You nailed it, man. It seems that there's this middle-ground where half-decent local places are pulling superiority over Starbucks as a main selling point, while still dousing cheaply purchased espresso in copious amounts of refined sugar.

It feels like there are five Starbuckses to every place that cares to brand their coffee local and organic and quality... and there are hundreds of places that want to cash in on the anti-Starbucks brand before they actually go the distance.
 

Every time a customer tells me that they like to support independent businesses/coffee shops over chains I tell them the same thing...

Patronize the business with the best product. Those that perform best will then be rewarded for it, others will see this, take note, and the bar will be raised a bit.

The only way that we can push the coffee scene forward in our area (Pittsburgh PA) is to get people to recognize what quality is so that they can expect it when they go elsewhere. The more quality establishments around the better it is for us.

Besides, I hate crybabies that complain about big bad corporations stealing their business- man up and make better coffee. If you can't then you're in the wrong business.
 

Raising the bar is something I don't think a lot about. Honestly, I feel the bar here is going to be raised soon but some of the better shops are slipping hard and it's really depressing. It's just that there is so much noise and well, more noise. Part of that is too much reliance on the roaster brand instead of developing your own brand as a small cafe owner... It's complex and I am too tired to really get in depth on why people here are convinced they are rocking out with the best of them but just aren't.

Richard,
Thanks for the comment. I call it like I see and I think shops like these working as 'anti' the big bad corporations is a quick way to make a small business vulnerable to trends. A better cafe moves in down the block, a price point of competition with another indie 'anti' style shop, it's tough going to compete if you are not branding on substance.
 

BRANDING ON SUBSTANCE!

That's the best slogan I've ever heard.
 

Starbucks built a business off of independents (the artists formerly known as "mom & pops") that made crap coffee on the cheap and made you sit in a space no cleaner than a construction site with mismatched furniture that was rejected by Goodwill.

Then they cried foul and blamed the big bad wolf when the first alternative came around that actually noticed their coffee quality and gave you a place to drink it that didn't require rubber gloves -- and then stole all their business.

You actually see this clear as day in communities where, as a general, rule, chain stores are prevented from moving in: lacking any competition, the local standards are often abominable.

Not that I am a fan of the big bad chains or that I think that some don't leverage their status to an unfair advantage. But too many coffeehouses should have been put out of business long ago with better coffee alternatives, regardless of whether Starbucks did it or not.