UPTOWN — The closure of a Wilson Avenue Starbucks — a rare event anywhere for the ubiquitous coffee chain — has prompted questions in the community about what's driving the franchise out.
A former manager of the Starbucks told Uptown Update last week that "the store needed an expensive, full remodel, and when the decision was introduced there had been several shootings in the area." The coffee shop is set to close March 7.
The decision to shutter the cafe wasn't that sudden, says Cedar Street, which has managed the building that houses the Starbucks since January 2015, when it bought the property for $750,000.
"We bought the building assuming they could come or go," said Mark Heffron, a partner with Cedar Streets, of the Starbucks, adding their decision to close had no bearing on his confidence in the area.
It's a sign of the times, Heffron said, as "Wilson Avenue is fully transforming, along with Uptown."
Area residents and nearby businesses guessed that several factors may have driven the business out, including a recent uptick in small, locally owned coffee shops opening up nearby.
Baker and Nosh, at 1303 W. Wilson Ave., and Heritage Outpost, at 1325 W. Wilson Ave., both new to the area, say business for them is flourishing.
Mercedes Webb, who's worked at Heritage Outpost since it opened, said while the business had a slow start, it has become a local destination.
"When we started out it didn't really seem like there was a market for craft coffee, but it's become a destination, basically for the decor. People eat up the ambience in here," said Webb, adding social media sites like Instagram have helped the brand's second location boom.
"Business is getting steadily better. Like any business, it just needed time to build the clientele."
As for rumors she heard pre-opening that the location was prone to violence, Webb said aside from one shooting nearby and "an occasional oddball" visiting the cafe, the neighborhood has been relatively quiet.
DNAinfo figures show the area has seen one homicide and five shootings since 2013. On Feb. 21, 2015, Demarcus Adams, 27, was fatally shot while walking in the 1300 block of West Leland Avenue around 5:05 p.m.
While "I've never heard of a Starbucks closing," Webb said Heritage Outpost plans to take full advantage "without compromising the craft coffee here.
"The most we'll get is whipped cream," joked Webb, 23, adding that the shop has recently extended hours and began selling alcohol.
Heffron said it hopefully "won't take long" to replace the Starbucks, which he considered an anchor tenant for the building. There's a lot of interest from food and beverage companies, Heffron said, but he's not married to the idea of a food or drink business replacing the coffee shop.
Cedar Street will be looking for something "a little more homegrown" to replace the Starbucks, Heffron said, adding "interest level is up" for new businesses seeking to open in other vacant storefronts along Wilson Avenue.
Cedar Street has invested heavily in the Wilson Avenue area, buying several buildings, including the 12-story Wilson Tower and the Wilson Avenue Theater, 1050 W. Wilson Ave., for $625,000.
Samantha Michaels, who lives near Wilson and started visiting that Starbucks while at Truman College, said she'll miss that location, but can easily adapt.
"I don't use it that often, but it is sad because there are a lot of shops around here I like to go to and would stop in the Starbucks on my way," Michaels said.
But she conceded that there are many coffee options in the area to replace it.
"There's so many Starbucks opening up, if one closes it won't hurt the area or the neighborhood," the Uptown resident said. "There's another one in Target [down the street] that you can just walk to."
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
