Starbucks has responded to Governor Malloy’s comment about its downtown Hartford store being closed on weekends. During an interview on the January 15th edition of Face the State, the governor was talking about how to improve the capital city and cited Starbucks as a problem. “Starbucks isn’t open on the weekends. That is a gigantic mistake for Starbucks I don’t think they realize how many people are living there.”
A member of the Eyewitness News staff obtained this statement from the Seattle-based coffee giant in response to the governor’s statement:
We are committed to supporting the Hartford community and have been open in the past on weekends as well as open to support special events, parades and marathons downtown. We will continue to review opportunities to be open outside of our standard hours to best support our customers and business. Wethersfield and three other stores in West Hartford are open over the weekend to serve our customers in these communities.
Many of our viewers pointed out that the governor has two independent coffee shops to choose from downtown: JoJo’s on Pratt Street, and La Paloma Sabanera on Capitol Avenue near the state capitol. There are also five or six Dunkin Donuts downtown, and a Starbucks inside the Marriott at Adriaen’s Landing, but the Starbucks in the heart of downtown will continue to focus on the Monday through Friday 9-5ers.
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Dennis House blog 
Starbucks’s reply is essentially “give us a reason to actually be open on the weekends, guarantee a clientele will be around to make a weekend profit, and we’ll do it”, though with every intention of not expecting that to happen.
They’re open during the week because that is the highest and most profitable time period for them.
If we want a weekend Starbucks, it has to be a venue at least double it’s current size. The current Starbucks operates as an in-and-out coffee shop, not a place for serious community usage or event hosting like other shops.
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Malloy should learn a lesson from Starbuck’s marketing plan.
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I’m sorry but there are no coffee shops open on the weekend. Big mistake, especially when there are special events ie first night – ONE COFFEE SHOP OPEN IN THE ENTIRE DOWNTOWN AREA. Big mistake. Jo-Jo’s was not open; Dunkin Donuts was not open, and NO ONE is going to walk all the way to the Marriott for a cup of coffee. Please. Can we use some common sense. The Business that are downtown are doing a disservice to themselves and to the residents of Hartford. The City of Hartford, the Chamber of Commerce need to work together to convince business owners to open up. That is the only way that Hartford will wake up on the weekends.
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One more comment to the PR people of Starbucks….Seriously, people living in the City do not want to have to get in the car to get a cup of coffee and that is the dumbest comment you could have made.
Very stupid comment.
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Finally, someone said NO to Malloy and he couldn’t bully them.
Starbucks, if you read this, I don’t drink your coffee, I think it’s too expensive; however I love your fortitude.
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Their coffee is about $2.10 for 16 oz after tax, about the same as Dunkin. Maybe worth another look. Enjoy.
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I’m wondering why a coffee shop is the reason for Hartford’s problems. How is a coffee shop being open or closed the cause of this???
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stay open only to be robbed?…all the 9-5ers are gone…who else is left on the weekend?
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Well put, most people with common sense are enjoying their time in the suburbs rather than a place known to be not worth the risk of a mugging or a parking trap.
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I’m left, and so are a lot of other downtown residents. Not to mention the people who go to events at the Civic Center, the Bushnell, Hartford Stage, TheaterWorks, etc. And Hartford does not have a monopoly on crime. That said, it’s up to those of us who want Starbucks and other places to remain open on weekends to let the managers know they’re losing business. Suffering in silence never works.
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That’s the whole point Kevin. Starbucks is not suffering and they don’t want to be in Hartford. Period.
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even your station moved out of the city…
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Starbucks not being open is the PROBLEM of Hartford, that comment is like listening to Comedy Central without having to pay a cable bill. LMFAO!. I moved to Connecticut over 30 years ago, and to be honest, Hartford was a joke of a city back then and it still is. Hartford is the most mismanaged city in all of New England – it’s the poster child for deficiency from all aspects. With the parking fees, tax rates, lack of night life unless you feel like drinking, an enormous water-front that has gone so undeveloped, no AFFORDABLE mid city residential base and a DUMPrise right next to the highway as the gateway view into the city and Hartford will continue to be what it has been – nothing. I remember someone many years ago making it a point to publicly state how confusing the road system in Hartford is that it was easier to give directions to friends to drive past the city and do a 180 degree turn and come into the capitol area the other way because the way to get in was so confusing – that person was Dennis House. Then only person who whole-heatedly did anything positive for Hartford was Mayor Mike. And finally, Hartford couldn’t even keep WFSB as a city partner and business entity and when you look at that scenario what does WFSB stand for – We Found Something Better.
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Starbucks is a business, if they were making money being open on weekends they would be open. No sense being open just to lose money.
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Where are the muggers and rappists going to go, to have a cup o joe? The politicians gave the cities to the minorities long ago and over they years most office’s moved away from the larger cities.
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For the people (Dave, Ed, et al) commenting: I live here. I’m here after 5. I’m here on the weekends.
I have no arrest record. I do not sell or buy drugs (or use ones that are offered free of charge). I am not in a gang. I’ve never been robbed or had a gun waved in my face.
I have a career within a respected field.I pay taxes and am a homeowner.
And guess what? I am able to drink coffee in Hartford, on the weekend, because I am not terrified of supporting places that are not chains. It’d be nice if the Starbucks on Trumbull expanded its hours, yes, but because I live here and am not afraid to walk around, I know that there is a Starbucks on Columbus Boulevard, that JoJo’s has great coffee and tea, and that La Paloma Sabanera stays open late so that customers can enjoy jazz or improv with their coffee.
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Kerrie,
You just said it. “I don’t buy or use drugs that our offered to me for free.” Good for you.If you’re comfortable and are not afraid to being stabbed or mugged, enjoy. I lived in Hartford for many years, Mayor Mike was my neighbor. I was an EMT in the city until one night I was on a call and I got shot at for trying to save a rival gang memberiT It was my job.I got the hell out. Personally, I didn’t care if he lived or died. They can all shoot themselves to death, it will clean up the city and give the police paramedics a much needed reprieve as well. So long as civilians aren’t hurt in the process.
Bridgeport used to be the arm pit of CT. Now we have two. Hartford and New Haven. I don’t even blink when I hear of a shooting. I say a quick prayer for the loved one’s left behind, and move on.
@Dave. Beautifully said! I love the WFSB. “We found something better.” Awesome.
@Dennis, you live in Hartford, but the west end, you cross the street and you’re om W. Hartford, so I wouldn’t exactly say that you don’t count, but you pay Hartford taxes, but you basically live in W. Hartford. You said you used to go to the Foodmart in W. Hartford to buy your groceries. I can’t blame you or anyone else b/c there are no grocery stores in Hartford. Hmm…..I wonder why?
Hartford used to be fun why I went to Whaler games and then to the Russian Lady. I had no fear then. Hartford during the day is not the Hartford at night. People are either hungry for food or drugs, so there are many more muggings and shootings.
So, am I upset that Starbucks won’t open on the weekends? Not a bit. Good for them.
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Sorry about the typos guys, I’m not awake yet.
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Maybe Gov. Malloy can get a warm Starbucks coffee while he is enjoying Switzerland. I’m sure he got one in Beverly Hills on his recent trip there too.
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@Paul,
It’s amazing how many of our governors/ and or mayors have entitlement issues and end up in jail. Stay tuned.
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Malloy probably drinks a brand of coffee from another country we’ve never even heard of. Like he needs a caffeine buzz eh?
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Many Starbucks stores are closed on weekends because Dunkin Donuts has decisively conquered the weekend coffee business, particularly on the east coast. That’s retail life. And anyone who’s REALLY serious about wanting the *highest-quality* coffee possible when they’re not working makes their own at home *anyway* (yes even espresso, cappuccino or latte) – and for a fraction of the cost of getting it ANYWHERE else… and just as quickly if not faster. But I get Malloy’s *real* message – if the businesses of downtown Hartford want to see increased business those businesses themselves are going to have to give more people a reason to go *into* downtown Hartford (if they don’t already live or work there) and spend more money there than they already do. And it’s also true that downtown Hartford will be SAFER on the weekends IF it and its businesses can manage to find a way to keep people *on the streets and in the businesses* of downtown Hartford on the weekends…
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I’m the owner of the La Paloma Sabanera Coffee House and I’m open on Saturdays from 9-3. Typically we have music or comedy improv on Friday and/or Saturday evenings also. We’re open Monday through Friday until 6pm. There is a market for weekend hours as my Saturdays have quadrupled since I opened 3 1/2 years ago. We’re not being mugged or raped here, no one’s been murdered. You can park right in front of the store for free. There are folks walking around, shopping, biking, doing their day-to-day stuff just like any other neighborhood. Saturdays are pretty mellow, we have free wi-fi and the best customers around, some of whom come in from the suburbs to hang out because they want to support a local business and not a big box. Check it out for yourself if you don’t believe me. Virginia Iacobucci
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I agree with the Governor. Starbucks is a a very poor corporate citizen when it comes to Hartford proper. I’ll be sure to frequent JoJo’s or La Paloma Sabanera instead.
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Frankly, we have much bigger problems than whether or not a stinkin’ Starbucks is going to remain open on the weekends. Malloy needs to focus on that. Starbucks is not going to make or break Hartford, and there are many other issues in Hartford to be angry and frustrated about.
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