"pasta, cheeses and mini-dishes"

Commerce Starbucks puts alcohol on the menu in Portland and starts opening restaurants:

"Starbucks first began selling liquor last year at a few stores in Seattle, so that in itself is nothing new. But the new Portland store makes one wonder if Starbucks is looking to become something more than a coffee house; perhaps a full service eatery that can compete with a neighborhood Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG) and Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI) subsidiary Olive Garden?

"Although the Portland store features Starbucks trademark storefront, company executives say this store has been “localized” and decorated to fit the neighborhood. It also features a sit down menu, including pasta, cheeses and mini-dishes, while the wine and beer selections, such as Rouge, Widmer Brothers and Deschutes, were handpicked to fit in with the area’s culture."

Surely one of the reasons seek out Starbucks (or any coffee house) is as an alternative to pubs and restaurants, for coffee and perhaps horse statues. So why would they think this is a good idea? I appreciate this won't be every site, but when one sees a brand logo on the outside of a building, it creates an expectation for what we'll find inside.

Along with simplifying that logo and replacing the familiar heavy mugs with what amount to tall tea cups, we're seeing the slow erosion of what used to be for some of us quite a comforting brand (taking into account all of the globalisation concerns).

Even the BBC are getting in on the act and have opened a tavern and grill in Greenville, Delaware.