Starbucks to open in MUSC in October

Pretty soon, grande mocha lattes, caramel macchiatos and strawberry frappuccinos will be mere footsteps away with the arrival of Starbucks on campus. Now you can reward your tastebuds for long hours spent at the library – but prepare your wallets for the arrival of the high-end coffee chain.

Shortly after the abrupt closure of the McMaster University Student Centre location of Williams Fresh Café in June, Hospitality Services announced what many students have long hoped for: a campus Starbucks.

Dale Adams, Associate Manager of Hospitality Services, is the project lead on the incoming Starbucks. He offered insight into the decline of Williams, and what Starbucks has in store for the now-vacant space in MUSC.

“Simply put, the [Williams] business started to decline and we felt we needed to make a move. We checked out other proprietors and decided to go with Starbucks. It was the best fit,” he said.

Transitioning to Starbucks has actually been several years in the making. “The decision had been tossed around for about two years now and last year it didn’t work out so we continued with Williams. This year we’ve made big steps and are moving forward with it,” Adams explained.

Construction is set to begin at the end of August, and Starbucks won’t be opening its doors until at least the end of October, or more probably, early November. The remodeling will retain the basic structure of Williams’ previous setup and the tables and chairs will remain, but the enclosure is going to be altered to achieve the now-iconic Starbucks look.

For those looking for autumn employment, Adams hinted that Starbucks could be on one’s list of prospects. “The baristas will most likely be students,” he said. “We might do a small job fair… It depends on how many employees we’re looking to bring on.”

What we can probably be sure of are the long lineups and hallway congestion that heralded the first few weeks of Booster Juice being in business.