Christmas season at Starbucks!

Ah yes, everyone's favorite time of the year at Starbucks is here - Christmas Blend is the bold pick for brewed coffee, the Cranberry Bliss bars are sampled out like crazy and sell even faster than we can give the samples away and the holiday beverages are back on the menu with new names and more flair!

I intentionally left out the RETAIL portion of Starbucks in my description above because I really want to focus on it and make sure you realize how I separate it from the food/beverage categories. Usually when we get our big truckload of stuff at the beginning of the week, its filled with a bunch of big boxes full of 5lb, bags of whole bean coffee, retail 1lb. coffee, cups and lids, condiment packs, stuff to make all of the product (frappuccino, mocha, caramel etc.) and maybe a box of some random mugs and tumblers to replace the ones that have sold...kind of a way to easily replenish while not OVERstocking with crap. Well, this is the time of year that we are DEFINITELY overstocked with retail stuff for you to buy and several times we are on the exact same page as you when you ask yourself "where the heck are they going to put all that stuff, because there is already too much out there!".

My fellow partners and I are already trying to figure out which stuff will still be there after the holidays so we can use our discount when they all go on clearance. Needless to say, there are some really nice mugs out there that I get each year and my collection is AWESOME! I also give out a ton of these to my family and friends as gifts because they practically last forever...or at least until next year. If you have a chance, go pick yourself and your friends up a travel tumbler or a mug to enjoy your coffee in. Whats that? Don't want to spend $20 on a cup? GET OUTTA HERE! LOL! Your best bet...CHECK HERE on eBay for the cup you like CHEAP...OR...put one on your Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/Festivus list and BEG YOUR FRIENDS!

With much love and a French Press of Coffee,

Barista Loco