BROADWAY CAFE HIGHLIGHTED IN NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE
Jon Cates and Sara Honan, co-owners of the Broadway Cafe.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Kansas City's Broadway Cafe, which has been featured in the Kansas City Star (see "Hearne Corrects Smith'), is highlighted in the New York Times as a company that squared off against Starbucks and won. 1-30-2008
Overhaul, Make It a Venti By MICHAEL BARBARO and ANDREW MARTIN New York Times
KANSAS CITY, Mo.—When a Starbucks moved in next door, the coffee fanatics who run the Broadway Cafe trembled. Sure, they roasted their own beans and served up handmade espresso drinks to a loyal clientele. But would it be enough to fight off a corporate behemoth? That was nearly 10 years ago, and now the results are in: the Starbucks is about to shut down. The store had a funereal air the other day as a handful of loyal customers sipped beverages and jotted goodbye notes in what amounted to a book of condolences. Next door, the Broadway Cafe was bustling. “You win because of the coffee,” said Jon Cates, one of the owners. After more than a decade of sensational buzz, Starbucks is struggling nationwide as it faces slowing sales growth and increased competition. The man who built the chain, Howard D. Schultz, has retaken the reins in an effort to revive it. He is scheduled to roll out a plan on Wednesday that will almost certainly involve shutting down more stores in the United States while accelerating expansion overseas. Link to rest of article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/30/business/30sbux.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin
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