The mayor of New Jersey’s capital city urged the CEO of Starbucks in a letter Tuesday to reconsider the company’s decision to close the only Trenton location of the chain at the end of the month.
In the letter addressed to Laxman Narasimhan, the coffee chain’s CEO, Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora expressed his “profound disappointment” with the company’s intention to close the Starbucks store at 102 S. Warren St.
“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,” he wrote. “The impact extends far beyond the loss of a business; it represents a setback in our collective efforts to uplift and empower our residents.”
He implored the company to reconsider the closure and look at alternative solutions.
“I am more than willing to discuss this further and explore potential avenues for collaboration,” Gusciora wrote. “Your support in preserving the legacy of your Community Store would not only be a testament to Starbucks’ commitment to social responsibility but also a beacon of hope for disadvantaged youths in our community.”
The mayor said the closure will bring an unfortunate new designation for New Jersey. “It will be the only capital city in the country without a Starbucks,” he told NJ Advance Media Tuesday.
It opened in 2017 as a Community Store, a company initiative that aims to help distressed cities and provide job opportunities to disadvantaged youth in Black and brown communities, he said.
The store is a downtown anchor, where members of the public meet and police officers are often present. In addition to selling coffee and food, the location has a community meeting room.
It will close on March 30, a Starbucks spokeswoman confirmed this week.
She declined to cite specific reasons for the closure, other than saying the decision involved a number of factors and the company is continually evaluating its needs.
“We’ve been in the Trenton community for more than six years, we’re really proud of it,” said the spokeswoman. “And we really are grateful for our neighbors, but we’ve made the hard decision to close the store on Warren Street on March 30.”
Officials are preparing to spend $500,000 rehabilitating the entire downtown, Gusciora said. A new bar recently opened nearby, and a coffee shop is set to open soon.
“Starbucks is right in the center of all that,” he said.
A manager told employees the news Monday night, citing economic factors, the mayor said. Starbucks officials did not consult city officials before making the announcement, he said.
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Brianna Kudisch may be reached at bkudisch@njadvancemedia.com.
