Two Downtown Cafes Gone, One Line Getting Longer
Starbucks has closed two more cafes in downtown Boston, at 125 Summer St. and at 8 N. Market St. by Faneuil Hall, the Boston Globe reported on Oct. 19. The closures happened in recent weeks, though the company has not said exactly when each store shut its doors.
The result is a crunch at the store that remains. The Globe described the cafe at 84 State St., between Faneuil Hall and the Financial District, as the city center’s “last outpost,” and reported that “Wait times for a single drink are stretching beyond half an hour.” For office workers on a short break or tourists on a schedule, a half-hour wait can turn a routine coffee stop into a lost morning.
Starbucks did not explain its plans for the city. A company spokesperson told the Globe that “These store closures are being implemented through a thoughtful, lawful process,” and that “We used an objective set of criteria, including long-term performance and customer experience.” The spokesperson did not respond to follow-up questions about the specific Boston-area locations or the company’s overall strategy for the city, the Globe reported.
A Second Year of Boston Closures
The downtown closures add to a long list. Starbucks closed nearly 20 shops in Greater Boston last year, according to the Globe. Those included the cafe under the Government Center “kettle,” which had been a Starbucks location since 1997, along with stores in Cleveland Circle, Coolidge Corner, Davis Square, Harvard Square and Downtown Crossing, NBC Boston reported at the time. A Commonwealth Avenue store near Boston University also closed…