Mack Avenue will have it's second Starbucks

**stasu1213** · April-03-17, 08:34 PM

I had noticed the log cabin like structure,the fire Country Inn Restaurant on Mack and Neff had been razed to make way for Starbucks. There is a Starbucks opening soon sign there

**Hypestyles** · April-04-17, 05:44 AM

where exactly is this? do you have a Google Maps reference?

**gumby** · April-04-17, 08:04 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

where exactly is this? do you have a Google Maps reference?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=mack+ave+and+radnor

**stasu1213** · April-04-17, 08:19 AM

It's on Mack next to the dealership maybe it's on the corner of Radnor

**fastcarsandfreedom** · April-04-17, 10:24 AM

It's definitely the corner of Mack and Radnor. The D side of Mack allows them to have a drive-thru -- great location. Both of the other Starbucks in the area--Mack and Allard, Kercheval and Notre Dame are drive-thru restricted.

Originally Posted by stasu1213

It's on Mack next to the dealership maybe it's on the corner of Radnor

**ddaydetroit** · April-04-17, 10:38 AM

Its been my experience when the starbucks and buffalo wild wings style shops move in and push out the family owned businesses the area loses some of the coolness factor.

**Hypestyles** · April-04-17, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by fastcarsandfreedom

It's definitely the corner of Mack and Radnor. The D side of Mack allows them to have a drive-thru -- great location. Both of the other Starbucks in the area--Mack and Allard, Kercheval and Notre Dame are drive-thru restricted.

how are drive-throughs restricted? City ordinance in the grosse pointes?

**fastcarsandfreedom** · April-04-17, 12:23 PM

Generally. Some consider it on a case-by-case basis but restrict it in the high-density commercial areas [[the Wendy's on Mack in GPF is grandfathered in from it's time as a Burger Chef). There are also restrictions on business hours in some of the cities.

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

how are drive-throughs restricted? City ordinance in the grosse pointes?

As for the coolness factor -- its a reasonably successful commercial strip, but I wouldn't say there is much of a cool vibe to lose. It's a fallow commercial property in the City of Detroit that is being converted to a commercially viable use...SBUX is a good corporate citizen and taxpayer.

**EastsideAl** · April-04-17, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by ddaydetroit

Its been my experience when the starbucks and buffalo wild wings style shops move in and push out the family owned businesses the area loses some of the coolness factor.

The "coolness factor" of Mack Ave. ?!? Have you ever been there?

It's certainly a nice area, with a number of useful stores, etc., and I'm over that way a lot. But - Starbucks or not - "cool" it really ain't.

**fastcarsandfreedom** · April-04-17, 06:37 PM

EastsideAl -- as a GPer I can tell you that in general terms the Pointes go out of their way to NOT be 'cool' -- the goal is clean and square. GPP is somewhat of an exception with what they are trying to do around Kercheval and Alter, but otherwise the goal is nice, respectable businesses that close early. It is what it is -- it works.

**MikeM** · April-04-17, 06:41 PM

There's nothing in that neighborhood that a Starbucks can take away from.

**Bishop** · April-04-17, 09:12 PM

Mmmm....curious, why is this a story? Just sayin.....lol!

**p69rrh51** · April-04-17, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by Bishop

Mmmm....curious, why is this a story? Just sayin.....lol!

Due to the fact that that its located in Detroit not Grosse Pointe. The recently razed diner had been empty for at least 5 years so no loss of family or local business. The store should do well sitting in a high traffic area.

**Mackinaw** · April-05-17, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by fastcarsandfreedom

GPP is somewhat of an exception with what they are trying to do around Kercheval and Alter,

You mean blockading the street on the Detroit border?

Haha, i'm still not over that...

As to this Starbucks, which incidently is up the street from where I grew up-- mixed thoughts. Not averse to them as a tenant, and not averse to reactivating that forlorned corner of Radnor [[an increasingly depressed street). Hate the prospect of suburban strip architecture, but maybe they'll surprise us with something minimum-setback [[like much of Mack Ave., which generally puts parking in the rear), and hey, I'm just glad that Pointe Dodge did not buy the lot to expand it parking lot.

Generally speaking I think Mack Ave. is actually suitable for mid-rise and residential on top of retail. That would help retailers sustain themselves, and it would not be inconsistent with some of the prevailing land use [[i.e. the apartments at Mack and Lakeland in GPC). Would love to see it proceed in that direction.

**bust** · April-05-17, 04:10 PM

Totally agree, Mackinaw and several others.

I suspect a Starbucks will help, not hurt nearby family owned businesses. This stretch of Mack could use more high frequency customer traffic. It could do without a Buffalo Wild Wings though. That much is correct. Would love to see Mackinaw's vision of mid-rise residential with first floor commercial spaces replace the auto dealership and its parking lots.

Haven't been to Bluefin, but beef barley soup at the Wooden Nickel was a childhood treat. Too bad they couldn't both exist.

**stasu1213** · April-05-17, 05:00 PM

Let's keep the high rise condos and apartments off the strip. However, Starbucks will not be a threat to the small independent businesses along Mack. It will draw customers from the dealership and other businesses along Mack for its the only coffee shop in that particular end of Mack. Ace Hardware saw potential on Mack compared to in the Village for that's why they moved. I don't want to see panhandlers and other seedy characters hanging around the drive thru as they don't at drive thru all over the city.

**stasu1213** · April-05-17, 05:10 PM

I agree. I really didn't care for the Mcdonalds opening on that end of Mack for it's late hours. Detroit and Grosse Pointe had a mutual concept and understanding years ago on what should be on the strip. There's a different mindset in Detroit's economic growth community and district council who will look out more for the community but who probably line their pockets to allow a particular business in the strip regardless of it going against the late of the land

**eastland** · April-05-17, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

Let's keep the high rise condos and apartments off the strip. However, Starbucks will not be a threat to the small independent businesses along Mack. It will draw customers from the dealership and other businesses along Mack for its the only coffee shop in that particular end of Mack. Ace Hardware saw potential on Mack compared to in the Village for that's why they moved. I don't want to see panhandlers and other seedy characters hanging around the drive thru as they don't at drive thru all over the city.

Moving to Mack had to be the worst decision the hardware store could make. The building layout is stupid, they are thin on merchandise and I never see any cars there.

**stasu1213** · April-05-17, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by eastland

Moving to Mack had to be the worst decision the hardware store could make. The building layout is stupid, they are thin on merchandise and I never see any cars there.

The hardware store became an independent hardware store and dumped the Ace name. Will this Starbucks be a corporate one or an independent one?

**fastcarsandfreedom** · April-06-17, 11:39 AM

Frankly I'm surprised Village [[Ace) is still hanging on. They had a great thing going on Kercheval but the few times I've been since the move have ended in frustration. Just as easy to go to HD or Lowes in HW, or the remaining Ace [[ex-Aco) in Downtown SCS.

All actual Starbucks locations are corporate -- although there are some independent places that "serve Starbucks Coffee" such as kiosks in hospitals, hotels, etc. This location will be a corporate, full-service Starbucks.

**stasu1213** · April-06-17, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by fastcarsandfreedom

Frankly I'm surprised Village [[Ace) is still hanging on. They had a great thing going on Kercheval but the few times I've been since the move have ended in frustration. Just as easy to go to HD or Lowes in HW, or the remaining Ace [[ex-Aco) in Downtown SCS.

All actual Starbucks locations are corporate -- although there are some independent places that "serve Starbucks Coffee" such as kiosks in hospitals, hotels, etc. This location will be a corporate, full-service Starbucks.

Will it be a large Starbucks or a smaller one such as the one on Allard?

**shoelessjoe** · April-08-17, 02:51 PM

No clue -- however I suspect it'll be larger and will almost certainly have a drive-thru. Mack/Allard is a converted gas station/garage and therefore limited in size [[and parking). Cool little building inside -- pre-cast concrete roof.