Governor Phil Murphy held discussions with Starbucks’ top executives last week to prevent the closure of the only Starbucks in Trenton, New Jersey’s capital city.
The meeting was part of a broader initiative by New Jersey’s elected officials, both in the private and public spheres, to convince the coffee giant to reconsider its decision to close the location.
Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora and state Economic Development Authority representatives also engaged with Starbucks executives to discuss the store’s future.
Initially, Starbucks indicated a decision on the store’s fate would be made within 24 hours of their discussion with Governor Murphy.
However, the company later shifted its stance, opting to reevaluate the situation, a move that Gusciora optimistically likened to awaiting a significant announcement, akin to the Vatican’s traditional method of signaling the election of a new Pope.
“We haven’t gotten any white smoke from the Vatican, which is actually a good sign,” Gusciora humorously remarked.
A spokesperson for Governor Murphy confirmed the ongoing negotiations, emphasizing the Starbucks location’s role beyond a mere coffee shop.
“The Starbucks in Trenton is not only a coffee shop — it’s a community hub and an anchor for the city’s downtown,” said Maggie Garbarino, a spokesperson for Murphy.
The closure of this particular Starbucks, situated at 102 S. Warren St. and inaugurated in 2017 as part of the Starbucks Community Store program, has sparked concern.
This program was specifically designed to provide job opportunities for disadvantaged youth in Black and brown communities.
The company has remained tight-lipped about the precise reasons for the impending closure, although it has acknowledged the decision was made after considering various factors.
Mayor Gusciora and U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman have made personal appeals to Starbucks, urging executives to maintain the operation of the Trenton location.
Rep. Coleman said, ” 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.”
Gusciora has been actively engaging with Starbucks, receiving positive signals that the company is exploring alternatives to maintain its presence in Trenton.
“I think they were surprised at how much enthusiasm was for Starbucks and the brand,” Gusciora noted.
