NO Starbucks in Maplewood Center! BOYCOTT!

I grew up in Maplewood, but moved away for a few years. Now I return to see this outsized monstrosity of an eyesore condo being built on the site of the old Post Office. Weren't people fighting to keep the integrity of the center intact? What happened? There's a sign saying there going to be a Starbucks on the site. Who approved this? It's DISGUSTING. What next? A McDonald's?!

BOYCOTT Corporate Death Coffee in Maplewood! We already have local businesses who provide coffee in the center, DO NOT support big money homogony killing the fabric of our community.

LOL

author, is that you? 

If you don't like it,  why not return to your previously ideal residence?  Or, at the very least, do some rudimentary research before subjecting us to your incoherent ramblings.

M'eh. 

Could do better.

If my mom didn't get the contract to design the building I'd be pissed too. 

I've been boycotting Starbucks since the 90s (except in airports).  Their coffee is just bad.  That said, I think the new building isn't anywhere near as appalling as critics made it out to be.

Dennis_Seelbach said:

If you don't like it,  why not return to your previously ideal residence?  Or, at the very least, do some rudimentary research before subjecting us to your incoherent ramblings.

Go choke on a unicorn latte, Post House shill.

Boyz_In_The_Wood said:

I grew up in Maplewood, but moved away for a few years. Now I return to see this outsized monstrosity of an eyesore condo being built on the site of the old Post Office. Weren't people fighting to keep the integrity of the center intact? What happened? There's a sign saying there going to be a Starbucks on the site. Who approved this? It's DISGUSTING. What next? A McDonald's?!

BOYCOTT Corporate Death Coffee in Maplewood! We already have local businesses who provide coffee in the center, DO NOT support big money homogony killing the fabric of our community.

I'm assuming you also have an issue with the Dunkin Donuts in Maplewood. Or the Burger King. Or the 7-11 and the Wawa. Don't even get me started on the Subway and Blimpie. BOYCOTT THEM ALL

What happened??.  I think those against the project never gained enough public support to stop it. People saw through the innuendo accusations and general baloney. I guess the idea of a public living room a block away from The Woodland, or a park next to Ricalton Square or a fencing academy didn't catch on.   It also didn't help that the main organizers behind the opposition were outed  as one who had submitted a failed bid to design the project and someone who lives in an apartment ovetlooking the site.  It might have helped if they had had a better relationship with the truth.  

spontaneous said:

If my mom didn't get the contract to design the building I'd be pissed too. 

Boyz_In_The_Wood said:

Go choke on a unicorn latte, Post House shill.

Both too good. Who needs Rickles?

Thank you for shedding some light on the situation.

sarahzm said:

What happened??.  I think those against the project never gained enough public support to stop it. People saw through the innuendo accusations and general baloney. I guess the idea of a public living room a block away from The Woodland, or a park next to Ricalton Square or a fencing academy didn't catch on.   It also didn't help that the main organizers behind the opposition were outed  as one who had submitted a failed bid to design the project and someone who lives in an apartment ovetlooking the site.  It might have helped if they had had a better relationship with the truth.  

I'm not opposed to housing on that site, just in scale with the rest of the town, the building seems a story too tall. Maplewood center has a certain quaint vibe that draws people here, Starbucks just robs that, makes it generic. Leave the suburban sprawl for South Orange.

And yes, I don't support 7-11, their products are sub-par, as is Subway (50% chicken 'chicken' sandwich), but I suppose convienence trumps quality nowadays.

DaveSchmidt said:

 Who needs Rickles?

A lot of us relied on that store when it was located on rte. 22 in Union and still miss it deeply.  We need a good hardware/housewares store like that in the Village. (There used to be two on Maplewood Avenue and one on Springfield Avenue)  Unfortunately, Home Depot seems to have driven off all but a few of remaining independent stores of that ilk.

these are they type of discussion where I can't be sure whether the person who started it is serious or doing a parody

kthnry said:

author, is that you? 

No,  but I will buy him/her a cappuccino at the mom  and pop Village Coffee, Palmer's or Able Baker.

spontaneous said:

If my mom didn't get the contract to design the building I'd be pissed too. 

The architect is the same one who designed the Station House.  It shows

Boyz_In_The_Wood said:

Thank you for shedding some light on the situation.

sarahzm said:

What happened??.  I think those against the project never gained enough public support to stop it. People saw through the innuendo accusations and general baloney. I guess the idea of a public living room a block away from The Woodland, or a park next to Ricalton Square or a fencing academy didn't catch on.   It also didn't help that the main organizers behind the opposition were outed  as one who had submitted a failed bid to design the project and someone who lives in an apartment ovetlooking the site.  It might have helped if they had had a better relationship with the truth.  

I'm not opposed to housing on that site, just in scale with the rest of the town, the building seems a story too tall. Maplewood center has a certain quaint vibe that draws people here, Starbucks just robs that, makes it generic. Leave the suburban sprawl for South Orange.

And yes, I don't support 7-11, their products are sub-par, as is Subway (50% chicken 'chicken' sandwich), but I suppose convienence trumps quality nowadays.

"Outed as one who overlooks the sight."? First of all I made mention many times of where I live "overlooking the sight".   No one outed me......I was always perfectly honest about the location.   Secondly,  do I lose my       right to comment and dissent because of where I live ?.   Must I live a half a mile away from the "Friends of    Donald Trump building" before I can take pen in hand or Dell Computer on life support before I can comment?    I did not such know that such a rule exists any where but in those who would limit democracy,

Boyz_In_The_Wood said:

I grew up in Maplewood, but moved away for a few years. Now I return to see this outsized monstrosity of an eyesore condo being built on the site of the old Post Office. Weren't people fighting to keep the integrity of the center intact? What happened? There's a sign saying there going to be a Starbucks on the site. Who approved this? It's DISGUSTING. What next? A McDonald's?!

BOYCOTT Corporate Death Coffee in Maplewood! We already have local businesses who provide coffee in the center, DO NOT support big money homogony killing the fabric of our community.

Years ago I learned in an economic class that McDonald's spends over a million dollars in scouting out a new

location to ensure it will be profitable.  I think Starbucks spent about 50 cents on this one.   The reason is simple.  There just is not the foot traffic needed to bring in the Euros they want in their cash register.

The shuttle buses carrying the commuters on that side of town go directly to the train station,   Do you think   many people will walk away from the station for a cup of coffee.  Same to be said for the shuttles from

the other side of town,  especially when there is a coffee concession right in the building.

This  is not South Orange with a busy station and no coffee available nor is it Millburn with plenty of foot traffic.

I predict Starbucks in Maplewood,  two years and a natural death.

"these are they type of discussion where I can't be sure whether the person who started it is serious or doing a parody"

The uncertainty carries over to the response to Dave's "Rickles" quip.  Great either way.  

Perhaps OP confused 5/1 with 4/1 and people are running with it.

It's also wonderfully amusing and so MOL in an everything-is-politics kind of way that an individual views his or her own choice to decline to patronize a store as a "boycott."   I also boycott Starbucks, and the NY Yankees, the Twilight movies, etc.  No response so far.  I don't think any of them have even read my manifesto.

Boyz_In_The_Wood said:

I grew up in Maplewood, but moved away for a few years. Now I return to see this outsized monstrosity of an eyesore condo being built on the site of the old Post Office. Weren't people fighting to keep the integrity of the center intact? What happened? There's a sign saying there going to be a Starbucks on the site. Who approved this? It's DISGUSTING. What next? A McDonald's?!

BOYCOTT Corporate Death Coffee in Maplewood! We already have local businesses who provide coffee in the center, DO NOT support big money homogony killing the fabric of our community.

No thanks.  I'm okay with Starbucks.   And I don't need to make life any more difficult for anyone who wants to do business in our town.  

Woot said:

Boyz_In_The_Wood said:

I grew up in Maplewood, but moved away for a few years. Now I return to see this outsized monstrosity of an eyesore condo being built on the site of the old Post Office. Weren't people fighting to keep the integrity of the center intact? What happened? There's a sign saying there going to be a Starbucks on the site. Who approved this? It's DISGUSTING. What next? A McDonald's?!

BOYCOTT Corporate Death Coffee in Maplewood! We already have local businesses who provide coffee in the center, DO NOT support big money homogony killing the fabric of our community.

No thanks.  I'm okay with Starbucks.   And I don't need to make life any more difficult for anyone who wants to do business in our town.  

So much for the three coffee houses where the owners have invested their hearts ,souls and money into making this a beloved community.  Do you think Starbucks gives two phooey s about Maplewood except to    extract their dollars from them in return for an inferior brand of coffee

I think that was a reference to Don, not the store.

joan_crystal said:

DaveSchmidt said:

 Who needs Rickles?

A lot of us relied on that store when it was located on rte. 22 in Union and still miss it deeply.  We need a good hardware/housewares store like that in the Village. (There used to be two on Maplewood Avenue and one on Springfield Avenue)  Unfortunately, Home Depot seems to have driven off all but a few of remaining independent stores of that ilk.

author said:

Woot said:

Boyz_In_The_Wood said:

I grew up in Maplewood, but moved away for a few years. Now I return to see this outsized monstrosity of an eyesore condo being built on the site of the old Post Office. Weren't people fighting to keep the integrity of the center intact? What happened? There's a sign saying there going to be a Starbucks on the site. Who approved this? It's DISGUSTING. What next? A McDonald's?!

BOYCOTT Corporate Death Coffee in Maplewood! We already have local businesses who provide coffee in the center, DO NOT support big money homogony killing the fabric of our community.

No thanks.  I'm okay with Starbucks.   And I don't need to make life any more difficult for anyone who wants to do business in our town.  

So much for the three coffee houses where the owners have invested their hearts ,souls and money into making this a beloved community.  Do you think Starbucks gives two phooey s about Maplewood except to    extract their dollars from them in return for an inferior brand of coffee

The Starbucks corporation probably cares about Maplewood about as much as Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Angelo, Gordon & Co and MTN Capital Partners LLC do. 

Starbucks is a different scene. It is set up for collaboration, with large tables that multiple people can gather around with their computers and offers wifi. It is open until 10pm, giving the village its first meeting place that doesn't revolve around a bar. It's a place where students can meet to work together or a committee can plan their next project.

Able baker has amazing cookies, cakes and baked goods.  They are certainly not going to lose that business to Starbucks.

maps said:

Starbucks is a different scene. It is set up for collaboration, with large tables that multiple people can gather around with their computers and offers wifi. It is open until 10pm, giving the village its first meeting place that doesn't revolve around a bar. It's a place where students can meet to work together or a committee can plan their next project.

Able baker has amazing cookies, cakes and baked goods.  They are certainly not going to lose that business to Starbucks.

Starbucks can have whatever size or configuration it wants in tables.   I spent much time in SoOrange Starbucks or in Montclair Starbucks or even Hershery Pa Starbucks seeking refuge from a storm.  I never saw anything even approaching a coporate meeting in any of them

It is open till 10 yes but who will be drinking coffee at that hour.  As for their deserts in plastic containers..........I will pass

I won't personally be going to Starbucks when it opens.  But I think it will be a popular teen hangout, especially at night, and especially in cold weather. There is very little in the village for kids to do at night, and Starbucks will be someplace they can go.  Through the years I've lived in Maplewood, I've heard many complaints about kids hanging out in the village, or going to the park to smoke pot.  Now we're going to have a safe place for the under-21 crowd to congregate in the village, and people are complaining about that.

If the Starbucks provides a place for teens in the village, the adults should be happy about it, even if they personally aren't fans of Starbucks, IMHO.

Didn't someone report that Village Coffee is supportive of the new Starbucks?

sac said:

Didn't someone report that Village Coffee is supportive of the new Starbucks?

Yes.......he welcomes the competition but reminds the world that he offers a full service menu of food.   Largely non meat dishes and his home fries are done in Indian spices and are very tasty.  He also offers           about a half dozen full Indian Dinners

He feels Starbucks will draw people into the area who have no experience but will soon become customers  

I probably won't patronize Starbucks in the Village very much given the other great options for coffee and sweets, but I would not characterize that as a boycott, and I have no issue with the company giving it a go at the site.  But I do thank the OP for offering a great band name, "Corporate Death Coffee".