Starbucks Closes At China's Forbidden City

Protests Force Coffeehouse In 587-Year-Old Former Imperial Palace To Close

(AP)  Starbucks has closed a coffeehouse in China's former imperial palace, the company said Saturday, ending a presence that sparked protests by Chinese critics who said it damaged a key historical site.

The controversy over Starbucks at Beijing's 587-year-old Forbidden City has highlighted Chinese sensitivity about cultural symbols and unease over an influx of foreign pop culture.

Starbucks closed the 200-square-foot outlet Friday after Forbidden City managers decided they wanted all shops on its grounds to operate under the palace's brand name, said Eden Woon, Starbucks' vice president for Greater China.

"It was a very congenial decision. We respect what they are doing," Woon said.

The Starbucks opened in 2000 at the invitation of palace managers, who needed to raise money to maintain the 178-acre complex of villas and gardens. But critics said it was inappropriate. An anchor for Chinese state television led an online protest, saying the coffeehouse diminished Chinese culture.

Starbucks was offered the option of becoming part of a combined outlet with other beverage brands all sold under the Palace Museum brand name, according to Woon and Chinese news reports, which cited the palace's vice president, Li Wenru.

"There were several choices, one of which was to continue, but it would not carry the Starbucks name any more," Woon said. "We decided at the end that it is not our custom worldwide to have stores that have any other name, so therefore we decided the choice would be to leave."

Seattle-based Starbucks Corp. opened its first coffeehouse in China in 1999 and now has 250 mainland outlets. Its success has spawned a series of Chinese imitators. Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz described China last year as the company's No. 1 growth market.

The Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors before the end of imperial rule in 1911. It is China's top tourist attraction, drawing some 7 million visitors a year. Other businesses there include bookstores, souvenir shops and Chinese-style teahouses.

The palace is in the midst of a renovation, due to last through 2020, to restore the site to its imperial-era appearance. That includes removing a five-story archive museum and toning down commercial symbols. The number of shops on its grounds has been cut from 37 to 17, according to state media.

"Those businesses that remain in the Forbidden City must carry out reforms," the newspaper Beijing Daily quoted Li, the vice president, as saying. It gave no details.

Starbucks was a popular resting spot for palace visitors, but attracted criticism from the start. The company agreed shortly after opening to lower its profile by removing its exterior sign.

Protests were led by Rui Chenggang, an anchor for China Central Television's English-language channel.

Starbucks' presence "undermined the Forbidden City's solemnity and trampled over Chinese culture," Rui wrote in his CCTV blog earlier this year.

[middleman8]

I have spent months traveling in China Thialand, Myanamar and the like and the most disgusting thing to come upon was a fast food shop in places like Beijing, Shanghai and the like. The most disgusting thing about it was to see people who had traveled thousand of miles to a different country and culture, hunting for and standing in line at a B- Mac' or Starbucks. Why in hell didn't they stay at home and run down to the nearest corner outlet?

[jw218389]

Maybe the Chinese thought the coffee had lead, or anti-freeze or rat poison in it?

Why wouldn't the Chinese think that? THAT'S WHAT THEY PUT IN OUR FOOD!!!

THOUSANDS OF US FARM FORECLOSURES YET AMERICAN COMPANIES IMPORT CHEAP, CONTAMINATED (IF NOT INTENTIONALLY POISONED) FOOD FROM CHINA.

NO MORE IMPORTED CHINESE POISON!!!!!

[agnim]

What arrogance.
Starbucks got a chance to still do business using the Palace Museum name and refuse.

Unless the business is unprofitable, why not operate the ONE store under assumed name and bargain for the Starbucks name to be on cups napkins and the like.

The gesture would show some respect to the 'host culture', and convey the idea that we are there to MAKE MONEY and not to Americanize the place. Tsk-tsk.

The Chinese should significantly reduce their number of stores and get Chinese replacements.
That'll teach the arrogant fools. LOL

[gramljon]

I visited The Forbidden City last year and was appauled when I saw the Starbucks. I wanted to get a sense for ancient China and the Starbucks complete ruined the ambience. I think the Chinese government did the right thing. And I would feel the same way if there was a big Starbucks right on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. right next to the Lincoln Memorial. There is a time and place for everything and a Starbucks in The Forbidden City is not one of them.

[jetranger7]

WELL I'VE DECIDED TO OPEN ME A HIGH PRICED OVER-RATED COFFEE HOUSE TOO ! ITS GOING TO BE CALLED "DUMB FVCKS" AND I'LL BE CATERING TO ALL THE IDIOTS WHO THINK THEY REALLY NEED TO SPEND $5.00 TO $7.00 FOR A CUP OF CHIT ! I'M SURE THEY'LL BE QUITE A LINE, THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ENDLESS SUPPLY OF IDIOTS WHO THINK THEY NEED THIS CRAPOLA EVERY MORNING ! LOOK FOR MY STORES NATIONWIDE IN EVERY COMMUNITY AND TOWN NEAR YOU - SOON ! "DUMB FVCKS" !

[keithle1]

*** funny "cardboard" comment by olebd! :-)
I love that. I'm staying as far away from China as I can. Foreigners may moan about the USA but someone is drinking all of that Coke/Pepsi, eating those Big Mac's/KFC/Pizza Hut. It ain't the martians. What country makes the movies they're watching? You think they're glued to "The Life & Times of the Prophet Mohammed"?

[yamuttya]

I wouldn't have been surprised to see a McDonald's in Mao's mausoleum Posted by kenner116 at 05:12 AM

Funny you should say that ! In fact there IS a huge McDonalds about 100 metres east of Mao's mausoleum in Tiananmen square.
And the Great Wall site near Beijing has numerous PEPSI signs.
It reminds the world of the obscene crass tastelessness of American business.
Still wonder why the world hates the good ole USA ?

[olebd]

The Chinese were really upset at the amount of perfectly good cardboard being wasted on the outside of their cups. It contained no fatty meats.

It was quite a surprise to see a Starbucks there, as well as seeing all of the informational signs sponsored by American Express. I wouldn't have been surprised to see a McDonald's in Mao's mausoleum or a KFC in the Great Hall of the People. It's Chinese history with American characteristics!

[incog-nito]

Maybe they didn't meet China's stringent food safety standards.