I hear ya, and I feel it too. This is definitely a problem. As a 70-year-old, I see profound truth in your analysis. Even so, I can't help wondering if every sensitive post-industrial-world 70-year-old has seen, felt and mourned the passing of the good ole days.

I can remember when Starbucks was fresh and new, starting at PikePlace and spreading like a good idea all over the country and the world.

Starbucks literally capitalized on our smart collective entrance into an online world where people were happily pecking away doing their own thing on their keypads and there was a feeling of a brave new world.

But now 'bucks just appears as every teen's favorite hypersweet latte with a whippedup overpriced sprinkle on top.

Here in my hometown Boone, a good alternative that fits your nostalgic descriptiom is Local Lion, serving all the coffee iterations, daily-made donuts; enjoyed by a local University-based clientele who meet to share experience, ideas and space before this whole american experiment falls apart.