Anyways, so my friends at Starbucks tell me that the shiny new Starbucks location in Downtown (located in the 11 E building on Forsyth st) is slated to be closed, and while Starbucks corporate has not given a definite timetable the rumor going around is that the closing will probably be a few weeks after the new year. Now, being a supporter of small businesses (I tend to frequent the Chamblin's coffee shop fairly often) part of me is cheering for the homogenizing behemoth to leave Downtown, but the other part of me realizes what a missed opportunity this will be for the Downtown business community.
While Starbucks is a corporate juggernaut that saps money from the local economy, it also serves as a destination for much of the American population, and having an easily recognizable and dependable destination like Starbucks in the middle of downtown provides an excellent opportunity for small merchants and restaurants to try to lure those customers away from Starbucks and into their businesses. Chamblin's Uptown a few blocks away would benefit from those who decided they needed something to read while they drank their coffee (although Chamblin's needs to be open later than 5 pm in my opinion), Chew, NOLA, Cafe 331 and Burrito Gallery would be able to bring in those customers who decide a crusty scone from the glass case just isn't enough to slate their appetite, and destinations like the Symphony, the Florida Theatre, the museum, the plethora of clubs along Bay st, and the Landing could bring in the people who came Downtown with a craving for coffee and something else to do.
It should be mentioned that although the Forsyth location is closing, the Landing store is going to remain open. But everyone I've spoken to hates that place, and every time I've been there it's smelled vaguely of stinky old cheese (although the Landing tends to smell that way in general)
Hopefully Chamblin's, The Brick Coffee Shop and Shelby's (although I rarely hear good things about Shelby's product) can step up to the plate and provide that relaxing destination for people Downtown seeking a quiet place to enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee and read a good book. If comfortable, no pressure stores like coffee shops and book stores could start creating a reason for people to relax downtown during the rush hours, it may just spur shoppers into looking around at what some of the other businesses in the area have to offer.
