Neighbors Not Cool With That Boozy Williamsburg Starbucks

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It's the beginning of Starbucks's holiest time of year—#PSL season—and the mega-chain is once again facing some pushback on that proposed boozy Williamsburg outpost at 154 North 7th Street. The West, a coffee shop located close to the neighborhood's first Starbucks, which opened in July, has launched a petition to convince Community Board 1 that a Starbucks armed with alcohol would threaten nearby beer halls, sports bars, and cafés, reports DNAinfo.

The petition has already gained about 200 signatures, and begins: "The billionaires of Starbucks are now threatening to undermine a major lifeline of Brooklyn's small businesses. Selling beer, wine, and liquor is one of the few ways that local restaurants, bars, delis, and coffeehouses can make ends meet in New York City."

But Starbucks hasn't exactly wooed the Community Board: Its first attempt at securing a liquor license for the new shop was shut down, due to the fact that Starbucks, an internationally recognizable brand, didn't include its name in the application. In response, CB1 told Starbucks it needed to complete a bit of neighborhood outreach before re-applying—though that doesn't appear to be going particularly well.

Esther Bell, owner of The West, told DNAinfo, "It's a franchise that can't stop themselves ... Manhattan is a mall. We don't have to accept that Brooklyn is on the same path."

At a CB1 meeting last night, The West reported via Instagram that they have "proved no public interest so the Starbucks alcohol license is postponed again." The final decision will be made during a 6:30pm October 20th meeting at 211 Ainslie Street.

· Williamsburg Coffee Shop Says Starbucks Booze License Would Kill Small Biz [DNAinfo]
· Williamsburg Gets a Boozy Starbucks [Racked NY]
· Starbucks Denied Liquor License for Being Shady [Racked NY]