Boycott of one

I can hold a grudge.

I started boycotting Starbucks in 2005 to teach them a lesson when they closed the Torrefazione cafes.  Clearly they've suffered financial from my boycott of one and rue the day they crossed swords with me.

I remember learning Star-assimilate-or-die-bucks bought the chain in 2003 and asking the baristas what would happen.

"We've been told everything will remain the same."

My friend Dorcas and I exhaled in relief.  The NW 23rd location was one of our favorite places to meet up.  I continued to blissfully sip my uber-yummy cafe au laits for a couple more years before the ax fell.  I vowed a Starbucks brew would not pass over my lips again.

I never was a Starbucks fan.  The coffee usually tasted burnt and bitter.  I generally referred to the behemoth as the Walmart of coffee.  Instituting my boycott wasn't a hardship.

What was challenging, was getting other people on board with me.

People like to meet at a Starbucks (they're conveniently located and always near wherever you happen to be at the moment) and bring Starbucks to meetings at the office (who doesn't love a box of coffee?). Plus, it's predictable (McCoffee).

I confess, I've given in more than just a few times over the years (again, when there's a box of coffee in front of you, it's hard to say "no, thanks").  And, it's getting harder to buy coffee beans at the market that aren't somewhere, somehow actually produced by Starbucks.

However, in the spirit of my but sandwich-free resolve, I recommit to the boycott.  I'm not asking you to join me.  I do ask that you 1)hold me accountable if you see me slipping & sipping and 2)understand if I want to meet at Caffe Umbria or Posie's Bakery or Albina Press, etc. instead of Starbucks.

You may have to walk a couple more blocks, but I promise the coffee and the company will be worth it.

Not a fan of the but sandwich

So, here's how it goes ...


When someone wants or needs to give constructive criticism, one common way for delivering it is the "compliment/criticism/compliment" formula.  I refer to this as "the but sandwich".  For example, "I really like what you're doing with your hair, but some of our customers think it's a bit unprofessional so I'm going to have to ask you to tone down the green color.  I think your creativity is really cool."


I'm not a fan of the but sandwich.


Many people think compliments ease criticism - the spoonful of sugar argument.  I don't agree.  I think once someone hears the "but ... " everything said before is erased from memory or remembered as false praise.


I think people take on constructive feedback more readily when you offer it up with respect, but without ceremony - the eat your vegetables first argument.


After almost four years of writing a blog for work (the opinions expressed here are solely my own (although they may be inspired by the people in my life)), I decided it's time to start a personal one, too.  I've got opinions yearning to breath free.  I plan to use this opportunity to offer up my but-sandwich-free critiques of various and sundry things.  Who knows, maybe even one or two of them are valid.