- The Record Archives
- Volume CXVIII, No. XX - November 10, 2005 - news
O'Connell's denies Starbucks
Student-run campus coffee shop turns down major coffee corporation's ownership
The Record
Fans of O'Connell's coffee shop can breathe a sigh of relief.
Earlier this semester, the popular CSB vendor rejected a proposal to convert the independent business into a Starbucks franchise.
The Starbucks corporation had sent the proposal earlier this year upon learning that the management of O'Connell's was searching for a higher-quality coffee to brew and sell.
"Everyone knows Starbucks, and they have a great program for college coffee shops," said Kathleen Anderson, student manager at O'Connell's, via e-mail. "But right now, O'Connell's is entirely student-run, and we're proud of that. Plus, we like a lot of the products we have now, and if we went with Starbucks, we couldn't use some of these."
Reactions by the student body have overwhelmingly supported the decision to reject the proposal.
"I would probably be turned off by the idea that a big-name chain has gained a place on our campus," said sophomore Brady King. "It's better that they're trying to retain their original identity as an independent business."
"I don't know if I'd even go there if they turned into a Starbucks," said first-year Jessica Vining.
Some supported the proposal on the grounds that the shop, which has increased its earnings five-fold in the past year, could garner even more profits by converting to a Starbucks.
"It's possible that changing O'Connell's could increase sales," Anderson said. "But if Starbucks can offer an increase in profits, why can't we make our own profits? If they can be successful, why can't we?"