The Digital Press

New research finds that opening Starbucks cafés in neighborhoods without coffee shops leads to a significant increase in local startup formation, highlighting the role of "third places" in fostering entrepreneurship.

Why it matters: Starbucks cafés boost local startups by 9.1% to 18% annually, supporting neighborhood economic growth.

The big picture: Third places like cafés facilitate networking, which is crucial for entrepreneurship and community development.

The other side: Some caution that changes in café models or forced social interactions could undermine these networking benefits.

Commenters say: Readers appreciate the café culture’s role in creativity but debate causality and express concerns about evolving Starbucks formats reducing social space.