UPTOWN — A Starbucks is closing?
One of the ubiquitous coffee chain's shops in Uptown — at Wilson and Magnolia — is turning off its lights for good March 7.
The coffee shop is the third business to close in the area, joining Luna's Spa and Salon, 1217 W. Wilson Ave., and the Magnolia Cafe, 1244 W. Wilson Ave.
"As part of Starbucks standard course of business, we continually evaluate our business to ensure a healthy store portfolio. After careful consideration, we’ve determined it is best to close our Wilson and Magnolia store," a spokeswoman for the company said.
"All Starbucks [employees] working at that store will have the opportunity to transfer to one of our nearby locations. We’re proud to be part of the Uptown community and look forward to serving our customers at our nearby stores at Broadway & Lawrence and Andersonville," the spokeswoman said.
According to Uptown Update, which first reported the closing, a former manager of the store said "There are several reasons for the closure. It was Starbucks' decision to close. The upkeep from the previous owner was terrible, the store needed an expensive, full remodel, and when the decision was introduced there had been several shootings in the area. I believe they looked into relocating nearby, not sure where that went."
Developer 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.
In January 2015, Cedar Street bought a single-story building at Wilson and Magnolia avenues for $750,000, with the Starbucks serving as the anchor tenant, according to Mark Heffron, a partner with Cedar Street.
"We're still looking for the right tenants to revitalize that structure," Heffron said at the beginning of February.
Cedar Street representatives were not available for comment on the Starbucks closing.
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