From the open publishing newswire: To everyone who buys starbucks: YOU are the one who is stealing the money directly from the hands of third world country families who desperately need that money for food, medicine and basic survival! Starbucks is known as Starcrooks because they steal from those suffering most!

From the open publishing newswire: The latest Willamette Week cover story pinpoints several arguments against supporting Starbucks; however, Taylor Clark's article ignores Starbucks' forged business relationships with companies such as Kraft and the Delek Group in Israel(a company responible for oil exploration, distribution and biochemical manufacturing).

Rarely is a company ALL bad, and rarely is a company, especially an international one, without flaw. The question is not simply: Is Starbucks good or bad? A more apt question is: Does Starbucks' environmental-conscious practices in some areas of business excuse the partnerships it has forged with companies that pay low wages to workers and degrade the environment? For some consumers, the answer to this question will be yes, for others the answer will be no. The important thing to remember is that consumers have power to influence markets, but only when we possess all the facts to make well-informed decisions about where to put our dollars. By not including key information in the cover story on Starbucks (Thoroughly Starbucked March 26, 2003), Taylor Clark's article is little more than an editorial with a front-page photo. While Clark does pinpoint some important issues, the follow-through is weak and offers a false sense of Starbucks as a company.

[ No Starbucks in 7 Corners indymedia stories ]

From the open publishing newswire: Starbucks Coffee is engaging in multiple and repeated violations of Portland's sign code, causing safety hazards and inconvenience for the disabled.

The first two pictures were taken in front of the Starbucks Coffee at 2328 W. Burnside Suite 2. Note the narrow sidewalk along one of the busiest streets in the city. This placement of the sign isn't as bad as I've seen it: sometimes most of the sidewalk has been blocked. Note also that the sign is unlicensed -- there's no city license sticker on either side of it. [ read the full article... ]

From the open publishing newswire: Any HAND member - that is, a resident or business owner or property owner - can vote for the HAND board. This election promises to be interesting and reflects the changes that are happening within HAND, e.g., Starbucks, New Seasons, the DivisionVision work, etc. (HAND = Hosford Abernathy Neighborhood. Its boundaries are the River to 26th-ish, and Hawthorne to Powell.)

Some of the candidates for the board have become active in the neighborhood during the battles against Starbucks, New Seasons, and the Nite Lite Lounge, all of which have been documented here on Portland IMC. Rumour has it that pro-Starbucks people from Ladd's Addition might run people to keep the activists off the board. Rumour also has it that some neighborhood liberals find some of the new candidates too "radical" and are afraid of what will happen if they're elected.

Neighborhood elections are not often exciting or contentious, but this one has the potential to be!

related pdx indy stories: [ No Starbucks in 7 Corners | Community members against New Seasons | "Neighbors oppose new bar in Seven Corners area" (re. Nite Lite Lounge) ]

From the open publishing newswire: Portland should be a leader in it's support of local businesses and that leadership should START in Pioneer Courthouse Square! Say NO to Starbucks expansion plans and say YES to require local preference!

Isn't it time the people of Portland through the power of our City Council to charge the board of Pioneer Courthouse Square Inc. to lease space to a locally owned coffee shop as part of their contract with the City to run the Square? A vote of the City Council could void the current lease to Starbucks corporation and require local preference in all future retail space lease decisions. Would this be an easy task? No. Is it possible? Yes. [ read more... ]

• Fact: Pioneer Courthouse Square has a reputation as "Portland's Living Room".
• Fact: Powells plans to close it's Travel Store in the Square at he end of this year. This means the only fixed locally owned store in the square is closing.
• Fact: Pioneer Courthouse Square has an immense value to the local community.

From the open publishing newswire: Police have taped off the New Starbucks in 7 Corners tonight after someone attempted to throw a molotov coctail through one of their windows. This is the fourth time a window has been smashed on the property since the development began. There has so far been no word from management or the owner as to whether Starbucks still plans to open tomorrow as previously announced. More info as it becomes available. [ add your comments... ]

from comments: fan of whoever did it says: As for what's wrong with starbucks, the same thing that's wrong with walmart, or mcdonalds, or taco bell. And then some. They put local businesses out of business, which means the only jobs in town become cheap, unskilled, low wage shit jobs with no benefits and no local connection to ensure moral treatment of workers. It also means that the people have no choices: Travel across the country and see how many choices you have as you move through the thousands of miles of highway lined with taco bells, walmarts, mcdonalds, and yes, starbucks. It means more space on the planet devoted to useless pursuit of shit we don't need. Consumption of more crap that's not even good for us, and comes from friggin somewhere. From places in the third world plowed under to make room for more coffee plantations to feed the mindless habit of yuppie junkies.

from comments: Non coffee drinker says: The funny thing is, there will probably be more of an uproar over the destruction of Starbucks windows, than there is to Bushs agenda or the thousands dying over in Iraq. We can firebomb children and torture prisoners, but by god, we cant destroy a Starbucks window because it is an outrageous act of terrorism. The vandalism will probably soon be called domestic terrorism in the media.Watch with me and laugh at how the mainstream media will turn this into an Atrocity....

From the open publishing newswire: As reported here on portland indymedia, neighbors and business owners in the 7 Corners area of Southeast Portland have been strongly opposed to the opening of a new Starbucks store at SE Division & 20th. Issues have included concerns about traffic, rising rents, the deleterious effects of out-of-state corporations on local economies, litter, and the corporate homogenization of one of a legitimate, locally-centered neighborhood. Responses have included an above-ground campaign, positive proposals, talks with the owner and developers through the neighborhood association, testifying at City Council, and broken windows and monkey-wrenched equipment at the site.

To probably no one's surprise, none of these tactics actually stopped the Starbucks from moving in. The owner, local landlord Peter Perrin, had already signed a lease with the corporate coffee behemoth before the news got out, and neither could back out of the deal without risking a lawsuit for breach of contract. So it is now up to the neighbors to Shut This Starbucks Down.

The first chance will be an open house for the community on Wednesday, May 5, from 2-5 in the afternoon.

From the open publishing newswire: help your local community, keep tax dollars local, instead of siphoned out. There should be many arguments to make finanically for the city as well as socially for the people in general on such a policy.

from comments: There is something similar called a "Formula-Retail Business Notification Ordinance" this would not be an outright ban of Chainstores, but would require any business in Portland that triggers the formula-retail business definition (commonly referred to as a chain store) to notify neighbors when they want to move into a new location. A formula-retail business is defined as an establishment that has four or more outlets and exhibits standardized characteristics such as a trademark, decor, signage, color scheme, uniform or architecture.

another commenter: Man, that would be great. I hate, HATE, franchises like McShitburger, I honestly do believe that their bland, mass-market million-seller food is one of the things most wrong with America. But a law banning them, even from just a small area? I dunno... The People, the only true government, must walk that fine line between wanting to do the right thing and becoming a tool of opression. Franchises are bad, but banning them may be worse (I don't see how, but it sure is possible). Every time government has stepped in to ban things in the entire course of history, nearly 100% of the time it has made things worse.

From the open publishing newswire: Yesterday's [Feb. 29] "Leap for Localization" was attended by over 60 people, who rallied against plans for a Starbucks in 7 Corners, and for localization and community-driven growth instead. The speakers were Richard White, an Urban Studies prof at PSU, Katherine Gray of the People's Food Co-op Board, Mark Lakeman of City Repair, Lynn Hanrahan, co-owner of Mirador, and Sophia from NW Resistance Against Genetic Engineering. Then there was a surprise speaker, Ray, a 9 year old resident of the neighborhood [pictured, at left], who likened Starbucks, fast food chains, and TV culture to "cancer". Ray's analysis was spot on, and drew loud cheers from the crowd.

People wrote messages on gold strips of paper about why they don't want a Starbucks in the location, and what they want instead, and wove them through the fence in front of the construction site. This reclaiming of the space was a powerful visual symbol of neighborhood opposition and wishes. Afterwards, a neighborhood activist led a walking tour of the surrounding 2 square blocks where not less than 6 other developments are also happening, and talked about the lack of public input into what happens in our neighborhoods. He also suggested that people become involved with their neighborhood associations and other community efforts to demand a voice. [ Read more... ]

[ PHOTOS | AUDIO ]

[ NoStarbucksIn7Corners.org | pdx indymedia coverage of No Starbucks campaign ]

From the open publishing newswire: After testifying before city council about the growing lack of affordable commercial and residential property in Inner Southeast Portland, currently being exasperated by the new Starbucks development on SE 20th and Division St, it was brought to my attention that Lord francesconi had been enjoying a cup of coffee from the predatory chain the whole time.

From the open publishing newswire: Over 30 community members attended the DivisionVision meeting held at the Red and Black Cafe Monday night to develop a planning strategy for the Division Street business corridor. Many issues were discussed including the recent state and federal grants allocated for Division St transportation and development projects, communication building among current businesses and organizations in the area, Community land trusts and planning for the next neighborhood street fair to be held in July.

A lot of energy and discussion was put into community land trusts and local development corporations. This was largely due to the groundswell of opposition around the planned Starbucks (and possibly Subway) currently under construction at SE 20th and Division St. There was general agreement that the community needs to plan in advance of economic development so that self-serving developers cannot make economic choices counter to the will local communities.

From the open publishing newswire: It is with no great joy that i say "I told you," but... "I told you so."

Here's two places to meet folks who are concerned about these issues: * Wed., Feb. 18, 6pm -- "No Starbucks in 7 Corners" -- Cascadia Rising! Infoshop (1540 SE Clinton) * Thurs., Feb. 19, 7pm -- Hosford-Abernathy Neighborhood Assn mtg, featuring a discussion of Starbucks with a Starbucks rep., and more about the new developments at 21st & Clinton -- St. Philip Neri Church

When those of us in SE Portland began organizing -- belatedly -- against the opening of a New Seasons grocery store on SE Division at 20th last Spring, one of our main arguments against the local corporation was that its presence would bring gentrification to the neighborhood. We were scoffed at by folks across the political spectrum here on indymedia, and in personal conversations. Right wingers, of course, just spouted off about the "free market" (neglecting or refusing to notice that there's nothing "free" about a fight between individuals and corporate power), and how we should just shut up already. Some liberals gushed about the allegedly "neighborly" nature of New Seasons (neglecting or refusing to notice the fact that New Seasons' friendly spin was little more than that -- spin) and how it would all be okay. Other liberals said they were looking forward to "more choices" to complement to Wild Oats (n?e Natures) and the People's Food Co-op (neglecting or refusing to notice that in most corporate vs. co-op battles, the co-op loses) and how there was nothing to worry about. Finally, some radicals pooh-poohed the whole struggle, claiming that SE is already gentrified and that we're bunch of dumb hippies who should fight "real" struggles (neglecting or refusing to notice that the New Seasons vs. People's situation is nothing less than the fight against capitalism writ local, and nothing if not "real"), and how it didn't matter.

No one ever presented a good counter-argument to our warnings of gentrification. We were simply dismissed or told to relax. Now, however, months before New Seasons is scheduled to open, the effects can already be seen.

[RELATED ARTICLES: Community Land Trust Picks up Steam | pdx indymedia launches "No Starbucks in 7 Corners" topic page | Report-back from anti-Starbucks action this lovely morn]

From the open publishing newswire: Today is the third anniversary of my first full day in Portland, and I thought to myself, "What better way to start it than by protesting the awful plans for that Starbucks in my neighborhood!" So I got up at the crack of dawn, biked over, and joined a few other folks on SE Division in front of the Ladd's Meat Building. I had downloaded and made copies of some flyers made expressly for this event and posted here on indymedia. The flyers are geared toward drivers sitting at the long light there, and warned thta if the Starbucks goes in, traffic and waits will be even worse. "Outreach to the Commuting Community", I guess you'd call this. ;-)