Concern brewing in Trenton, NJ, as Starbucks community store set to close for good

Concern continues to brew in New Jersey's capital city as Trenton's only Starbucks store announced it will close its doors for good sometime soon.

Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora met with the company last Thursday hoping they will reconsider. He's not alone in the fight as federal lawmakers, and even Gov. Phil Murphy, are all asking the coffee chain to keep its doors open.

At first, the plan was to shut the Starbucks on March 30, but the company has extended the closure date. The company confirmed with NBC10 that an exact date is not available at this time.

The delay is due to the company wanting to make sure community members and customers can transition to new stores with employees being offered the chance for relocation, according to a spokesperson.

“We are all working together to save this, but also to maintain the economic viability of Trenton’s downtown," the mayor told NBC10.

A lot of people in Trenton told NBC10 that this is about a lot more than a coffee shop closing, it's a community hub for a downtown that is trying to grow.

This particular Starbucks is one of the company's community stories that is designed to help disadvantaged communities.

This Starbucks location has been in Trenton since 2017 and since then, people say it's really had ripple effects and it's a big blow to hear that it's closing.

According to the company's website, the community store program works with non-profits and civic leaders to bolster economic growth. The stores focus on "hiring locally, creating dedicated space for communities to come together for events and working with diverse contractors for store construction and remodels."

Mayor Gusciora sent a letter earlier this week to Starbucks CEO expressing his disappointment that Trenton's community store is closing.

"Since its establishment in 2017, this particular Starbucks location has been more than just a place to grab a cup of coffee for state workers; it has been a beacon of hope and opportunity for many of our young workers, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds in our black and brown neighborhoods," the mayor wrote in the letter. "The closure of our Community Store not only leaves a void in our downtown landscape but also deals a significant blow to the progress we’ve made in fostering a more equitable and vibrant city."

"It's terrible. I mean, this is going to be a great loss to this community," one person said.

Traffic was flowing in and out of the Starbucks on Thursday, but it won't be for long.

"It's not good to see anything close," another person said.

The company announced that the store, which is located right in the heart of downtown Trenton, will close on March 30.

The impending closure is heartbreaking news for barista Benjamin Young.

Young started working in this Starbucks last year. He grew up in Trenton and saw firsthand how this community store helped local young people, like him, find jobs.

"This store is so sacred to me," said Young. "It is sad for Trenton."

Starbucks did not give a specific reason on why they are closing this store.

"We continually evaluate our store portfolio to ensure it is meeting the needs of our customers and the communities we serve. After serving the Trenton community for more than six years, we will be closing the Trenton Starbucks Community Store on March 30," a spokesperson told NBC10. "We look forward to serving our regulars and community members at nearby stores."

The capital city's mayor met with them Thursday morning and wants them to reconsider.

The store helped spur economic development in the downtown. It's why he and other political leaders have been reaching out to Starbucks hoping the company will change its mind.

When asked if there's any hope for the store to stay open, Mayor W. Reed Gusciora said, "They were extremely positive."

No big changes immediately came from that meeting, but the mayor said he was told that they would circle back.

In addition to bringing people together, Gusciora explained that this community store brings in business.

"It really has been an impetus for economic development downtown," he told NBC10.

Gusciora fears that the store closing will impact any progress that they've seen in Trenton.

It's a similar concern for the co-owner of a cafe located just across the street.

"A lot of foot traffic comes from Starbucks," they said.

The mayor is now joined by other political leaders trying to save this Starbucks.

"The governor has been extremely helpful with helping them stay,” Mayor Gusciora said. “This is all hands on deck.”

In the meantime, the plan is for employees like Young to work at other locations.

For Young, that means a 15 minute walk to work will now turn into a bus ride.

"To go to the new store wherever it's at, it's going to be like 20 minutes, probably 35 minutes or more. So, it will be a headache, but I will make it," he said.

Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman wrote a letter to the company as well. She said if this location is closed, then New Jersey would be one of just a few states with no Starbucks in the capital city.

"By closing the Trenton location, New Jersey would become one of only three states with no Starbucks in their capital city, joining South Dakota and Vermont, and depriving Trenton --- an urban community with a 26.2% poverty rate --- of the opportunity to continue on its path toward economic revitalization," the congresswoman wrote.

Starbucks plans to continue their relationships with local nonprofit organizations in Trenton, the company spokesperson said.