As Starbucks Wanes, Java Fiends Revel in Indie Cafes

As Starbucks' financial troubles percolate, not all java fiends are bemoaning the loss of the chain's talls, grandes, and ventis, reports Reuters. In fact, many are celebrating the java giant's downturn and throwing their support behind small independent cafes. Starbucks is set to close 600 stores and lay off 12,000 employees while local coffee shops are sprouting up nationwide.

"They've commoditized cafe culture, which is why I don't go," said one coffee drinker. "They went too big, too fast," said a caterer. A Canadian trends expert explains that in contemporary society, many people "take delight in seeing an icon torn down by the masses," adding, "Starbucks was a cool brand, and then all of a sudden it's not a cool brand." (More Starbucks stories.)