https://blogs.ubc.ca/jonathonconlon/2013/11/04/starbucks-debuts-teavana-bar-and-its-a-doozy/

I came across Jonathon’s blog post and it sparked my interest. Jonathon makes a valid point when discussing Starbucks attempt to differentiate itself from its competitors while at the same time expanding into a new market. Jonathon also mentions Starbucks’ strong sense of brand loyalty and how the addition to their franchise will effectively increase profit as a result.

While the topics discussed are true, I personally believe that this expansion is useless for the company. I would not travel to a separate location to buy a cup of tea if I could get practically the same product at a closer, more convenient  location. That being said, the tea houses will have a much larger variety of tea and tea related products, and while this idea may not be my cup of tea I am clearly not in the targeted demographic.