There was a time when Starbucks in our area had pretty much gone to the dogs (years earlier, some of their shops were actually run pretty well and could serve a good espresso, particularly when they still had the manual bars).  There were a couple of Peet&#x27;s, significantly farther away but still within occasional range, and they were then significantly better than Starbucks at that time.<p>At that time, Peet&#x27;s seemed to be proceeding more slowly and setting a certain quality level ahead of rampant expansion.<p>If they are moving into Keurig &#x2F; Green Mountain, and selling properties to DD, then they are just another corporate customer.<p>Mars (yeah, that Mars) came in and bought another local outfit in a nearby city.  Fortunately, the deal I guess left the actual shops out of it, or they reverted a year or two later to independent ownership.  They rebranded and are still &#x2F; once again busy serving up a good product to loyal customers.  The original brand name appears now to have moved into a stable of similar names and products that I expect to see floating around corporate settings --  hollow, genericized echos of what they once represented.<p>I suppose all this is getting more than a bit OT for HN.  But I&#x27;m older, &quot;lives on coffee&quot; kind of guy.  And I&#x27;ve found that big and&#x2F;or public money just does not produce an exceptional product, in that market.<p>A bit frustrating, when those same forces force out the local operators.  Fortunately, the one that has opened near me is in a town that can afford it and is surprising me with more of a population that is embracing the shop than I would have expected to be present.<p>And yeah, there is &quot;make it yourself.&quot;  But there is also something social -- and simply &quot;getting out of the house&quot; -- to heading over to the local joint and maybe striking up a conversation.