Recently a Takoma neighborhood email distro list exploded when it was announced by our local business chamber that Starbucks is considering whether to open a store near the Takoma metro station. Some people decried that Takoma should not follow Silver Spring and Bethesda by inviting national stores to compete against its small, but fiercely independent stores that already sell coffee, such as La Mano coffee bar, Busboys and Poets, and Capital City Cheesecake. The whole ordeal got me wondering why some people rejoice or recoil when a national (or more likely international) business like Starbucks decides to open a store in their neighborhood. It’s certainly true that adding a Starbucks in Takoma will put some pressure on other locally-owned coffee/food shops, but I think the concerns are overblown and also fail to recognize the changes that are coming in Takoma as I will discuss below.
As many locals know, the DC border runs clear through Takoma separating the two jurisdictions. People living in DC tend to say they live in Takoma, while Marylanders actually reside in the City of Takoma Park, but for purposes of this post I will simply refer to both areas as Takoma as many locals already do. I am rather new to living in Takoma and I am no historian, but I have read with great interest how the Takoma community fought, wailed and gnashed its teeth when Subway, CVS and an ACE hardware store moved into the area. I regularly walk to the CVS and ACE to pick up things rather than getting into my car just to save 5-10% at a larger suburban store. And while I do not eat at Subway, it must be doing enough business to stay afloat in Takoma or how could they afford to pay the rent.
Map of DC/MD border running through Takoma
Takoma is, like many areas of DC, gentrifying with new residents. Over the past few years numerous new businesses have sprung up around the main street that runs through Takoma (Carroll Street in DC and Carroll Avenue in MD), including the aforementioned stores and others like Republic (which is part of the local Black’s restaurant group), Roscoe’s pizzeria, Kin Da restaurant, Tabletop goods, etc. I’m sure that I forgot others, but hopefully you get the point. Along with all those businesses Takoma has become more expensive than it used to be. For example, one-bedroom apartments at the swanky new Takoma Central start at $1,730 a month, which is on par with apartments in downtown Bethesda and Silver Spring. Housing prices in Takoma have also catapulted as of late, with median list prices of $495,000 in DC and $625,000 in MD (in the historic district which spans most of the DC border).
Developers have clearly taken notice of Takoma’s desirability and multiple buildings near the Takoma metro station are in various stages of development. The aforementioned Takoma Central brought 150 units, while two new buildings on Maple and Willow streets are currently being constructed and will bring 102 units. Other developments happening include apartments on Spring Place, NW, which will bring 142 units and the very controversial EYA project next to the Takoma metro station, which will bring 210 units. In other words, Takoma is booming and will house another 604-1812 people (based upon a mix of 1-3 bedroom units) all nearby the metro station, which will surely increase demand for local shops, restaurants and services.
Many of those new residents of Takoma will want to grab a coffee/tea on their way to work or want to meetup with a friend for coffee/tea after work. While the current selection of Takoma stores to grab coffee/tea is great, Starbucks clearly noticed all of the ongoing/planned development and thinks there is room for them too. Whether you love or hate Starbucks, you can’t argue with their logic and I think the current independent stores will continue to thrive in Takoma either way. What do you think? Will the Starbucks effect do more harm than good in Takoma?
Takoma Park already has a Starbuck's. Nobody cares.
ReplyDeletehttp://movingtakomaforward.blogspot.com/
Takoma Park has a Starbucks at the Langley Takoma Crossroads where most of the hippiecrites who oppose anything corporate don't even go. These same people oppose a Taco Bell, also in an area they don't frequent. They claim to not like corporates, but who finances their homes, builds their cars, and makes the clothes they wear? It's ridiculous. Takoma Park needs to realize this isn't Mayberry and allow us a tax base aside from property tax and places to go that can offer what the over-priced mom and pop establishments don't.
ReplyDeleteI agree that people on the other side of town would like to pretend that they live in Mayberry on the Sligo instead of an urban environment. And we need more real businesses instead of boutique children's toy stores or more framing shops. I would make a distinction between the Taco Bell, which would have a drive through that would add yet more traffic congestion to the poorly designed Crossroads area, and the Starbucks, which the people in our area generally don't mind.
DeleteYes we have a Starbucks on the other side of Takoma, but that is hardly walkable for people who live near the Takoma Metro station. I would agree that there are two different versions of Takoma depending on where you live, though I disagree that our "mom and pop" stores are heavily overpriced. They will never be able to compete with national chain stores, but Takomans enjoy them and will patronize them for as long as they have the means.
ReplyDeleteI can assure you we'd welcome a larger Starbucks on the New Ave side of town. I'm mystified as to why no retail developer has noticed the traffic flow south in the mornings and put a drive-thru Starbucks in one of the empty areas on NH Ave like the old pesticide company area, or the largely empty American Seafood lot. Or why developer/retailers haven't seen the new developments south of the border with hundreds of new upscale homes and the potential need for more grocery stores (I do like Shoppers and Aldis, but sometimes I hit up Trader Joes in Silver Spring) and other shops.
ReplyDeleteThe Takoma Park residents that live in Ward 6 don't want the Taci Bell either. There's enough traffic as it is, and a drive-thru won't make it any better. And I appreciate the Starbucks in Langley park, but frequent the Dunkin Donuts more. Bring more development to The New Ave--we want restaurants and businesses that we can walk to and don't feel ostracized at over here.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lindsey - I'm always amazed that NH Ave isn't redeveloped into a walkable mecca, but being a MD highway I'm not optimistic either. MD has a terrible track record with building roadways that cater to moving cars without consideration of peds and bikers.
DeleteThe argument against CVS was not against the presence of the store - it was the refusal of CVS to put in a store that fit in the context of the site. They have a cookie cutter approach to stores - no desire to work with communities. As a result, we got a building that presents its loading dock and dumpsters to a prime visual entry point the City of Takoma Park and the Old Town business district.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jim for the history lesson. It's terrible to read that CVS wasn't flexible in their design plans - totally agree that the building is an eyesore and not compatible with the neighborhood or a walkable community.
DeleteI think that people had various objections to the CVS, including the fact that it's a chain. People lamented that it supposedly put a local pharmacist out of business, as this AP story on the vandalism of the Subway store in 2004 noted -
ReplyDeletehttp://web.kitsapsun.com/archive/2004/03-11/421934_breaking_the_chains.html
The story's last sentence is amusing - And some residents feel Takoma Park needs to lighten up a bit when it comes to corporate chains. Abby Alcott, a 16-year resident, said she tries to support local merchants. But there is one big name she would welcome.
"Frankly, I'd like to have a Starbucks," she said. "I love Starbucks."
Thanks Brian - I wasn't aware of the vandalism against Subway - though I don't like their food anyway and wouldn't be sad to see them leave Takoma. Well now Abby is probably 28 and we're still arguing over Starbucks - ridiculous!
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