Starbucks to require purchases to hang out in stores

[Anonymous]

When I was in college, I was a 'regular' at the campus Starbucks and one of the baristas was so nice. He always had the most positive attitude, asked me how I was doing...really cheered me up as I dealt with a lot of depression in college. On graduation day, he gave me a free drink and had decorated the cup for me, I still have it somewhere!

Eventually, he moved on from Starbucks, went back to school and got a degree, and has a corporate job, is happily married with kids. I still think about him when I go to Starbucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a way to do this for libraries too. The homeless have taken them over.

I don't mind if people don't have homes. However, when they have mental illness and no one to keep them calm, the situation doesn't feel safe. I can no longer relax in the library to do work. I feel like I constantly have to look over my shoulder.

One time, a young man careened toward me with shouting. Something felt off. I soon realized he probably was autistic. His caretaker came and steered him away from me. I'm glad I didn't say anything, but I also didn't like the experience.

Some kind of institution brings adults to the library. They take up the whole lobby and stare at the walls. They are not communicative, and I'm not sure why a business is bringing their clients to a public place to sit around. My parent's AL does not bring their elderly residents to the library to stare at walls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to the Starbucks in the Burnt Mills shopping center on 29 a few weeks ago with my kid and a a friend. We got drinks and snacks but had nowhere to sit because of all the people working on laptops. Literally… no spare tables.
They need to limit those people to an hour max as well. Not let them sit there nursing one coffee for 3 hours..

That one on 29 is definitely bad and way too small. The Wildwood Starbucks is also terrible. They should not be cheap and should make larger stores.

[Anonymous]

Yay!

It's a business. As a paying customer, I would like a seat to enjoy my pricey beverage.

If you didn't buy anything, go sit in the mall.

[Anonymous]

I literally never have trouble finding a seat at Starbucks. I'm sorry that happened to some of you one time but also if that is your biggest problem...

Starbucks explicitly markets itself as a place to go and work for longer periods of time. There are other coffee shops that don't do that. In DC there's Baked & Wired in NoMa and the last time I was there they didn't even offer wifi because they wanted to deter people going there to work. That's a fantastic coffee shop with great coffee and really good fresh baked goods. It's also huge.

It's okay for there to be different places for different uses. Starbucks wants to be a destination for people who want to camp out and work and most people who do that actually do spend quite a bit of money there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to the Starbucks in the Burnt Mills shopping center on 29 a few weeks ago with my kid and a a friend. We got drinks and snacks but had nowhere to sit because of all the people working on laptops. Literally… no spare tables.
They need to limit those people to an hour max as well. Not let them sit there nursing one coffee for 3 hours..

That one on 29 is definitely bad and way too small. The Wildwood Starbucks is also terrible. They should not be cheap and should make larger stores.

Cheap? Maybe they just want to sell coffee

[Anonymous]

The only reason I go into Starbucks is if I have to pee on a run. Guess I need to find new places, although I doubt this will actually be enforced.

[Anonymous]

Yuck who 1) wants to hang out at Starbucks with the unwashed and 2) wants to consume anything at a Starbucks? Sounds like a lose/lose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wasn’t Starbucks already taken to court and found racist on this issue?

They were not being consistent, with all customers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a way to do this for libraries too. The homeless have taken them over.

With homeless shelters closing down and social safety nets slashed, they have nowhere to go. Libraries are one of the last free indoor public places they can go.

Have some compassion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a way to do this for libraries too. The homeless have taken them over.

Yeah, it's such a tough subject, too. If you get upset by it, you're an a-hole b/c they're unhoused. We lived in the neighborhood behind our local library. My kids were allowed to walk there alone once they were around ~8. There's also a great playground at park next to the library that they were allowed walk to solo. My youngest is now 15 and in HS and she won't go to the library without a parent with her. The homeless have taken it over and often harass or follow visitors. If they get very unruly, the librarian asks them to leave and ends up having to call the police for help.

They've also taken over the playground there. One sleeps inside of a piece of equipment. There's lots of fecal matter around and it smells like urine. Again, the police come and run them around and then a few days later they set up camp again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a way to do this for libraries too. The homeless have taken them over.

I know! The massive shopping carts of garbage and who knows what are so gross to have in an indoor, public space.

Bedbugs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a way to do this for libraries too. The homeless have taken them over.

Yeah, they should just freeze to death!

No they shouldn't but the library is not a homeless shelter.

Fun fact: most homeless shelters require their occupants to leave during the day (I heard this had something to do with residency laws but DK if this is true). Homeless individuals need somewhere to go when it is cold or hot out, and often communities specifically designate libraries. If you don't like it, work to find/fund another solution.

Ok, but leave your suitcases and shopping carts outside. Sorry but these shouldn’t be coming into a library; they further facilitate the transfer lice and bedbugs

[Anonymous]

The homeless with the shopping carts aren't the ones who live in the shelters IME. Those are the ones who live in the streets and have serious issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish there was a way to do this for libraries too. The homeless have taken them over.

Yeah, they should just freeze to death!

Let them in your house then!

Oh wait what's the matter? You don't run a homeless shelter? Is the library a homeless shelter?