Group strives to 'Save Our Starbucks' from closing

Justin Lofton Staff Writer

Ada June 08, 2009 09:30 am

— After April’s announcement that Ada’s Starbucks would be closing their stores, members of the community have banded together to get some local support for the coffee franchise.
“We’ve built a Holiday Inn Express and there are a lot of other new businesses coming in and new restaurants,” Keith Davis, manager of the employee benefits division at Prepaid Legal Services said. “Starbucks is a great addition and a sign that we’ve kind of started to arrive as a smaller community.”
“I think that it (Starbucks) is one of things people look for when they’re trying to find a place to spend the night,” Bill Thompson, executive vice president of Edge Tech, said.
“We’ve had people who are out-of-town people from Prepaid who have said, ‘This is one of the reasons I like to stay here: I can come over to Starbucks.’”
In an effort to keep this franchise around, Thompson and Davis have formed a group called, “Save Our Starbucks,” in an effort to draw more business to the coffee shop. The idea is to increase sales so the company would notice the Ada store.
“People don’t realize that it wouldn’t take much,” Thompson said. “From what I hear, a little more sales might be able to save the store.”
“I hope that they make a decision based not on just one year’s economics, but give the Ada community a chance as a whole and see that we’re a growing and prospering community. We’ve got some potential for growth and when you have more potential for growth, you’re going to do more,” Davis said.
Whether the Starbucks company is willing to give the Ada store another chance is iffy, to say the least. Thompson, a latte man, and Davis, preferring the cappuccino, are committed customers to the franchise, making Starbucks their first stop in the mornings.
“It kind of sets the tone,” Davis said. “It gives me a chance to think about the day’s activities over coffee.”
“I hate to commit to be the last customer but I’ll be here the last day,” Thompson said.
“I will be, too,” Davis said.