For Inwood, Introspection on a Starbucks Near-Miss

Monday, June 11, 2007, by Lockhart

With the Lower East Side having long since folded, and Greenpoint more recently following suit, the question of which NYC edge neighborhood will be the next to fall prey to the siren song of Starbucks shifts uptown. New neighborhood blog Inwoodite reports on a near-miss at 207th Street and Broadway:

As some (but not all) inquisitors were told by the on-site work crew, it will be a coffee shop, but not a Starbucks. Word is Cafe Expresso (as in "express"?) is a small locally owned chain, with locations in Brooklyn and Tuckahoe.

Whether this is good or bad news depends on one's perspective. While some of my neighbors were excited by the prospect of Inwood having 'Made it' - i.e. deemed worthy of a Starbucks - others dreaded what they saw as the inevitable Duane Reade-ification to follow, along with rising rents and the homogenization of what is still a diverse populace. Still others predicted Starbucks would get a cool reception from the Dominican community, what with its Lite FM format and all. Regardless, for better or worse the question is moot, and Inwood remains below the radar. For now.

And yet, Inwood now has another neighborhood blog. Over/under on Duane Reade-ificiation: 18 months.
· Looks Like We Didn't Make It [Inwoodite]

Filed under Manhattan: Inwood/Washington Heights, Restaurants, Inwood, Starbucks

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Comments (8 extant)

A cool reception from the Dominican community?

There is a starbucks on 181st and broadway, very large Dominican population there and the place is packed.

People want convenience..pure and simple.

By jmfangio at June 11, 2007 1:32 PM

Inwood remains below the standards of livability?

By pedestrian at June 11, 2007 1:35 PM

But I really wanted $4.89 Grande Mocha Soy Latte!!!

By rockeys at June 11, 2007 2:19 PM

Tuckahoe????????

By Anonymous at June 11, 2007 3:35 PM

Inwood didn't use to be below the standards of livability- but I'd say yeah it's pretty much rock bottom now. I personally cannnot comprehend anyone actually choosing to live there- if not only because of the horrendous noise. It's dirty, smelly, shit-pit with nothing going for it. The Dominicans made sure of that.

By Anonymous at June 12, 2007 11:26 AM

The neighborhood is so small that it will be tough to support some of the bigger stores that have sprouted elsewhere, but you will probably see the retailscape work its way at least somewhere up this chain of events:

1. Bank of America ATM pops up in former bodega
2. Duane Reade takes a subprime space and clones itself
3. Commerce, Wachovia or North Fork show up out of nowhere along with renovated Chase and Citibank
4. 99 cent store disappears
5. Starbucks appears on the hot corner
6. Local cheap clothier morphs into Payless
7. 99 cent store disappears
8. Chipotle!

Looks like #1 has already happened. I think Inwood will make it to perhaps #3...

By JunoBeach at June 13, 2007 6:22 PM

Jackson Heights is the next "edge" neighborhood to be getting a Starbucks--and also a YogurtBerry, a Pinkberry competitor from LA

By Lauren at June 21, 2007 11:38 PM

We want a Starbucks in Inwood! The building at the corner at 215 and Broadway seems to be a juicy target. How much longer do we have to wait? The Starbucks north at the Bronx Target does not cut it, and 181st Street is too far south.

I can't believe I'm saying this but a Starbucks in Inwood would be a great thing.

By Dhalgren at July 19, 2007 1:06 PM