A Starbucks on every corner?? Well, not this one much longer!!

Nearly two years ago, I wrote on this blog about Starbucks Coffee opening a shop just across the street from my office. I lamented that they were moving in right next door to a fabulous local coffee shop, Lucy's. I vowed never to set foot inside that Starbucks (and I haven't), but I also worried about the eventual outcome, figuring they would drive Lucy out of business:

I hope I'm wrong. I hope after a year or so, Starbucks is the one that closes up and Lucy remains behind. But it's just really hard to believe that would happen.

Have you ever seen a Starbucks go out of business? Me neither.

Okay, I don't say this often, but:

I WAS WRONG!!!

Sure, it took two years instead of one, but turns out that it is Starbucks going out of business, while Lucy's survives!!!

Starbucks closing 2 Southside Birmingham locations (al.com)

This is fabulous news, and I stopped by Lucy's this morning to congratulate her in person. "I thought of you when I heard the news," she said.

I told her she's outlasted the "evil empire."

Really, Starbucks isn't evil. But it's pretty obvious that they overextended themselves. The joke about a Starbucks on every corner isn't far from the truth. And when the economy gets a little rougher, people cut out luxuries like $5 lattes.

Now, Lucy is probably feeling that pinch too. But when the Starbucks next door closes (within 30 days), she says her business will likely pick up, and I'm sure it will.

I like Starbucks coffee, and certainly the company itself isn't going anywhere. But I'm absolutely THRILLED to see this particular Starbucks going out of business.