Mack / Woodward Starbucks

**softailrider** · February-14-23, 06:44 PM

Closed on 2-13. Safety concerns for staff and customers. Seemed like a terrific location for a Starbucks, I guess it wasn't.

**313WX** · February-15-23, 02:21 AM

It had a good 15+ year run...

**DetroitSoldier** · February-15-23, 07:43 AM

I went in there often. Never had any issues.

**stasu1213** · February-15-23, 09:34 AM

That Starbucks had issues when it first opened in 2005. Staff were harassed. Riff raff harassed customers and look as they that they were going to robbed the store. Security had kept guard on the store earlier on but detail was pulled shortly after. Had the Wayne State Police would had been allowed to get tough with these undesirables then the Black race hustlers such as Sam Riddle and others would had been protesting to close that Starbucks down. One thing is that Starbucks was near a bus stop and Qline. That had given the thugs a reason to loiter inside the store claiming that they are just trying to stay warm while waiting on the bus. Management had tried going to the city about the issue but to no avail. Don't be surprised if another restaurant or independent owned coffee shop open in that spot unharrassed by thugs and riff raff. The same unfortunate thing had happened to Ye Olde Butchers Shop that had opened a market nearby in 2012. They kept having problems with break ins and riff raffs coming in and causing trouble. The city didn't di any thing concerning to safety issues for the store so the owner closed the store a year later. These thugs and riff raffs are we very selective in what restaurant or store they seek to make their target. I always wondered were they getting paid by someone to go in certain establishments ro make operating a business in those locations a headache to staff and less desirable for customers to dine at. One rule that baristars should not do is to give anything free to anyone pretending to be homeless or pandhandlers. That would make things worse for they would tell their friends to go to that store for free coffee or anything and harass customers while they are there. There are low to no reports of incidents where riff raffs going into these stores owned by Caldeans or Hispanics and causing trouble. The owners of those stores and restaurants would handle the situation quickly and the police will be called on to take a report on the battered troublemakers.

**Henry Whalley** · February-15-23, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

...police will be called on to take a report on the battered troublemakers.

Or just to count the body bags.

P.S. Just shows to go you why public transportation will never be popular with commuters in Detroit. Who wants to deal with riff raff?

**Satiricalivory** · February-15-23, 11:24 AM

This is obviously a bullshit cover excuse for something else.

**stasu1213** · February-15-23, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by Henry Whalley

Or just to count the body bags.

P.S. Just shows to go you why public transportation will never be popular with commuters in Detroit. Who wants to deal with riff raff?

They are on the Qline. During the summer a QLine worker was verbally assaulted because she told this scholarly looking young idiot to put on his mask. The idiot went on saying that the white man want people to put on masks for so and so reasons. Very stupid indeed. Wished the police would had kicked his assaulted off the train as well as other grown lovers who come on the QLine playing their radios loud, harassing other passengers, and disrupting services

**K-slice** · February-15-23, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

They are on the Qline. During the summer a QLine worker was verbally assaulted because she told this scholarly looking young idiot to put on his mask. The idiot went on saying that the white man want people to put on masks for so and so reasons. Very stupid indeed. Wished the police would had kicked his assaulted off the train as well as other grown lovers who come on the QLine playing their radios loud, harassing other passengers, and disrupting services

They need to go back to charging fares and enforcing them. That thing has been a rolling homeless shelter all winter.

**dtowncitylover** · February-15-23, 11:52 AM

If Detroit were a better city, that intersection would be akin to Yonge and Bloor or State and Chicago. Yes, there would be riff-raff [[literally every city has this problem) but the overwhelming foot traffic would negate such issues. "Eyes on the street" as Jacobs once quipped. Instead, the riff-raff is the foot traffic and thus the problem is emphasized more on them to be the problem and not the fact that Detroit is far from having the critical mass needed to sustain itself. There will always be riff-raff, but a needed injection of at least 50,000 permanent residents along Woodward between Jefferson and the Boulevard would actually bring the needed street life that cities need. I don't see that population bump happening...

**stasu1213** · February-15-23, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by Satiricalivory

This is obviously a bullshit cover excuse for something else.

That Starbucks was a Hotspot for troublemakers for years. The city or someone within city government may want that spot to be used for something else. That probably why the management at Starbuck pleas for help went unanswered

**southen** · February-15-23, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

That Starbucks was a Hotspot for troublemakers for years. The city or someone within city government may want that spot to be used for something else. That probably why the management at Starbuck pleas for help went unanswered

Your ability to tie in some sort of city related conspiracy in every comment is impressive.

**masterblaster** · February-15-23, 02:24 PM

Less than 4 months ago, Starbucks closed 20 locations in Seattle, Portland, DC, and Philadelphia citing the same safety concerns

https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar...g-to-unionize/

**slick** · February-15-23, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by masterblaster

Less than 4 months ago, Starbucks closed 20 locations in Seattle, Portland, DC, and Philadelphia citing the same safety concerns

https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar...g-to-unionize/

Those policies included training on de-escalating situations, preparing for an active shooter, mental health first aid trainings, adjusting stores and designing them for safety, and providing clear policies and procedures.

The above paragraph is the end of the article. It appears a barista will need to be a lot more than a barista.
What is mental health first aid???
policies and procedures are a lot of bunk, no time to read the manual when you are being assaulted.

**stasu1213** · February-15-23, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by southen

Your ability to tie in some sort of city related conspiracy in every comment is impressive.

Hey. I guess that the management at that particular Starbucks is the author of this conspiracy for it was reported that that management said it

**Danny** · February-16-23, 12:22 PM

Out of the result of lazy incompetent folks that cause Detroit Starbucks on the corner of Woodward and Mack to close for good.

**Zacha341** · February-17-23, 07:58 AM

I certainly do not as society devolves. Plus it is not lost on me that usually the elite, removed powers-that-be dictating all of this and more [what's best for YOU!] will always retain their private means of transportation, and options for safety and protection.

Originally Posted by Henry Whalley

...P.S. Just shows to go you why public transportation will never be popular with commuters in Detroit. Who wants to deal with riff raff?

**Zacha341** · February-17-23, 08:06 AM

Very sad to see them go but I concur. I'm a Detroiter, hardly snow-flaked [attended WSU and CCS and live near) but never felt comfortable to sit in SB w/ my laptop knowing that some self-justified person could run in snatch it and be out EITHER doors fast. Nope.

I'm absent of reflexive guilt to want to be harassed/ cursed-out for money etc. We're not doing areas of San-Fran yet [smile]. If I see rough traffic regularly I will not go into the establishment.

Originally Posted by stasu1213

That Starbucks had issues when it first opened in 2005. Staff were harassed. Riff raff harassed customers and look as they that they were going to robbed the store. Security had kept guard on the store earlier on but detail was pulled shortly after...

**stasu1213** · February-17-23, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

If Detroit were a better city, that intersection would be akin to Yonge and Bloor or State and Chicago. Yes, there would be riff-raff [[literally every city has this problem) but the overwhelming foot traffic would negate such issues. "Eyes on the street" as Jacobs once quipped. Instead, the riff-raff is the foot traffic and thus the problem is emphasized more on them to be the problem and not the fact that Detroit is far from having the critical mass needed to sustain itself. There will always be riff-raff, but a needed injection of at least 50,000 permanent residents along Woodward between Jefferson and the Boulevard would actually bring the needed street life that cities need. I don't see that population bump happening...

There could be 100,000 permanent residents in the midtown area creating more foot traffic along the Woodward Mack area bit it winter stop trouble makers from coming into these establishments making customers feel uncomfortable. Chicagonand New York have better police protection especially in their restaurants and retail districts. Detroit does not. One time the Wayne State Police helped patrolled the perimeters near Wayne State but ceased patrolling the Mack Woodward area to help DPD. Yes Southen I do believe that there is a conspiracy in many things that happen in Detroit. There's a pattern in Detroit where plans on making it a better city had been either altered or stopped altogether. The only companies willing to deal with opening businesses in this city under bipolar leadership are the ones that are under Gilbert or the Illitches. National companies dint find Detroit a competent place to open any Satellite offices here. They probably had monitored or observed the hard times local corporations are having difficulties constructing and opening their own offices in the city. Getting back to coffee shops Starbucks could open a store on the Avenue of Fashion but is probably hindered for it would put others out of business on that strip. Bigsby had tried but after only one year of operating on the Ave it closed while the independent shop in that sane spit is still thriving after 3 years. I am not against the independent ones. I think that national chain stores are having a hard time running their businesses in Detroit

**Henry Whalley** · February-17-23, 11:11 AM

[QUOTE=stasu1213;631832...I think that national chain stores are having a hard time running their businesses in Detroit.[/QUOTE]
True for at least the last 55 years.

**401don** · February-17-23, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

There could be 100,000 permanent residents in the midtown area creating more foot traffic along the Woodward Mack area bit it winter stop trouble makers from coming into these establishments making customers feel uncomfortable. Chicagonand New York have better police protection especially in their restaurants and retail districts. Detroit does not. One time the Wayne State Police helped patrolled the perimeters near Wayne State but ceased patrolling the Mack Woodward area to help DPD. Yes Southen I do believe that there is a conspiracy in many things that happen in Detroit. There's a pattern in Detroit where plans on making it a better city had been either altered or stopped altogether. The only companies willing to deal with opening businesses in this city under bipolar leadership are the ones that are under Gilbert or the Illitches. National companies dint find Detroit a competent place to open any Satellite offices here. They probably had monitored or observed the hard times local corporations are having difficulties constructing and opening their own offices in the city. Getting back to coffee shops Starbucks could open a store on the Avenue of Fashion but is probably hindered for it would put others out of business on that strip. Bigsby had tried but after only one year of operating on the Ave it closed while the independent shop in that sane spit is still thriving after 3 years. I am not against the independent ones. I think that national chain stores are having a hard time running their businesses in Detroit

Did you ever think maybe all those extra residents provide the tax revenue to afford more police protection?

**stasu1213** · February-17-23, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

Did you ever think maybe all those extra residents provide the tax revenue to afford more police protection?

Sigh. Gilbert had his own security to patrol the downtown area. Why were they pulled. Troublemakers have free reign downtown and midtown. Even if additional police is added city race hustlers, the ACLU, and a few soft headed judges would fall on the side of the "poor little Troublemakers". Police are just violating their civil rights to harass and violate other's civil rights to not to be harassed

**401don** · February-17-23, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

Sigh. Gilbert had his own security to patrol the downtown area. Why were they pulled. Troublemakers have free reign downtown and midtown. Even if additional police is added city race hustlers, the ACLU, and a few soft headed judges would fall on the side of the "poor little Troublemakers". Police are just violating their civil rights to harass and violate other's civil rights to not to be harassed

But you said NY and Chicago don't have these problems because they have better police protection but now you say that wouldn't matter in Detroit because only Detroit has race hustlers, the ACLU and soft headed judges? Someone is soft headed alright.

**Henry Whalley** · February-17-23, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

... Even if additional police is added city race hustlers...

What is a race hustler?

**Rocket** · February-17-23, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

Did you ever think maybe all those extra residents provide the tax revenue to afford more police protection?

Funds help sure, but the bigger problem is a willingness by the police and residents to actually have the police DO something about the problem.

Having a car respond is one thing, but if they can't arrest the person and get them treatment, then it's all for not.

One of the banks I use on Woodward has had a chronic crackhead issue for years. The same guy harasses the customers as they walk in and out. The bank calls the cops, they come and tell he guy to leave. 5 min later he's back. That process can repeat 3 times in an hour.

Of course they can't spend all day calling the police, so eventually they gave up. Now they have an armed guard sitting there in body armor all day, which can't be good for the bottom line, especially in a poor area where most customers have free checking. It won't be but a few more years and that branch will close up too, just like all the CVS's and most of the grocery stores.

**softailrider** · February-19-23, 09:26 PM

Good article in Freep.com regarding the challenges the staff had running that location. I was in there a couple of times, never saw even a hint of a problem.