I’ve been listening to the conference call today between Starbucks and analysts, and one thing CEO Howard Schultz mentioned struck a chord.

He said he’d been spending time at Town Hall meetings with customers. He talked about “the meaning we have in peoples’ lives across America.”

OK, it’s your turn. Is Starbucks simply a place to buy coffee (or tea, a cookie, a sandwich) or is it somewhere that actually has meaning in the lives of Americans?

Does Starbucks have meaning in your life? What is that meaning?

Please comment.