FEATURE
APR
26 2012
PAGE
6
In a poll on local consumerism, respondants noted ethical concerns with large corportations like Wal-Mart or Safeway. However, students also emphasized convience as a main motivating factor. Photo by Bernstein
CONSUMER CONCIOUSNESS
This week Feature was inspired by a recent Seattle Times article: “Amazon a virtual no-show in hometown philanthropy.” We sought to shed light on the interplay between big corporations and small local shops in Walla Walla. Ultimately, does buying local rather than corporate matter to Whitman students?
Local businesses focus on Coffee shops seek to craft commitment to community unique customer experience by KELSEY KENNEDY & ALYSSA FAIRBANKS Feature Editors
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hile quaint boutiques and local coffee-shops are common fixtures of downtown Walla Walla, a larger corporate presence looms beyond E. Main Street. The vast majority of Whitman students polled in a recent Pioneer survey characterized the existence of these types of companies in the community as harmful, if not completely unavoidable. While over 90 percent of the 93 Whitman students polled considered their shopping choices as somewhat or very motivated by cost concerns, respondents also raised a host of ethical issues such as labor rights and environmental friendless that make them hesitate before buying products from large corporations. “I dislike these corporations, but in most cases, I have to shop at them in order to buy what I need . . . large corporations take away from a town’s individuality and history, and they treat their workers like cattle,” said one student in response to the survey. Absent among the ethical issues raised by students in the survey, was the philanthropic presence of corporations in Walla Walla, a role that some community members argue is overwhelmingly positive. Liz George, the Young People’s Librarian for the Walla Walla Public Library, noted that along with support from local businesses, the library often receives financial support for programs from larger corporations such as Target and Starbucks. “I get [funding] primarily on either a request for sponsorship, donation or foundation grant. I get the same kind of support from local groups,” George said in an email. Specifically, the College Place WalMart puts funding toward philanthropies focused on youth issues and child abuse prevention, such as The Children’s Home Society of Washington, a children’s services provider in Walla Walla. Stephanie Biegel, the HomeTeam coordinator for the Children’s Home Society, stressed the support that her organization
receives from Wal-Mart, through monetary donations and volunteer hours. Many associates from the College Place Wal-Mart have volunteered at the organization through WalMart’s Volunteerism Always Pays program, which matches volunteer hours with grants to charitable organizations nationwide. According to Biegel, associates from the local Wal-Mart have put a total of 750 hours toward Children’s Home Society programs. When asked about concerns surrounding Wal-Mart’s ethical practices, Biegel emphasized the need to examine the corporation’s impact specifically in the Walla Walla community. “There’s a general sense of them as a large corporation but you have to consider the management on a local level and the associates on a local level. Our local WalMart is very supportive, and on a national level they’re huge on giving back,” she said. Steve Wenzel, store manager of the E. Rose St. Safeway, reiterated the positive impact of corporations in the Walla Walla community. Wenzel noted that while the E. Rose St. Safeway helps fund national efforts to provide disability services and cancer research funding, the organizations simultaneously places great emphasis on local causes such as the Walla Walla Community Hospice. “Safeway realizes that our commitment to our customers also means a commitment to the communities where they live,” he said. While Wenzel pointed out that smaller local businesses maintain a similar interest in the concerns of the community, the power of large corporations to affect change should not be dismissed. “We can take on more of a global issue, like Easter Seals, breast cancer and prostrate cancer. These are things that don’t just affect Walla Wallans, they are things that affect everyone. And I don’t know that [local businesses] have the scope that we do when it comes to stuff like that merely because they are one store. The mark that we can make by sheer number is bigger,” he said.
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Read the full article online. More on local versus corporate online at whitmanpioneer.com/feature
by TALIA RUDEE Staff Reporter
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tarbucks has hundreds of stores worldwide, which aim to sell great coffee and food to complete the experience. However, many people still stray away from this largely praised corporation as their coffee leads them toward local, one-of-a-kind coffee shops. Walla Walla is a great town for local coffee shops to thrive, even when they are on the same street or the next block over from Starbucks. “What we have to offer is a little different from Starbucks,” said Tiffany Cain, coowner of the local coffee and pastry shop, Colville Street Patisserie. “It is amazing here [in Walla Walla] because we stick out; there is not another French pastry shop in town.” The Patisserie prides itself on its unique coffee shop experience from the coffee they roast to the pastries they make. Both of these aspects of the Patisserie prove different than Starbucks’ way of doing business. The shop gets all of its coffee beans from the local Walla Walla Roastery and brews the coffee within 12 hours of ordering the beans. All of the pastries are made on site, as well as all of the syrups and whipped cream. The Patisserie gets all local products to make their espresso drinks and pastries. They buy local eggs, honey and organic milk. In addition, whenever the Patisserie delivers a latte to a customer, there is a pleasant artsy surprise on top: a leaf or heart made from the milk on top of the coffee. “We take more care,” said Cain. “We are always trying to perfect the latte art, it makes [the experience] a little more special.” Sophomore Paul Lemieux, a Whitman student as well as Patisserie employee and avid coffee drinker, has learned a lot about the coffee making process through his work at the Patisserie. “Working there I’ve gotten an appreciation for how much leeway there is in making coffee,” said Lemieux. “There is a recognized way to do it, [but] everyone has techniques that vary slightly.” Lemieux advocates for local coffee shops not for ethical reasons, but
for the experience of trying new places. Coffee Perk, another local coffee shop, has stood strong even with Starbucks right next door. The shop even makes a lemon bread entitled “Better than Starbucks” bread. “I’ve heard a lot of people say Starbucks has burned coffee, so they come over here,” said Jennifer Goodwin, an employee at Coffee Perk. “People come in because they think it looks really cool and Starbucks is all corporation,” she said. “We are more willing to work with what people want to order, but at Starbucks, they just stick strictly to the menu.” Coffee Perk promotes its better coffee, more appealing look and fresh baked goods made every other day with local ingredients to draw in customers. Still, Goodwin alludes to the competition right next door. “Definitely more people go to Starbucks, but I think we are doing pretty well for a local coffee shop . . . I heard Starbucks likes to move next to a coffee shop and run them out of business, but so far they haven’t done that to us,” said Goodwin. Coffee Perk moved into town around 16 years ago and Starbucks followed around five years later. Both shops are still going strong with their own unique draws. Whitman sophomore Angela Loftus also found herself working with coffee, although her experience was with Starbucks. “I mostly enjoyed working at Starbucks for the people I was working with,” said Loftus. It is the connection with the workers that prompted her love of working at Starbucks. Unlike a one of kind shop like the Patisserie or Coffee Perk, Starbucks has a universal set of rules for all employees. “It was helpful for me, because the way that it was set up to make drinks was just hitting a button,” said Loftus. Starbucks has new machines that make it extremely easy for employees to make a drink. This means that the coffee is always exactly the same and does not have the individualized flare of Patisserie coffee.
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Read the full article online.
More on local coffee consumerism online at whitmanpioneer.com/feature
WHO INFLUENCES YOUR DECISIONS AS A CONSUMER THE MOST? In a poll of 93 Whitties, students had a chance to express who and what affects their purchases.
INFOGRAPHIC BY BERFIELD
25%
THE MEDIA
26.1% FAMILY
1.1%
THE GOVERNMENT
26.1% PEERS
15.2% OTHER