Well, then you're not part of the segment that's targeted by specialist coffee shops.

Which circles back to this question

> It would be more accurate to ask: “How the F can anyone make any money when Starbucks is on every other street corner and has the advantages of scale they have.

Specialists stores have specialist profits - they wont be hitting the mass market, because the mass market taste profile is different.

If you try to grow, then you may as well give up to starbucks which has the money to taste test and advertise enough to ride the wave of human attention.

If it's strictly distance/price, then you make all of your coffee at home and work, right? You would never even think about going to Starbucks if that is all you cared about. Now you may pick coffee shops based on atmosphere, which I think many people do.

I do, I drink coffee at home before going to work, then at work we have a machine that's free to use. But obviously there are times when I am away and want a cup of coffee, and then I will occasionally have starbucks, because it happens to be the only thing available/nearest/cheapest - I honestly don't care for the taste.

I'd expect it's not the only thing, but you choose it because of brand recognition? That's usually how brand advertising pays off.

That's fine everything is personal taste.

...

Starbucks coffee tastes like crap to me and the reason is they chose crappy quality beans and then over roast them.