Community members disappointed by planned Starbucks in Lawrenceville

PITTSBURGH — There is outrage among some community members over news that a major coffee chain is moving into a mixed-use development in Lawrenceville.

Lawrenceville United, a prominent neighborhood non-profit, released a statement this week, calling the decision to bring a Starbucks into the Arsenal 201 mixed-use development on Butler Street “an insult” to neighbors who had hoped for a local, independent business instead.

Executive Director Dave Breingan told Channel 11 on Wednesday that the building developer, Milhaus, had attended numerous community meetings wherein participants stated how important it is to shop locally.

“That was something verbally that Milhaus stressed to us, repeatedly, that they weren’t going to be leasing mega-chains, national mega-chains to that area,” Breingan said. “It’s disappointing. When somebody comes to our community and stands in front of hundreds of our neighbors and makes promises and commitments, we hold them to it.”

Breingan said that he heard of the lease to Starbucks through “the grapevine,” and will be speaking to Milhaus about the decision for the first time on Thursday.

Channel 11′s attempts to reach Milhaus for comment on Wednesday were not successful.

According to Lawrenceville United, 72% of the businesses along Butler Street and Penn Avenue are locally-owned, and the community takes great pride in that.

Breingan said “it hurts” to have a Starbucks directly competing with long-standing local owners.

We asked if there is a record of Milhaus turning away a local business in place of Starbucks.

“I’m not aware of that,” Breingan said. “And I know leasing the space has been a challenge. Certainly, we don’t want to see vacancy there, so we try to be reasonable, but this is very far from the commitments that were made.”

News of the lease was announced publicly by a realty team with CBRE on social media last week. A post stated that Starbucks will be coming soon, and is a “welcome addition” to the development. When asked to comment on the public backlash, the realty company declined to comment.

A Starbucks spokesperson however sent the following statement to Channel 11:

“We are proud to have the opportunity to join and contribute to the Lawrenceville community beginning in fall 2024. It has a thriving community that allows all types of businesses to exist together, and customers will choose the coffee experience that is best for them. We know our customers are passionate about coffee as well as their local businesses, and we believe independent stores and small chains can continue to grow and thrive along with Starbucks. It is all in service of elevating specialty coffee – which is a good thing for everyone.

Starbucks is committed to being a good neighbor in the Lawrenceville community.”

Channel 11 spoke with numerous Lawrenceville residents and visitors on Wednesday. One nearby worker told us that she sees both sides of the issue, and believes the Starbucks will provide needed jobs. One passerby was indifferent.

Others, however, told us they would have much preferred to see a small business fill the vacancy.

Kent Jackson, in town to see a local barber, told us he will not be shopping at the Starbucks.

“We don’t want Lawrenceville to become another cookie cutter American neighborhood with all the same shops that you find everywhere else you go,” Jackson said.

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