Or twice, I don’t remember exactly. But I’m not proud of it, believing as I do that there are certain businesses – record shops, flower shops, running-shoe stores, breakfast spots and coffee houses — that just ought to be indie operations. But a story in Slate presents evidence that the proliferation of Starbucks (15,000 stores and expanding at the rate of six per day) has actually stimulated the growth of neighborhood coffee houses.   Unlikely as that sounds, there is pretty good local proof of this in Belmont Shore, where Polly’s Coffee has thrived since two Starbucks stores — and a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf — invaded Second Street. I wrote about Polly’s situation nine years ago when I was working for OC Weekly, and owner Mike Sheldrake recently told me that business continues to get better and better than ever.  On the other hand, $4 for a cup of coffee — should anybody really be happy about this? 

Tags: belmont shore, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Dave Wielenga, Mike Sheldrake, Polly's Coffee, second street, Starbucks