Support Local Businesses – Help Stop Starbucksification

Image by Rebecca Aldama

Many of the small independent businesses that our Spotters support by writing about them, have been hit  hard by the COVID-19 crisis.

Starbucksification – the displacement of local spots by large international franchises – was already a problem in many cities before the crisis. We are afraid this is becoming an even greater problem now, as many of these international chains have much deeper pockets than local entrepreneurs. Partly because big multinationals often hardly pay any taxes.

You will not find any international franchises in our city guides – are Spotters are actually not allowed to write about spots that have outlets in multiple cities.

If you want to help avoid all cities looking the same, dominated by the same international chain, there’s a simple way to help: spend your money at locally owned spots. They pay taxes too!