According to the Tico Times, Oct 15, 2010, Starbucks will open its first store in Central America this year and more are to follow. The first Starbucks in the Central American isthmus will be in San Salvador. More are to follow in Central America but the company has not released specifics.
Business in San Salvador should be good for Starbucks. There are many cafes in the capital but few American styled ones. With coffee a major export crop in El Salvador, the company will be able to buy coffee at attractive wholesale prices.
Unfortunately, the presence of Starbucks in El Salvador has a downside, which is the presence of just another multi-national corporation sending its profits out of the country. El Salvador's economy is dysfunctional and largely dependent on remittances from Salvadorans in the U.S. The presence of Starbucks in El Salvador does nothing to make the country more self-sufficient in food production which is a major challenge for the government, concerned individuals and companies doing business in El Salvador.
For Salvadorans living in the DC area, the presence of Starbucks back home could be a welcome surprise.
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