If you’re a Starbucks fan, you’d probably be pleased when one of the coffee chain’s stores opens up in your office building. But does the existence of that new java joint mean that no one else in the building should be able to sell hot, caffeinated beverages?
Workers at a large office building in The Bronx say that’s exactly what’s going on in their lobby, where the newsstand that has been serving up cheap coffee for years was ordered by building management to stop selling the stuff after a Starbucks took up residence in the tower where you’ll find the offices of the Department of Education, the Housing Authority, and the state’s Department of Human Rights.
The NY Daily News tried to get to the bottom of this story. Neither the management company nor the owners of the newsstand would comment, but a worker at the kiosk confirmed to a reporter that the landlord had given the order that no more coffee was to be sold.
Workers at the tower aren’t thrilled, as it now costs them $1.91 to get the same size cup of coffee that they could get at the newsstand for only a dollar.
“It’s about choice,” said one woman who works in the building. “They shouldn’t be able to dictate who I buy my coffee from.”
And while the kiosk owners aren’t speaking to the media, one loyal customer claims the owner told her his business has been down 80% since the no-Joe order was given.
While it’s not unheard of for foodservice businesses to make exclusivity deals with building management — we told you earlier this year about a McDonald’s franchisee suing a Maryland mall operator for allowing a Dunkin’ Donuts to open nearby — Starbucks HQ is washing its hands of this dispute.
“Starbucks does not dictate what other stands or locations sell coffee,” a rep for the company tells the Daily News. “In fact, Starbucks welcomes competition and has helped to create a market where independent stores and small chains can continue to grow along with Starbucks.”
by Chris Morran via Consumerist
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