I started visiting the 1st Starbucks in our area, on Bluemound Rd in Brookfield, shortly after they opened. I was there almost every weekday morning sitting at the same table (as avail) reading books, magazines, .... and drinking my coffee from about 8-9AM. Knew all the employees. Met a number of other regulars.
My job changed and since I live blocks from Hwy 100 & Greenfield, and work around the Fair Park, when they opened that location, I moved to there. Again, every week day morning, almost always the same table. Reading, drinking coffee and talking to people I knew or would meet there. I knew all the employees. In fact my youngest son got a job there. I had a specific drink we all called, the "Anti-Christ" (another story?). At times there would be 8-10 or more of us sitting around yakking, drinking our coffee, having a good time.
During this time an old friend happened to stop for coffee. We became neighbors when we were each 1.5 years old, grew up together, were each's "Best Man", the whole thing. But we had not seen each other for some years. So he started to stop in 2-3 times a week also.
Leading up to the '04 election cycle, he being a staunch Republican and me being an even "stauncher Deaniac" Democrat we had some discussions. Never hostile, never excessively loud, never even angry. We always laughed and wished each other well when leaving. Good fun really. And others around us would join in. Some on each side. We also talked about music (especially the local Blues scene), sports, religion, ....
We were the poster children of Starbucks marketing program:
"The Way I See It
What prompted Starbucks to begin this program?
Starbucks has long been dedicated to creating a unique "third place"
between home and work. We also draw on the centuries-old tradition of
the coffeehouse as a place to gather, share ideas, and enjoy delicious
beverages. We see this program as an extension of the coffeehouse
culture – a way to promote open, respectful conversation among a wide
variety of individuals."
http://www.starbucks.com/customer/faq_qanda.asp?name=whitecup
As he was usually pushing the "Republican talk show talking points", which was always mis-information, I would often show up the next day with printed articles showing why those claims were wrong. After a while it included some charts, pictures, ... I started to make preemptive info sheets because I could guess what talking point he would be on the next morning. We both got a kick out of it. As did many of the other visitors. Regulars would stop to see what I had that day. Nothing ever pornographic or using "swear words". Just lines of text pulled from articles and maybe some charts or graphics to highlight a point.
Then one day the area manager, some one I knew since she started working at that location, became manager and then Area Manager. She told me Corp had received ONE call from a customer complaining that they did not like what I had on my table one day. Did not specify which day. which item, .... And that after discussions with Corp it was decided that I could not have such pieces of paper visible on my table. Ah, excuse me! WRONG!
So I asked for very specific guidelines. What was allowed, if all I had done was copied something out of a newspaper or magazine, what if it was the actual newspaper or magazine I had out instead? At first it was "a piece of paper". But no guidelines as to what, where the line was, just a loose piece of paper was over the line.
So the next day I had one in a presentation folder slipped into the visible front cover. I was asked to leave unless I would put it away. "But it is not a loose piece of paper". Now it was ANYTHING VISIBLE! "A Bible?" to which I was told, "You know what we mean". I told them that was exactly what I was trying to find out. Pointing to people sitting around reading magazines, newspapers, books, even yes a Bible on one table.
I contacted Corp. They did not want to give exact details of what was or was not allowed. But I was informed that even a T shirt could be considered over the line if someone complained about it. So I complained about people bringing bibles in. You can guess how that was received. The LINE was not WHAT, but WHO. *I* was not allowed to have anything visible. Buttons, books, magazines, pieces of paper, ....
So the next day I sat in my car outside of the door with a cup of Caribou coffee visible and a piece of paper saying Starbucks was violating my 1st Amendment rights. They called the police. The police went inside and talked to the Regional Manager. They came out to tell me to leave. I asked exactly what it was I was doing wrong. I was told that I was welcome any time as long as I did not have anything visible "that would piss off a Republican". Otherwise I was not allowed in any Starbucks in town or in the first two rows in that parking lot.
I now am at the same table every weekday morning 8-9AM at the StoneCreek 85th and Bluemound. Better coffee. Free refill. New friends and some of the same old ones now come to see me there. Including my long time neighbor. He still parrots the daily Republican Talking Points and we have a good time.
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