Grande Community

I caught an interesting article at Psychology Today. The article talks about the rapid growth of Starbucks and, among other things, attributes that contribute to the "Starbucks experience" — rather than the coffee.

I love Starbucks. But it's not about the coffee. Hey, I love Starbucks coffee, but the reality is their competitors pour a tasty cup — as good or better — than Starbucks.

Excerpts from the article:

Intentionality. "At Starbucks, nothing is accidental. Everything the customer interacts with, from the obsessively monitored store environment down to the white paper cups, is the product of deliberation and psychological research. The coffeehouse as we know it is a calculated creation..."

Community. "Starbucks filled America's need for a public gathering spot... a 'third place' with home and work being place one and two. This became Starbucks' community rallying cry: It wasn't a coffee company, but a place for bringing people together through the social glue of coffee."

The social glue of coffee. Interesting. I regularly drive by several quality coffee shops to get to my Starbucks. (Actually, I have four, but the closest store is my Starbucks.) It's the community; the atmosphere; it's knowing the baristas by name. The coffee is not the point.

When I need to do business — especially relational or spiritual business — my destination of choice is Starbucks. Over the years I've found Starbucks to be an effective environment for date nights, evangelism, and last minute mentoring.

Here's my point(s):

Getting away with your spouse doesn't require major effort. You can pull off a last minute, quality date night for the price of a couple espressos. (No excuses guys!) Get creative. Time away with your spouse doesn't need to break the budget. And an intimate environment (like a Starbucks) will allow you to talk; that's right communicate with your better half. That won't happen at a movie.

(Second thought) Is it possible that we're trying to put God in a box by limiting how he chooses to reach people? In my world, God shows up frequently in a coffee shop. I believe God will use methods we've not seen before to reach people, get people's attention, and transform lives.

Where is your coffee shop?