Starbucks Coffee stores across the country closed their doors for three-and-a-half hours Tuesday night, forcing many UW-Madison students to look elsewhere for their caffeine fix and comfy study chair.
The Seattle-based coffee chain temporarily shut down approximately 7,100 stores to the public at 5:30 p.m. so employees could take part in beverage training, Starbucks Corp. said in a statement.
While Madison Starbucks stores also closed for the training, many patrons opted to grab their cup of joe at other local coffee houses.
Espresso Royale, located across the street from the student-frequented Starbucks at 661 State St., saw an increase in business during the time of the Starbucks’ closure.
The State Street location closed at 5:30 p.m. and did not reopen for the remainder of their normal business hours.
Tim Collier, an employee at Espresso Royale, said although many regulars did not know that Starbucks was closed, he did notice an influx of patrons for a few hours.
“We’re getting many more customers than usual,” Collier said.
UW-Madison students Rachel Racoosin and Becca Girard said they planned to meet at Starbucks at 661 State St. to work on a project, but relocated to Espresso Royal after discovering the store’s closure.
Racoosin said she preferred studying at Starbucks rather than a campus library because of the store’s upstairs room, which is equipped with tables and comfortable couches and chairs.
“That’s why I like it because the upstairs room is usually quieter than downstairs,” Racoosin said.
Girard said an additional benefit of studying at Starbucks is being able to easily get together with other students and review coursework or study for an exam.
“They provide a great community space for students to meet in,” Girard said, noting her disappointment in Starbucks’ closure.
“Closing inhibits the interaction of students who are trying to study together.”
According to Starbucks Corp., over 135,000 baristas in the United States participated in the “Espresso Excellence” training program Tuesday, designed to “ensure the exceptional quality of every beverage.”
—Amanda Hoffstrom contributed to this report.
