Delocating the 'Buck

I avoid Starbucks like the plague. For one thing, I don't like their coffee. I find it far overrated. Secondly, I don't like supporting what their corporation has created in terms of a lifestyle ambiance after studying the demographics, and then they take that atmosphere and drop it willy-nilly throughout the cities of America, regardless of geography or culture, as if to say "THIS" is our coffee drinker, and what "THIS" usually smacks of...you wouldn't want to be.

One of the great jokes to come out of Boston was when comedian Steve Sweeney said he would be playing "..at the Dunkin' Donuts in Somerville." Little did he know... There was such depth to that joke in what wasn't being said, and yet he covered it all: the customers, the neighborhood, the history and the solid role that Dunkin' Donuts has played out in so many neighborhoods in Boston. Sweeney often broadcasts his radio show from Dunkin' Donuts around the city now, and I love that he does that. Dunkin' Donuts kahfee for me.

I gave it 02144. The very first locations it finds should be Diesel, Someday, O'Naturals (former Carberry's on Elm Street). Then Teele Square and Ball Square places.

But instead, the first hit is in Winchester. I don't get it.

Yes, there are kinks. It says that the distance from Pepperell to Natick is less than 5 miles - that would make the commute sooo much easier

And let's face it: who among us isn't looking to assuage some yuppie guilt?

i refuse to believe that anyone in boston lives more than half a mile from a dunkin donuts. it's corporate, but if you're looking to assuage some yuppie guilt, it's one of the most working class places around.

one of the very few things i miss about living in the 02134 zip is Herrells. they have the best everything.

It's a nice idea, but the locator feature has some kinks: I live right in the middle of an independent hipster cafe triangle: Toscanini's on Beacon Street (Somerville), The Sherman on Washington Street (Somerville), and 1369 in Inman Square (Cambridge) are all about four blocks from me. Yet of the 49 cafes within five miles (according to the site), none of these three shows up before #27 on the list (so I guess they don't put them in any kind of order of proximity - it starts with Boston listings for my S'ville zip). Also, of the 49, a handful are duplicate listings.

Still, the sentiment is good, and it's better than when I was in Provincetown needing to return a defective product to Babies R Us: Their website told me the closest store was in Braintree and a handy map instructed me to point my car west and drive straight across the Bay.