Along the lines of the column last week in which I invoked this national hatred of Wal-Mart among liberal yuppies, I've found that most of this crowd also hates Starbucks.

The thinking is that the national coffee-house chain embodies everything disgusting about corporate America. I'm not sure exactly what that is, but I suspect the chain's homogeneity plays a huge role in it. Every Starbucks is basically the same, like McDonald's.

The difference between Starbucks and every other mass chain is that they dictated to the marketplace that its customers would pay more for a product often considered to be a loss leader by other businesses. Starbucks told the world that they would pay $4 for a fancy cup of coffee and like it.

The world did, but unfortunately, nobody has bothered to even attempt competing with them at a local level.

Two points after a quick aside.

In online news, we strive to "win breaking news and weather" every day. No matter what the big story is, no matter what the other sites with tons of staff do, we're going to be first with breaking news and weather while you're at work.

Do that, my theory goes, and we'll win you over in other areas.

Well, there is a reason why Starbucks still dominates, and it's not because America is full of dopes. It's because nobody is out there "winning coffee" at a local level.

To me, coffee is 24/7. It's got to be on, fresh and ready at 7 a.m., 4 p.m. or at midnight. Doesn't matter when. If you're a convenience store that wants to win my loyalty as a customer, have the cheapest gas in town and the best coffee.

I will go out of my way not to buy my $1.97 venti cup of Sumatra at Starbucks if you have decent coffee. The convenience store closest to me did for months, under the marketing moniker of Bella coffee. They even gave us punch cards so that every sixth cup was free.

The coffee was always on, full and fresh. Multiple flavors and sleeves for delicate fingers. My rule is: no sleeves, no coffee. McDonald's packages their brew in a cup that doesn't really need a sleeve, but Starbucks coffee is so hot that you must have a sleeve to deal with it.

However, this convenience store changed its name from "All-Star Stores" to "Circle K," and the coffee has sucked ever since. They have glass pots out there, and the place resembles a truck stop instead of a place that looks like its ready to compete with Starbucks, which happens to be next door.

The price is irrelevant. One big cup of coffee at the convenience store was $1.17, and at Starbucks, it was $1.97.

Taste was pretty even. The Bella-brand coffee was smoother than Starbucks, but the latter makes your chest grow hair. I need that some days.

However, once Bella was no more, I looked for other places one could get good coffee on the cheap. McDonald's is good, but it's not great. In a pinch, it's actually a lifesaver, but at $1,09, give me the $2 Starbucks. The taste difference is significant.

On the other hand, 7-Eleven has great coffee. Problem is, as was the case this past Saturday, their stores are employed by people who don't get it. They showcase all these great donuts and pastries -- they're literally everywhere -- and at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, the store at 12th and Robinson streets in Norman had not one drop of coffee going.

No wonder Starbucks kicks their collective butts.

The only reason I would even deign to step into a 7-Eleven is because they don't charge for using their ATMs, which is actually a big deal. They're also the only place in town that sells Yoo-Hoos, but unless I have a hangover (for which Yoo-Hoos are a terrific remedy), I won't be drinking them.

Convenience stores and fast-food restaurants aren't the only places to look for a great cup of coffee any time, if you're looking to avoid Starbucks. The Golden Corral here in Norman has great coffee, but at $1.59, you might as well go to Starbucks unless you plan to have 3 or 4 cups.

The best coffee in Norman, to me, is at the Waffle House. They have an in-house brand, and it is freaking excellent. I find myself leaving with a cup everytime I eat there, at their suggestion and out of their kindness because I typically rave about it everytime I'm there.

The problem with some of these alternatives is that they don't cater to a 24/7 schedule, nor do they really cater to somebody who just wants coffee. Believe it or not, coffee is actually damned good for you. Now, having 24 cups per day won't do you any favors, but to substitute plain, black, rich, fresh coffee for an otherwise fattening snack is really pretty smart.

I should note that I haven't tried Dunkin Donuts in a while. We have a 24/7 branch here in Norman, but the problem is that their donuts are so good, I can literally not resist them.

The importance of the coffee crowd, relative to marketing, is pretty simple. Coffee-drinkers are workers. They are routine-oriented. They are addicted to the caffeine, no matter how much they'll claim they're not.

Most important though is that they're all at Starbucks. The biggest pain regarding them is that even though they're everywhere, each individual coffee-house is always full. I stopped at a Starbucks on I-35 north of Ardmore several months ago at noon on a weekend day, and it was packed to the doors.

As consumers, we've proven we're willing to pay the extra money for great coffee on our schedule.

As business people, we have no excuse for not providing a cheaper but equal alternative. Collectively, I mean. I don't have any money nor any interest in starting such a business.

However, you better damned well believe I notice everytime your place of business sells cold coffee, peddles crap that comes from a percolator or doesn't even bother to have any in the middle of the day when I'm about to make a 100-mile trek to the other part of the state.

It's not that you lose my $2 in business; you lose my general loyalty. These businesses are really the reason Starbucks has succeeded. That company took a gamble upon the notion that people would pay a little more for great coffee, on the go, anytime.

They were a billion percent right, and to this point, I have yet to find a consistent, worthwhile, on-the-go alternative.

So, if I'm a convenience store or restaurant proprietor, I make it my No. 1 priority to win coffee. In a town like Norman, there are plenty of people looking for a Starbucks alternative, but there aren't enough innovators here apparently to make it happen.

If I'm wrong, tell me where I can go get a great cup of coffee at 10 p.m., any night of the week, and I'll do so.