I used to like Starbucks, but can make better coffee myself at home. The main reason I no longer support Starbucks is because they supported Monsanto when we tried to vote last year to label GMO's.
Startbucks supported Monsanto's blocking of GMO labeling and for that I will never forgive them or ever step into a Startbuck ever again.
They are just another large corporate entity. Show the world they are 'good' while doing crap like that behind the backs of everyone. I think it was about 10 years ago or so they were found to be using coffee bean suppliers that ran off of slave labor - and they knew it was going on. I think it was them and Nestle, the big two in on it. I read that when I was writing my post on unethical food companies.
But good on you for sticking to your guns on not patronizing them.
I'm in Seattle too and they are everywhere here, but there are many other good coffee shops.
Nestle is another company that is bad. I have heard their CEO claiming that water is not a basic human right as he tries to justify cornering the worlds' water supply.
That is true, he did say that. They were on my list as the 2nd most unethical company - right behind Monsanto (which has recently been purchased by Bayer).