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Starbucks Plan to Serve Booze at UES Cafes Gets OK From Community Board

By Shaye Weaver | September 2, 2015 11:11am
 Spreads like this, including the wine, are planned for two Upper East Side Starbucks coffee houses.
Spreads like this, including the wine, are planned for two Upper East Side Starbucks coffee houses.
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Starbucks

UPPER EAST SIDE — Starbucks won over the local community board in a bid to get a beer and wine license for two of its cafes in the neighborhood.

The coffee chain went before Community Board 8's street life committee on Tuesday evening to get its blessing for the license it needs to roll out its "Starbucks Evenings" program at the 1445 First Ave. and 1542 Third Ave. locations.

The board gave the green light after the company agreed that the staff that would serve alcohol will be trained and would be 21 or older.

If the State Liquor Authority, which gives final approval, grants the licenses, those outposts would begin serving beer and wine from 2 to 10 p.m., along with a selection of small bites like truffle mac and cheese and chicken skewers. 

Some Upper East Side residents were concerned that the staff would not have enough experience serving alcohol, or be underage. 

"My experience has been that some baristas look to be under 21 years old," said Jordan Wouk.

Jonathan Bing, an attorney representing Starbucks, assured the board that employees under 21 would be transferred to another store that does not serve alcohol. All of the staff would undergo extensive training before the store offers the new service, he added.

The chain's Williamsburg outpost and Herald Square Macy's location were the first in the city to start selling booze.

Starbucks is slated to appear before Community Board 1 Wednesday night to add alcohol to two other shops in the Financial District.

Community Board 8's Land Use committee will vote on the beer and wine license proposals for the two Upper East Side locations on Sept. 9.