Statement on closure of Midtown Starbucks
Statement of Alderman Cavalier Johnson November 15, 2019
As of today, I have been informed that the Midtown Starbucks has closed its doors for good. The Midtown Starbucks location is where I have held countless Second Cup in-district office hours and met with so many of you.
Since the lobby at the Midtown Starbucks closed, I visited the location and spoke with staff and Starbucks district management about their intent to reopen the lobby, and I talked with the Milwaukee Police Department about their commitment to finding solutions with Starbucks for the overall public safety of every patron. When the store transitioned to drive thru only, I knew that the model would not be sustainable as a long-term option.
The Midtown Starbucks location was special – it was very much akin to a Coffee Makes You Black destination for the 2nd District: A meeting place for our community, for families across the 2nd District, and a convening place for citizens across the north and northwest sides.
I am already consulting with the Department of City Development about finding suitable options for this location, and someday I would love to see a Black-owned establishment there. But today, I will continue to work so businesses thrive, families are safe, and neighborhoods are flourishing.
A few thieves stole not only from Starbucks, but from our entire community.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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Alderman Johnson,
The closing of the mid town Starbucks is discouraging. I wish you the best at finding another vendor to open a similar establishment in the currently vacant building. In the meanwhile, consider meeting with constituents at fairly nearby “Sherman Perk.”
The few thieves who stole from the Mid Town Starbucks are probably not reading Urban Milwaukee online articles.
If you were to re-open this Starbucks, they’d probably return as well.
Sad, but speeches and lamentations don’t seem to impact crime much.
I taught at 2 alternative high schools: one in Milwaukee and one 150 miles or so north of Milwaukee. A few of the students in those schools spoke openly and sometimes proudly about engaging in criminal activity. I agree with Lee Bitts that “speeches and lamentations don;t seem to impact crime much.” That said, I think that communities victimized by crime need to stand up to the criminals by restoring businesses (when plausible) where crimes have shut them down. I would like to see, for example, another coffee shop or restaurant ( with a security guard or 2) in the building that Starbucks shut down. Young punks should not be allowed to win a war vs. commerce in poor neighborhoods without a fight from the residents and the leaders of those neighborhoods. That fight begins with recognition of troubled teens in troubled neighborhoods, continues with reconciliation with same ( when possible) and proceeds with inclusion of the isolated into the community.
If the above doesn’t work, you have your neighborhood meetings at a coffee shop in a neighborhood nearby – such as Sherman Perk,