I'm not defending Starbucks or its practices, especially its attempt to keep unions out, but that store is not like the majority of Starbucks I've seen. It honestly looks like a pit stop for the homeless in the area.
That's more a sign of the building and management specific to that location, really.
blueroses
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/18/04
#2re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:08am
""I constantly have to deal with mice, cockroaches and fruit flies all over the place," said Tomer Malchi, 24, who works at the Union Square store. "The root of the problem is that we're never staffed properly to clean the place right and we never have the right equipment to clean the stores."
Gross!
Also, I wonder how long Malchi will have his/her job after commenting to the press.
#3re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:11amIt's a good thing things are always clean in the Pittsburgh Starbucks chains. They're always impeccable around here.
#4re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:12amThat's what whistleblower laws are for, fortunately.
#5re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:12amThe ones where I live by are clean. I am still getting my drinks from there.
#6re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:24amYes but you wouldnt know if your Starbucks had mice, roaches or vermin. Most people never see them. They come out when you leave and its dark and quiet. I'm sure many restaurants have vermin. It's been a problem since the dawn of man. People need to make statements like "my Starbucks is clean" in order to put their mind at ease. There really is no way for a customer to know. Cheers! Drink up!
#7re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:26am
Which is why I, to paraphrase Barbara Bush, don't worry my pretty little head about these things.
Kinda like the occasional roach I see in my apartment. My building is infested, and the landlord obviously isn't going to do anything about it. If I think about it too much, I can picture the little bugs crawling around my silverware or my toothbrush or...
That's why I just don't think about it.
#8re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:27am
"Ever been in that Union Square store? I'm not defending Starbucks or its practices, especially its attempt to keep unions out, but that store is not like the majority of Starbucks I've seen. It honestly looks like a pit stop for the homeless in the area.
That's more a sign of the building and management specific to that location, really."
You are so right! I went into that one once and the entire place REEKED of BO. From ONE man! The staff was trying their hardest to air out the place. And that place is one of their larger ones. There wasn't one inch of space that didnt' reek of this one guy.
I love Starbucks. They're friendly, helpful, and they have a large selection. I believe that there are roaches, vermin, in almost every establishment in NYC. I defy anyone to totally get rid of them.
#10re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:30am
I think the ickle buggy-wuggys are super cute!
#11re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:37amYeah I shouldn't say just because I think that my Starbucks is clean that it is clean. If I ever see a rat or some rodent. I probably won't ever drink there.
blueroses
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/18/04
#13re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 11:42am
Hee Jaily! That made me think of Beatrice the weimeraner in Best in Show. "Get the busy bee!"
I
#14re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 12:03pm
These are the only bugs I want in my Starbucks: 
Calvin...I never had a doubt about your identity.
"In Oz, the verb is douchifizzation." PRS
peach
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/29/05
#15re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 12:18pm
Say it isn't so! Oh no! I MUST have my Starbucks!
I've been drinking Starbucks for years. My Starbucks stores seem clean enough - of course there may be vermin and pests and buggles and wahtnot, but I seem to be fine and I frequent Starbucks often.
So I'm not going to stress about it - but is is a bit icky.
JohnBoy2
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/21/06
#16re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 1:16pm
It's been a problem since the dawn of man.
Not really since the dawn of man, just since those dirty Europeans came over to America.
#17re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 3:07pm
If I think about it too much, I can picture the little bugs crawling around my silverware or my toothbrush or...
That's why I just don't think about it.
Great! I had never thought about it. Now I am.
Sheesh... thanks Calvin.
Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. - Randy Pausch
#18re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 3:16pm
Who's hungry? 
#19re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 3:18pm
Jaily, I hate you.
But not really
#21re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 3:21pm
Good to the last drop... 
"In Oz, the verb is douchifizzation." PRS
#22re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 3:21pm
calvin! I'm not going to sleep tonight!
Where is that picture from?
#23re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 3:25pmUmmmm...whatever appears on the first page after a Google image search for "roaches."
#24re: Think Twice About Starbucks?
Posted: 8/17/06 at 3:28pmIHeart, that picture is from the "clean" Pittsburgh Starbucks.
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