Mayor Cavalier Johnson
Press Release

Statement on closure of Midtown Starbucks

Statement of Alderman Cavalier Johnson November 15, 2019

By - Nov 15th, 2019 12:12 pm

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. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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3 thoughts on “Statement on closure of Midtown Starbucks”

  1. Thomas Martinsen says:

    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.”

  2. Lee Bitts says:

    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.

  3. Thomas Martinsen says:

    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,

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