A legendary Starbucks branch in a major city has closed after nearly 30 years of operation – and fans of the chain say the cause is rampant crime and loitering.
After being a New York City fixture since 1995, the Astor Place store abruptly closed its doors in July without warning to customers.
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YouTuber Cash Jordan, who regularly vlogs about his life in New York City, said some blame rising rents or Starbucks’ unionized workforce, but he believes crime was to blame for the location’s demise.
“Crime. That’s why this place is gone,” Jordan said in a video uploaded on August 18.
“And others like this are closing everywhere,” he said, referring to the mass closures of retailers affecting the city.
“And currently 11.2% of the shops in the entire city are empty.
“Companies simply cannot survive in an environment teeming with criminals who do whatever they want.”
WHY IT WAS REALLY CLOSED
When customers discovered the store was shuttered and removed from the Starbucks app in late July, a former store manager told hyperlocal blog EV Grieve that the closure was due to “astronomically high” rent prices.
However, the site’s landlord, ASG Equities, told the outlet in a statement that it had offered to extend the lease at the same price.
Despite the former manager’s claims, Jordan said “out-of-control crime” was the reason for the store’s closure.
“So many crimes have happened here that the future of this city has been foreseeable for years,” Jordan said.
The influencer said that loitering had become a major problem at the location, which is popular in part because it is just steps away from a subway station.
“I can personally attest to this because I have walked past here and seen people sleeping through the future without a cup of coffee in front of them,” Jordan said.
“This place was essentially the Wild, Wild West.”
Jordan said begging in the store was also widespread, which may have led to customers wanting to spend less time in the cafe to avoid contact with strangers.
He said the store used to have couches and chairs, which were eventually replaced with high bar tables, and there were more options for customers to order their drinks to go.
FULL STATEMENT FROM STARBUCKS
A Starbucks spokesperson provided EV Grieve with a statement regarding the closure of the Astor Place store.
“Effective July 29, 2024, our store at Lafayette & 8th St, also known as Astor Place, in Manhattan will be permanently closed,” the statement said.
“We have engaged Workers United to assist with the next steps, including relocation options, for the 17 partners currently employed at this location.
“As part of our business activities, we continuously evaluate our branch portfolio based on various criteria to ensure that we meet the needs of our customers.
“We do not make the decision to close stores lightly. Our relationship with our customers is deeply personal and we are honored to have been at Astor Place.
“We hope our customers will use the Starbucks Store Locator to find additional locations nearby.
Nearest shops include:
- Broadway & Bond – 665 Broadway
- NYU 4th & Washington Sq E – 45 West 4th St.
- 15th and 3rd – 145 3rd Ave.”
In the comments on the video, YouTube users seemed to agree with Jordan’s theory that the store was closed due to crime.
YOUTUBE USERS PARTICIPATED
“Your empty windows are just the tip of the iceberg. Crime KILLS businesses and hardly anyone talks about it! Keep up the great videos, Cash!” said one response.
“Crime is out of control there. Agree 1000%,” wrote another.
“I was visiting my family in Los Angeles two years ago and almost all of the Starbucks branches were closed because of crime,” said a third.
“The stores were closed. Downtown and Koreatown were just a garbage dump. There was garbage all over the ground and the streets, people had just thrown their stuff on the sidewalks, it was so disgusting.”
“I don’t know what’s happening with places like Los Angeles and New York or anywhere really, but this has to stop.”
STARBUCKS CLOSURES 2024
Dozens of Starbucks stores have already closed their doors this year.
Permanent store closures include:
- 630 K St. in Sacramento, California
- 2742 Alki Avenue in Seattle, Washington
- Location of the Capitol on L Street in Sacramento, California
- Warren Street in Trenton, New Jersey
- 315 Ellsworth Drive in Silver Springs, Maryland
- 13-25 Astor Pl in New York, New York
Temporary closures include:
- 995 Main Street, Newington, Connecticut
- 538 Boston Post Road, Orange, Connecticut
- 1030 Barnum Avenue, Stratford, Connecticut
- 1090 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield, Connecticut
The US Sun has asked Starbucks for comment.
The downtown eatery was known in its day for serving locals, celebrities and fictional characters from “Sex and the City: The Movie.”
The closure came weeks after Starbucks in New York City announced the closure of another location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
The company also did not give a reason for the recent closure of a Starbucks branch in Seattle – just blocks from Pike Place Market, where the chain had its beginnings.
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