I have seen that the first Starbucks is going to open in the Argüelles neighborhood. There was – and there is – one in the foothills of the area, an open corner of El Corte Inglés, but it cannot be considered part of the neighborhood itself, but rather one more example of the center's tourist proposals..

The new Starbucks I am referring to is not designed for tourists, but for the residents of Argüelles, the students who live there and casual walkers.. I clarify that I like Starbucks. And that the labels with which they are caricatured – imperialism, globalization – are part of their best attractions. I also like espresso. And not so much the extravagant modalities that desecrate it – frappuccino and variants – nor the type of pastries, perhaps because of the paste in the muffins and because the pre-cooked croissants overwhelm the sky of the palate with butter..

You don't exactly come to Starbucks to drink coffee, but to be. Not only because of the Wi-Fi coverage or quality guarantees, but because the premises ensure a pleasant atmosphere. You can bring a tablet and a book. And take advantage of the soft leather armchairs. Which are scarce, by the way. And they are preferable to the rigid armchairs that surround the tables, which are too high, in my opinion, compared to the needs of the clientele.. I don't like Starbucks' do-gooder doctrine either.. And their demagogic involvement in the construction of a better, sustainable, recyclable world. And “jartible”, as they would say in Seville. Listen, I came to have breakfast or a snack, not to manifest myself or to be a better person..

Starbucks have little neighborhood coffee, but the initiative to open one in Argüelles is of commercial interest due to the flood of hospitality that characterizes the district and the university bias of the territory.. Residence halls and student apartments proliferate. And it is not that the prices can be considered popular or affordable, but there are known cases of some abusive customers who order an express and stay 12 hours in the establishment, as if in this way they intended to cover the cost..

The real Starbucks challenge I'm referring to lies not so much in its conventional expectations of success as in the facilities the franchise has chosen.. It is a magnificent corner of Cea Bermúdez Street and Hilarión Eslava Street, although the main challenge is to overcome the curse of jinxed shops and establishments..

I think we are understanding each other. And that the spell identifies haunted businesses that do not prosper in any way despite the objective excellence of the place where they are installed or the offer they propose.. I can cite the case of Argüelles in its most striking examples, but mysteries proliferate in other neighborhoods of any city. The business fails regardless of its qualities and its prosperity, as if it had been built in a clandestine cemetery, in a buried akelarre, at the scene of a brutal crime whose spirits seek rest and cannot find it.. You have to wish luck to the new Starbucks in Argüelles. The neighborhood cafes are going to start brooding. And an interesting competition will be encouraged between them, but the great danger that threatens the Yankee franchise does not come from the rivals or the sympathies of the clientele, but from the “foundations” where the establishment stands, to the extent that The curse and spirit of Manitú have already ruined all known commercial activities in the last half century, including a Chinese store, a bank, a dealership, a sports store and a travel agency..