It seems we may have — at least temporarily — reached our limit on Starbucks coffee outlets in Evanston.
Just a few months after a seventh Starbucks opened in a former KFC across from the Evanston Plaza shopping center at Dempster Street and Dodge Avenue, we’re losing the one in the Sam’s Club shopping center on Main Street east of McCormick Boulevard.
The Evanston Review reports the outlet at 2438 Main St. will close by the end of February and be replaced by a new one nearly two miles southwest in the new Mariano’s shopping center at Touhy Avenue and McCormick Blvd. in Skokie.
Skokie, to date, has been relatively underserved by Starbucks, with just three locations — in Old Orchard, at the Skokie Swift terminal on Dempster and at 4116 Dempster St.
The new Skokie location, like the Dempster-Dodge one in Evanston, will have a drive-thru, a feature the location closing next month lacks.
Not if you go to Sherman Starbucks
Starbucks on 1734 Sherman is always, always packed. The clientele tends to be students, moreso than non-students. We may have reached our limit on the "outskirts" of Evanston, but it is near impossible to get a seat at that Starbucks. On Sunday morning, I found myself feeling deja vu as I left Starbucks frustrated for the lack of seating. I once joked that Starbucks could move to the Buffalo Wild Wings space and still not have enough seats available. I am not sure of the magic number in Downtown Evanston for Starbucks, but we have not yet reached it.
I think your analysis is spot
I think your analysis is spot on for a traditional coffee shop interested in having enough seating for students studying, people engaging in conversation, etc. However, Starbucks moved away from that model years ago after they realized they can become a de facto McDonald’s for caffeine, selling coffee in the drive thru window without paying additional rent.
What would be nice is, rather
What would be nice is, rather than another starbucks we got another nice locally owned coffee shop.
Wrong location
This is my favorite Starbucks. By far. The baristas are wonderful & highly accommodating, it is roomy so there is always a place to to sit, & the parking is plentiful & free. BUT, it is poorly situated. That shopping area with a Sam's Club, Marshalls, Food For Less (among other low end stores) even saw a low-end gas station recently built on site. These lower end shopping centers are critical to those who cannot afford the pricier alternatives or those who prefer a bargain. A Dunkin Donuts or similar coffee house would be much better suited to the location.
Starbucks, however, is creating its own problems in all stores by allowing people to set up virtual offices or study centers in them for hours on end for the price of a latte. I've even seen customers bring their printers! Or to allow the equivalent of "manspreading" or one person sitting at a table for four just to drink a grande. I avoid the Starbucks on Sherman (no place to sit, no place to park, loud music, long lines, generally unwelcoming atmosphere). Other locations are only mildly better & present a crowded feeling with a long group tables & often with high ledges with bar stools.
I will be sad to see the Sam's Club shopping center Starbucks close for it truly is the best in every respect, IMO. It is just situated in the *wrong location* for the general shopping predilections of the cost-conscious consumer. .
It seems odd that the story
It seems odd that the story posted before this was an accident between an auto and a Dunkin Donuts truck.
Remember that Dunkin Donuts has the coffee that has beat out Starbucks for taste the last 8 years. I believe that McDonalds also beat Starbucks the last 2 years.
It appears that Starbucks is more of a status symbol, where you pay more for the name.