LATEST BUZZ

Starbucks Expanding Alcohol Sales

Will sell beer and wine in more U.S. locations.

Care for some chardonnay with that latte? As if fueling our morning addiction weren’t enough, Starbucks has announced its plans to sell beer and wine in Atlanta and Southern California by the end of 2012. The world’s biggest coffee chain already sells the beverages in several cafés in Seattle and one in Portland, Oregon, attracting more patrons in the evening. “It’s just a natural place for people to connect and unwind,” Starbucks’ senior VP of U.S. operations told Reuters. Currently, beer retails for $5 and wine goes for $7 to $9. Their long-term plan is to sell beer and wine across the country, though they don’t expect to do so in every single café, which could potentially pose a safety hazard. If they offer booze at their 24-hour locations, they might end up with patrons passing out in lounge chairs only to rev up with an espresso shot the next morning.