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May 1, 2008

StreetLevel: Starbucks Sweet on 4th Ave.?

Gowanus Lounge reports that the western corner of 4th Avenue and Third Street is rumored by an "informed reader" to be the future location of a Starbucks. The site, which sold last year for $3.25 million and is currently being rehabilitated, is across the street from the Novo and on the same block as Staples and Hotel Le Bleu. A real estate executive we spoke to who was involved in the sale of the property said there's truth to the Starbucks talk, though its owner declined to comment on the matter. Is there room on 4th Ave. for more than one Clover?
Fourth Ave. Bulletin: Hot Corridor Getting a Starbucks? [Gowanus Lounge] GMAP
Photo of site from GL; photo of drink by Miss Peach.

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Comments

dumbest idea ever.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 2:45 PM

yeah, how stupid to put a money making venture on 4th ave. what are they thinking?

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 2:49 PM

THREE MILLION for a starbucks? wtf?

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 2:52 PM

this will be the location of a starbucks and two additional retail stores with no tenants in place yet. the building will be 1 story brick and stucco with parking.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 2:52 PM

Clover is AWESOME.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 2:55 PM

considering that condos are selling for $750-800 per foot at heritage, argyle etc seems like they will do very well here. i don't see what's dumb about putting a starbucks on a heavily trafficked block lined with expensive condos and more in the pipeline. nice to see some retail and they should do fine

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 2:55 PM

i would never open a chain store hoping people will eventually move in. wouldn't you prefer an existing customer base? Maybe it'll be a drive thru starbucks. that would be awesome.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 3:04 PM

You know, I just don't need to have a coffee shop on every corner. I don't mind walking some blocks.

Guerrilla coffee is the best in brooklyn, IMHO
and I rather have that than the sweet frappe-whatever then sell at Starschmucks.

Posted by: Mamacita at May 1, 2008 3:05 PM

Starsucks depends on FOOT TRAFFIC!!! That area people are driving at 90 MPH!

I will be glad for the depression, they wont lend money to assfucks to throw away!

The What

Someday this war is gonna end...

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 3:06 PM

Thankfully only one Starbucks in the Slope on 7th Ave. Let the locals prosper; Ozzies is more centrally located on 5th Ave. at Garfield and doing just fine. Poor Howard Shultz, time to downsize and get back to basics, especially in a slowing economy!
Marion

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 3:09 PM

you morons whine about retail on fourth ave all the time and when there is a chance for a starbucks or any retail you trash it!

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 3:19 PM

i'm the first one that "whined" and my whine wasn't about retail on 4th ave. It was about opening up a coffee shop on a stretch of road that has practically NO OTHER stores that will induce someone to come by for a coffee. Coffee shops seem to do well when surrounded by other stores people will be shopping in and walking by. Starbucks isn't a destination for your day, more of a place you stop by when you see one. Its a stupid idea because feasibly it doesn't seem well thought out. But then again putting a fancy hotel on a street full of tire shops and prostitutes didn't seem like a good idea either...maybe my business school just had things wrong. Its not my money so what do I care what they do with it. I can't imagine a bank would loan anyone money for this business plan.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 3:36 PM

If starbucks is willing to open a store on 4th why does it bother you,its not your money,

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 3:40 PM

3:36: you should go back to the business school you obviously never graduated from in the first place. They will be putting two other stores adjacent to the starbucks. there goes your argument. anyways, people who live in expensive condos tend to like expensive coffee and might just go to the closest place to buy it...hmmm....i never went to business school and figured that out all by myself. i guess the demographics studies that starbucks always does before opening a location support the location too (starbucks has been pretty successful if im informed correctly). or should we all believe that you know better than the fortune 500 company, the multibillion dollar lender, and the property owner?good job, genius..

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 3:54 PM

Everyone that is saying that 4th Avenue cannot support a coffee shop because there is no foot traffic, etc. needs to stop into Root Hill Cafe.

Although new, the place seems to get a good amount of business and makes great coffee!

Its also not in a location as close to the new larger developments as the potential Sbucks.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 3:57 PM

Yum, Starbucks, Staples, Pep Boys, and two subjects to be identified later. Lessee, how about Pizza Hut and Subway?

Posted by: denton at May 1, 2008 3:58 PM

If people like starbucks coffee better than Clover's, then tough titties for Clover. It is an income-driven enterprise, after all.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 3:59 PM

Starbucks is probably looking at this location as more of a 'suburban' type store - which they now almost always require drive-through - and I am guessing that this location will have Drive-thru as well. The metrics for opening such a store has to do with population and traffic per hour (not foot traffic). Additionally, the broker probably sold them on the idea with the Whole Foods opening on 3rd (which it wont but....)

Starbucks actually is tough on LLs - the LL probably is paying for the build-out (which must meet SB specs) and possibly even giving additional concessions to SB - and SB genrally demands an early 'out clause' so that they can close a non-performing store.

Ultimately, this is great for 4th Ave and the neighborhood - since it will make the far side of 4th - more appealing and attractive - I also think it will have ZERO effect on other nearby coffee shops since I am sure for this location to work they are focusing almost exclusively on people in cars - not pedestrians.

The only nearby business that may be impacted by this is the 3rd Ave (12th st) Drive-Thru Dunkin Donuts/Taco Bell

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 4:04 PM

This place would also be just far enough of a hike from the slope to keep the stroller mafia away.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 4:12 PM

The stroller mafia is staying home all day and spending money that helps keep neighborhood enterprises alive.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 4:24 PM

Clover was just acquired by Starbucks. They're on every corner whether it looks like an Sbucks or not.

Posted by: akm at May 1, 2008 4:26 PM

Gorilla is ok, it's average coffee. it's the hipper-than-thou douchehats that occupy every fucking seat w. their Mac laptops that annoy me. Also, stop blocking the fucking sidewalk idiots—you're worse than the stroller moms you loathe so much.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 4:36 PM

"Starsucks depends on FOOT TRAFFIC!!!"

The MOST idiotic the What post yet!

So the starbucks on every corner in the suburbs...those depend on the NON EXISTENT FOOT TRAFFIC?????

You get more ignorant by the day!

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 4:39 PM

fuck starbucks and fuck all franchises. burn them all down. burn baby burn!

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 4:43 PM

4:43 - why do you hate Indian people?

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 4:46 PM

guest 4:39

The what believes that any statement prefaced by Asshat and followed by fucktard must be true.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 4:48 PM

A Starsbucks with parking will do great business. with a drive through it would make a killing. Thats BS concerning the foot traffic.
I did not put up a coffee shop greenwood heights because of the foot traffic issue. Guess what some one else had the idea, and they are doing brisk business. build and they will come. coffee, liquor, cigarettes people need their vices.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 5:00 PM

Based on all of the relatively good economic news today with the stock market hitting it's highest point since January, Citi, BofA and American Express all showing healthy gains, they say the credit market might FINALLY be stabilizing.

Know what that means??

Means the What is wrong and you might want to hop into the market if you're still renting and want to buy.

Yesterday the news was for huge rent increases for this year beginning leases which renew Oct. 1 or later.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 5:00 PM

"coffee, liquor, cigarettes people need their vices."

Don't forget sex!!!!

I walked by...and they paper has gone up on the windows for the new BABELAND PARK SLOPE!!

I can not f*cking wait!!!

Daddy needs some new porn! This neighborhood keeps getting better and better. Soon I'll NEVER have to leave again!

Maybe they'll cast me as an extra in the new Park Slope and the City show!

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 5:03 PM

All you Starbucks haters, please patronize Root Hill Cafe at Carroll & 4th Avenue. I spoke to them today, and they are struggling.

It's a great looking place with very tasty edibles, fine coffee and cappucino-type drinks, and, of course, the aforementioned Clover Coffee, which is at least worth a try. The people who work there (own it?) are super friendly.

The only negative is that they are slow. Very, very slow. It took several long minutes for the person in front of me to get a cookie to go.

But hey, it's a mellow coffee hut. Please stop by, try a Clover, and enjoy the pretty ambience. Otherwise it will be Starbucks everywhere, allatime.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 5:43 PM

how can root hill cafe be struggling? haven't they been open only a month? if they forecasted such high sales for their first month and they didn't get it and now are struggling, then that's a sign of a very bad business plan..

anyhow, root hill has now overtaken gorilla as my go-to coffee spot...

Posted by: ltjbukem73 at May 1, 2008 6:14 PM

hotel le blue, and coffee de yuck. Perfect!

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 6:19 PM

NY is so stupid regarding coffee. Go west and there is good coffee everywhere. I was in Bandon Oregon(pop. smaller than park slope) and stopped by a crappy strip mall and got a really good latte every morning from one of those old kodak photo shops. Just as good as Gorilla and no ANNOYING HIPSTERS on laptops.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 6:28 PM

why do young people in skinny jeans bother people so much when trying to get a cup of coffee?

you hate it if it were moms.
you hate it that it's young people.
you hate them if they were fat.
you hate them if they were black.

don't you people like ANYTHING??

you are all so disgusting, it's insane.

it's a freakin cup of coffee. go wherever you like and stop complaining about the clientele or don't go there anymore.

it suggests a SEVERE lack of self confidence, shallow behavior, jealousy, bitterness or possibly a combination of all four.

GET A LIFE!

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 7:37 PM

Hey, ltjbukem73, I don't know what's up with Root Hill Cafe, but when I casually asked about business she implied it was bad. Not if we have anything to say about it! I'll see you on the green couch.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 8:31 PM

"the credit market might FINALLY be stabilizing"

No, actually they aren't. Trying dipping below the thin veneer of happy talk and get back to me once you've done a little research.

"you might want to hop into the market"

Once again, dig a little deeper.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 9:21 PM

I think people who wear sagging tight ass jeans (not supposed to see your fuckin calf muscles AND your walet) are very weird.

Not sure when this shit became cool or my favorite..."hip"

Back in the day, we called them "nut-huggers" and I can't imagine any woman would find it attractive if my jeans were tighter than hers!!

Its 1 thing to be an individual...but guess what you are when EVERYBODY starts dressing like a bum... just another grown ass bum wearing a winter skull cap in the middle of summer.

Grow the fuck up and be taken seriously in life!

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 10:43 PM

...and if you would TALK to the guy next to you, instead of emailing him, you both would be able to get your ass up, go somewhere other than a "wifi hotspot", and free a seat for someone grabbing their morning coffee...you loser/poser.

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 10:47 PM

24 HOUR DRIVE THRU! Yellow cabs gets 20% off deal! How about self serve pay at the pump lattes?

Posted by: guest at May 2, 2008 7:55 AM

AS LONG AS THEY STAY AWAY FROM 5TH AVENUE!!!!

Posted by: guest at May 2, 2008 9:15 AM