Kicked out of record store for drinking "wrong" brand of coffee

My wife really likes Starbucks Green Tea Frappuccino and smoothies.
We've tried them at other places.
We've bought the ingredients and tried to make them at home.
It's not the same.
She likes the ones from Starbucks.
We all know how it is to love a particular item from a particular place.


We recently attended an in-store performance by the band Phoenix at Criminal Records in Atlanta.
Criminal Records is a well known, long-serving independent record store in the bohemian part of Atlanta known as Little Five Points.
We've frequented the store for years, and attended many free in-store performances of bands that were to play elsewhere in town that night.


We'd purchased an smoothie from Starbucks and were entering Criminal Records when I heard a woman by the door say, "Starbucks."
We continued into the store when my wife was stopped by a man who seemed to be motioning towards her cup. (I'd walked on further)
I went back to see what the trouble was, and the man informed my wife that she could not remain in the store with her Starbucks drink. Yes. I'm serious.

He said there was a sign at the door.

He briefly pontificated on the ills that Starbucks hath wrought upon the planet.
I expected him to go on about supporting local businesses and about saving the earth,(Still completely out of line, but at least I could respect his strong beliefs.) but his tone took a surprisingly capitalist slant.

He informed us that Criminal Records also owned Aurora Coffee, an independent coffee shop around the corner, that happens to be located across the parking lot from, you guessed it, a Starbucks.

My wife said that she likes this particular drink. (which is more explanation than she owed him)

He informed her that Aurora had smoothies too.

Then he chastised us for being "disrespectful" by bringing Starbucks in there when they were offering us a "free show" . Disrespectful. Starbucks. No. Really.

I even offered the guy the five bucks we paid for the drink.

So to not further escalate an already ridiculous situation, we went outside, finished our drink, and returned to the store and enjoyed the performance without further incident.


Everybody in the place that was drinking coffee,(which was quite a few) had coffee from, you guessed it, Aurora. Everybody.


This wasn't about eco-friendliness, or community support.
This was about their bottom line.

They're using strong-arm tactics to force you to drink their coffee.
No. Really.
I'll say that again.
You can't drink Starbucks coffee in Criminal Records.
I'm not sure what the reaction would be to, say, McDonalds coffee, or Dunkin Donuts coffee.

We've become rebels. Over Starbucks. Unbelievable.

If this guy has a personal vendetta against Starbucks, that should not have anything to do with me. Or my wife. Or your mother or daughter if they happen to be sipping on their favorite Starbucks drink and want to buy the new Amy Milan CD in Little Five Points.

As I surveyed the room before the show, and saw everyone being good little conformists with their Aurora coffees in hand, I thought to myself... It might as well be grape kool-aid....


If you go to Criminal Records, watch out. The Coffee Police are at the door...