Starbucks Coffee Company serving alcohol in more locations will be a smart move for the massive coffee chain, but the site on Marshall Street and University Avenue should not be one of these locations.

On March 20, Starbucks announced it would be expanding its “Starbucks Evenings” feature, which offers beer, wine and extra dishes after 4 p.m., to thousands of locations across the country within the next few years. It currently has 26 locations that serve alcohol, out of the approximately 11,000 Starbucks in the United States.

Starbucks is expanding its late-night menu to more locations because of its success in the 26 trial locations, but a “Starbucks Evening” on the university hill might not have the same results.

The Marshall Street location’s main function is serving as a place for students to study quietly or meet up with others. For a college campus, Starbucks typically represents a place where students spend hours doing work while getting a caffeine fix.

Introducing beer and wine after 4 p.m. would disrupt the establishment’s environment. While the decision has been financially beneficial for Starbucks in other locations, it does not fit the identity that has been defined by students at Syracuse University.

Alcohol at the Marshall Street Starbucks would not be a popular addition given the various options already available near campus. In the same area as popular bars such as Chuck’s Cafe, Faegan’s Café & Pub, DJ’s On the Hill and others, Starbucks is unlikely to be a student’s go-to choice when it comes to drinking.

With a region so dominated by already established bars, serving alcohol at Starbucks may not be financially beneficial for the company. Although it is profitable in other cities, SU would not be a strong candidate for the “Starbucks Evening” program, as students will be more likely to go to bars for a beer than to a coffee shop.

The Starbucks on Marshall Street and University Avenue should remain the way it is — alcohol-free — because it is established as a quiet space in an environment already so saturated with better options.

Published on March 24, 2014 at 12:20 am