Hello, my name’s Jay and I’m a coffee addict.

I’m also a slow traveller and as such I believe in supporting local businesses, especially the small cafes and coffee shops that you can find the world over. I have a guilty little secret. I’m an Starbucks customer too.

Pike Place Starbucks in Seattle

When I visited Seattle for the first time, I was alarmingly excited to discover my hotel, The Palihotel, was only a few yards away from the first Starbucks store in Pike Place.

We were in town for a long weekend, and each morning I scrambled out of bed, and bundled up in my coat, scarf, hat, and gloves, to wander down the hill for a Starbucks.

They’ve kept this original Pike Place store looking as it did when it first opened. The decor is stripped-down, bare bones, focus on coffee, and there isn’t one of the chilled cabinets that disconcertingly has exactly the same savoury and sweet pastries and dessert on display, no matter where in the world you are.

Later in the day, there’s usually a huge line outside this coffee shop, which isn’t difficult because the interior is quite compact. But on the mornings I visited for my daily fix, it was deserted outside. But inside it was a different story. I seems I wasn’t the only one in Seattle with a coffee habit. I waited patiently in line to place my order, and then hopped over to the pick up line for my black Americano.

If you want cookie cutter presentation with vacuum sealed freshness, by all means head to this caffinated Golliath. It’s convenient, and no matter what country you’re in, you get consistency.

Going Cold Turkey for Starbucks

When we bought out house in Turkey, we started many of our mornings at the harbour, watching the fishing boats come in from a night at sea, and the craggy faced fisherman scrubbing down their boats and untangling their nets.

Even though our village is small, we have a municipal cafe that’s owned by the local government, and each town and some of the villages in the area have one. They’re basic, but have an extensive menu, and are cheaper than the tourist cafes. Back then the option was Nescafe or a Turkish Coffee—well life’s too short to drink crappy coffee, so it was Turkish Coffee everytime.

Times have changed and these municipal cafes have adapted to meet the needs of their customers. They all have espresso machines now, and my Turkish Coffee has been replaced with an Americano.

Wherever we travel, I seek out independent coffee shops.

I believe in supporting small business and local entrepreneurs. I’ve drunk coffee all over the world, and I’d hate to be living in a world where my only option is a Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Costa Coffee, Caffe Nero – or one of the other big name coffee franchises. There’s a place in the world for them. We can’t stop progress.

And even though it goes against my slow travel principals, I can’t help craving a Starbucks every now and then.