Tell me about it. There are 2 former restaurants/cafes on my street that have become Starbucks in the past year. Welcome to the Starbucksification of America.
Some, like yourself, call it evil monopolies. But do not forget, all capitalist companies survive because of the people. Whether it's name brand recognition(reduction of information costs), better quality, or better advertising, CONSUMERS constantly choose Starbucks to be successful in places where other coffee shops can't make enough profit and close down.
This isn't some science fiction conspiracy. This is sound economic theory. I am all for non-conformity, don't get me wrong, but this psuedo-intellectual "fight club" philosophy doesn't cut it. We Americans need to get smarter to deal with these issues.
Anything you want to debate, I am all ears.