Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol announced the closing of 1 percent of Starbucks locations throughout North America. This includes the Starbucks on Georgia Avenue, near Howard University — a familiar campus hotspot.
The coffee shop that was connected to the Howard University Bookstore, where Bison could study, chat and get refreshments, made an abrupt exit Sept. 26, leaving many members of the university in a wave of disbelief and confusion.
On Sept. 29, the Howard University Office of University Communications released a statement stating, “The closure is not connected to Howard’s redevelopment plans for other campus properties.”
This was “a decision made without any prior communication or advance notice to University leadership,” according to the office.
Starbucks also shared that the closure is part of a larger restructuring effort. Before the closure announcement, Niccol released a statement on the official website, explaining the decision to close down certain Starbucks locations in support of their “Back to Starbucks plan.”
“We identified coffeehouses where we’re unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect…or where we don’t see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed,” Niccol said.
The statement also noted that the closures will result in a 1 percent decline in Starbucks locations across the continent. Closing coffeehouses were to be notified the following week, according to Niccol.
Some students said the closure added to the lack of food options on Georgia Avenue.
“The Starbucks was the only thing we were holding on to when it came to the Georgia Ave strip,” said Bethany Tiruneh, a sophomore political science major from New Orleans, Louisiana.
Lucas Santos, a junior biology major, chemistry and Spanish double minor from Boston, Massachusetts, said “This was one of the little joys we had on campus. Since Chipotle, Subway and Negril have gone, we don’t have any left.”
Other recent campus closures like Chipotle and Subway are due to the new Wonder development plaza.
“We have few food options, and the options that we have feel like they are decreasing even though Punchout was revamped with new restaurants,” Santos said.
Regarding future plans the, “Real Estate Development and Capital Asset Management team, with Auxiliary Enterprises, is working actively with both current and prospective partners to identify a suitable replacement,” according to the Office of University Communications.
Both students said they hope to see better food options on campus.
“I would like to see an effort for more food options outside of the dining halls and punchout,” Santos said.
Copy edited by D’Nyah Jefferson – Philmore
