A popular global coffee chain promoted as a 'third place' between home and work celebrates 20 years of business in Ireland this month. The chain's ubiquity creates consistent customer expectations, delivering reliable offerings while also drawing criticism for homogenization. Local specialty coffee shop owners experience both competition and opportunity from the chain's presence. Pepper Laine in Dalkey, run by 31-year-old Peter O'Donovan and his wife, has served the community for seven years from a location just off the main street in south Dublin. The milestone spotlights tensions between chains and independent coffee culture.
Popular chain, promoted as 'third place' between home and work, is marking 20 years of business in Ireland this month
"If you see a Starbucks, you know what you're going to get," according to coffee shop owner Peter O'Donovan, referring to the good and the bad of the ubiquitous chain that is celebrating 20 years in Ireland.
Mr O'Donovan (31) and his wife have been running their own speciality coffee shop, Pepper Laine, just off the main street in Dalkey, south Dublin, for the past seven years.
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