NEW YORK — People are paying more to fuel up these days — on coffee. Coffee price increases have outpaced even the hike in gasoline prices the past year. A one-pound can of ground coffee sold for $5.10 in April, ...

Tagged with: coffee consumers Dunkin' Donuts gasoline oil prices rise starbucks

The Masters — a tradition unlike any other — started Thursday. I’m a casual golf fan at best, but have been intrigued by all the chatter surrounding Tiger Woods in the run up to the first tee time. Not just ...

Tagged with: coffee Forbes golf Masters Retail starbucks The Beatles Tiger Woods

Small is big when it comes to dessert trends. From Mini-Blizzards at Dairy Queen to the new line of Petites launched by Starbucks last week, sweets are shrinking to fit a craving for snack-sized portions. “There’s a huge trend of ...

Tagged with: Business restaurant Restaurants starbucks

NEW YORK — Conventional wisdom holds that gift cards are the perfect present for picky teens. But not all teens agree. Reasons include logistical hassles in using the cards, lack of interest in the store or brand, a preference for ...

Tagged with: Business Christmas Economy gift cards holidays macy's Retail shopping starbucks teenagers

NEW YORK — Few companies were clobbered harder than Starbucks in the recession. The coffee chain with outposts on every corner came to represent all that was wrong with American businesses and shoppers: unchecked expansion, self-indulgence and mindless credit-card swiping. ...

Tagged with: Business consumers Economy Recession starbucks stock market victoria's secret wall street

At the Shoppes at Shipley’s Grant, a Howard County development designed to mimic the quaint streets of historic Ellicott City, three new tenants are getting ready to settle in. Royal Cleaners,  a 1,449-square-foot dry cleaning store, is already open, and ...

Tagged with: starbucks

Last week I wrote a blog post wondering if the proposed menu labeling bill in Maryland is going too far in that it takes away consumers’ accountability for their own health. Today I got an e-mail in response to the ...

Tagged with: Dunkin' Donuts food maryland Restaurants starbucks

Last fall I wrote a blog complaining that too many people were trying to promote their product by convincing us that all we had to do was give up a few Starbucks lattes to afford it. Well, I guess too ...

Tagged with: coffee Dunkin' Donuts Retail starbucks

The new Starbucks has opened on 300 N. Charles Street — and as much as I hate to say it, I actually kind of liked it. Yes, it’s true, the caffeinated beast of business that I always labeled as a ...

Tagged with: starbucks