As I write this post, I take a few pauses in between my keystrokes to sip on my hot Americano that I picked up a few minutes before from the newly opened Starbucks at the corner of Madera Ave and Ave 13. Its actual address being 1451 Madera Ave. This marks the seventh Starbucks in the surrounding areas of the city of Madera.
Located adjacent to the EZ Trip gas station, it has been strategically placed in the city. If you take a close look at the map, you’ll notice the Starbucks in town are evenly distributed around the city to maximize customer coverage.
I checked it out from the inside to get a feel for the atmosphere. Admittedly, I was also just curious to know if I would be able to hold meetings inside in the future or even go and do some work while I drink some coffee. Unfortunately, it’s quite small, and no chairs or tables to be seen. It does include a drive-thru, so it’s mostly a pick-up-and-go type of setup.
Recently, when a post about the new Starbucks being opened was posted on Madera Informed, some people seem upset that “another” Starbucks had opened. I read a few comments which can be generalized to the following two points:
- “Why can’t we open the hospital instead?”
- “What we needed is better dining options!”
To address the first question, using the word “instead” basically means that two things cannot happen at the same time. Well, it doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive situation. Both, Starbucks can keep opening new locations if they have the financial ability and a demanding market to do so. And separately, Madera can also try to re-open the hospital. They’re two completely different situations. It’s not like the same companies control both. Starbucks is a corporation that is in the coffee business, not the hospital business, so they will not randomly open a hospital. Maybe the confusion stems from people thinking the city owns the Starbucks? Though that’s never been the case, the city is only responsible for approving and allowing it to conduct business, but the city of Madera doesn’t have a say what type of establishment a business owner or investor must open! They can try to incentivize, but that’s about it. If you were an investor and wanted to open a pizza restaurant, the city cannot tell you, “you must open an Buffalo Wild Wings since we need more fine dining!” It doesn’t work that way.
Now the second point can also be answered by the fact that the city does not have a say what type of establishment a business owner or investor must open!
Luckily, others like myself see the benefits from any new business opening. Sure Starbucks is “pricey” and you can save a ton by making coffee yourself at home, but let people decide that for themselves. Starbucks will continue to thrive as long as there is a demand, and since they keep opening Starbucks in Madera, that obviously means there is. At the end of the day more Starbucks locations generate more jobs and sales tax for the city (how those taxes are managed, that’s another story).
Where do you think the eighth Starbucks would go? Of course if an eighth location even opens, though I presume that’s a high possibility. I personally would love to see one open in Downtown Madera! I think it would benefit Downtown.
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