Starbucks does not have good coffee, unless you prefer lattes with burnt espresso and foamy milk. But in my ignorant youth, I loved Starbucks. Now that I’m at Hillsdale, I have realized the error of my ways and embraced the plethora of local coffee shops instead. We should not bring a Starbucks to Hillsdale.
The local coffee shops in Hillsdale would suffer as a result of the installment of a new corporation in town. Rough Draft, Checker Records, and Jilly Beans are all local businesses depending on the townspeople and students to support them. Starbucks would unfairly draw business away from these shops that add to the small town appeal of Hillsdale.
The local businesses that call Hillsdale home are unique. At Checker Records, you can buy incense, records, CDs, and a variety of chai flavors – whose quality I have never seen anywhere else. Jilly Beans has a multitude of syrup flavors you can add to your drink—even banana. Rough Draft is the only place in town where you can get a bourbon vanilla latte, a charcuterie board, or a cocktail at any time of day. Starbucks would be unable to provide such experiences to their clientele because of its limited menu.
One former A.J.’s Cafe manager and Starbucks employee described her poor experience working at Starbucks. When she was an opening supervisor, she was diagnosed with strep throat and was still expected to come in and open the store. As an international corporation, Starbucks places more emphasis on customer satisfaction and profits than the wellbeing of its employees. Starbucks’ store policies demand an opening supervisor be present for each opening shift, regardless of their health or wellbeing, which prevented the employee from taking a day off to rest.
Starbucks has not earned the right to call Hillsdale home. As students who reside in this town for nine months of the year, we should not support them in opening a location in our small town.
