November 9, 2006

C-Town Starbucks To Open January

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Tired of trekking all the way downtown for a Caramel Macchiato or a Cinnamon Dolce Crème? Soon, you will be able to take a five-minute walk down the street in Collegetown to a new, corporate-owned Starbucks store at 401 College Ave.

According to Frank Sevino, the store manager of the Starbucks downtown, the venue of the new Starbucks will be located on the bottom level of the apartment building on the corner of College Ave. and Dryden Rd. The opening is slated for early January.

Because it will be a corporate-owned Starbucks store, it will be independent from Cornell Dining. Students can also expect the setup of the store to be like the Starbucks they are used to at home.

“It will be set up like any other store in the country,” said Savino.

Savino, who is in charge of new hires, said prospective employees can begin applying immediately. There will also be a hiring fair in a couple of weeks.

Many, like Sandy Oh ’07, are excited about a Starbucks moving in so close to campus.

“When I worked at Starbucks my senior year in high school, the people I worked with said to find a job at a Starbucks around Cornell,” Oh said. “Unfortunately, I discovered there wasn’t any. But I’m glad to hear one is moving in soon. I think I’m going to be living there.”

David Gelinas ’07 (D-4th Ward) expressed a different sentiment.

“While there are a number of students who will be looking forward to it, it’s unfortunate to see competition for local, successful businesses. There are existing, thriving businesses that rely on a similar product concept,” Gelinas said.

Still, Gelinas recognizes the economic benefits the new Starbucks will bring to Collegetown.

“Considering that the three out of the four corner locations of the main intersection in Collegetown are essentially vacant, I would prefer to see more food and retail businesses coming into those areas. It’s always preferable to see a store move in instead of a vacant storefront,” Gelinas said.

Gregar Brous, one of the owners of Collegetown Bagels, said, “I’m glad to see anybody fill up that open space.”

Niki Sol ’02, the residence hall director for the Collegetown dorms, said “We all want healthy business in Collegetown.”

Sol also said the new Starbucks will be “good for options because we see a lot of Collegetown space [experiencing] such a dry up of businesses so options are good for the people who live here. I know my residents will appreciate the options.”

Other soon-to-be options include City Style Salon and Mango Café. City Style is a full service hair salon that will also offer manicures and pedicures, different high-end facials, tattoos and body waxing that employs a brand new waxing technology that uses cool wax instead of hot wax.

City Style is also a bar/lounge that will serve beer, wine, champagne, sake and saketinis. At night, it will have music, a DJ and a dance area.

According to Jonathan Flanigan, part owner of City Style, construction and remodeling is complete and is just waiting on the liquor license. Flanigan said students should expect City Style to be open for business after Thanksgiving break.

Mango Café is a new pan-Latin restaurant/dance club/bar/lounge that will soon be coming in on 422 Eddy St. The restaurant will open in December but the bar will not open until early spring semester.

The restaurant will feature primarily Brazilian, Puerto Rican and Caribbean food options but will also offer items from other parts of South America. In addition to the more common beverages, Mango Café’s drink menu will offer national drinks from various Latin American countries such as Brazil’s Caipirinha and Cuba’s Mojihto. Mango Café will also offer a multi-national wine list.

Michael Ristorucci grad is the Mango Café’s promoter and nightlife DJ. He said that by ten o’clock at night, the restaurant will close and the nightclub will open. A Latin appetizer menu, however, will be offered all night long.

Ristorucci is also a part of Palante Productions, a holistic social project that offers community outreach, dance classes, Latin music, world music and other projects, many of which work in conjunction with various Cornell student organizations.

“We are working in collaboration with Mango Café to promote Latin and world music at Cornell and in Ithaca,” Ristorucci said.

According to Ristorucci, Mango Café is looking to bring in student organizations to hold their parties at the club, especially if they involve world music and culture, such as Greek, South Asian and African. It will also have some hip hop and “crunk” music. It will not, however, play “popular” music.

“It’s something for people with taste for other music forms,” Ristorucci said.