There's too much dissonance between the two brands and their models for sourcing, roasting, and preparing coffee are entirely different. It's hard to see the synergy from such an acquisition. The only thing Starbucks could possibly offer Blue Bottle would be distribution channels for bottled iced coffee (New Orleans or Kyoto style), and I suppose that's nothing to sneeze at.
As an aside, the fact that you're making such a claim speaks volumes to how well Blue Bottle markets itself. They seem much bigger than they actually are, due to high profile locations and a loyal fan base. In actuality, they have less than 12 cafe locations in 2 major cities. Those, combined with all their wholesale accounts probably still doesn't come close to the number of Starbucks in Manhattan alone.
As an aside, the fact that you're making such a claim speaks volumes to how well Blue Bottle markets itself. They seem much bigger than they actually are, due to high profile locations and a loyal fan base. In actuality, they have less than 12 cafe locations in 2 major cities. Those, combined with all their wholesale accounts probably still doesn't come close to the number of Starbucks in Manhattan alone.