Do not close *my* Starbucks

Today I sent the following letter to Starbucks HQ... let's hope they listen.

Starbucks Coffee Company
PO Box 3717
Mailstop R-CRI
Seattle WA
98124

July 15, 2008

Dear Sir or Madam

I am a regular customer at one of your two Newton Centre, MA stores. This is the store at 70 Union Street, Newton, Massachusetts 02459, in the fabulous old station building. I am writing to implore you NOT to close this store. When I asked the staff at this store if it was one of the stores to be closed, they were cagey enough to make me feel very concerned which is why I decided to write.

Did you know a nationally best-selling author writes her novels in this Starbucks?

This store, “my” Starbucks, really is my “third place”. I often work from home (nearby) and have business meetings in this Starbucks. As well as buying for myself, I am buying drinks for one, two or three others … generally several times a week.

This store has much more character than any other Starbucks I have visited. It is in an old station building, and has amazing wood paneling, and lots of room to sit. If you are truly committed to returning to quality and to the tenets that made Starbucks great, you will not close this store. I even created a special Google map to show folks how to get to my Starbucks (see http://tinyurl.com/66t47u).

The other store in Newton Centre is much smaller, and has much less character. I guess it might have “more sales per square foot” but that is because it is smaller! If you closed that other store, I bet most of the traffic would move to “my” Starbucks.

I have no plans to spend time in your other store in Newton Centre. There is now an independent coffee shop in the area (“Pie Bakery and Cafe”) and if you close “my” Starbucks, I would encourage all my friends and my blog readers to go there instead. Newton residents are an “ornery” lot and remember fondly the Coffee Connection chain you bought many years ago. My Starbucks on Union Street is one of those original Coffee Connection locations, and has a loyal following. Please do not disappoint us.

Yours sincerely