Last week, Binghamton University students trying to grab a cup of coffee at the Starbucks cafe came across a sign from management.
The sign announced that the cafe’s primary carrier in the Northeast had declared bankruptcy, impacting the company’s ability to provide supplies to the coffee shop in Hinman College. According to the sign, Starbucks “is delivering to the best of their ability,” which “is poor.”
Ben Forse, retail manager of Starbucks and Subway on campus, said the sign was communicating a temporary problem that was impacting the coffee shop’s ability to make multiple drinks. According to Forse, everything should be running smoothly again soon.
“Our old vendor, New England Motor Freight, declared bankruptcy, and this caused our weekly delivery to be pushed back three days,” Forse said. ”As a result, we were temporarily out of several important beverage products.”
Forse said the cafe has found a new temporary vendor to deliver products and is in the process of finding a permanent replacement to help them regularly replenish their supplies.
Although the sign was only temporary, it caused concern and confusion among students who regularly visit Starbucks on campus. Meghan Forster, a sophomore majoring in accounting, said she was initially concerned about the message, believing it could mean the coffee shop would be closing or moving.
”I was really confused when I saw the sign,” Forster said. “I didn’t know if it meant that Starbucks was shutting down for good or if it was just a temporary issue, but the barista told me he couldn’t add any whipped cream to my caramel latte because they ran out. When I asked him if it would be a problem that would last for awhile, though, he told me not to worry and that everything would be back to normal soon.”
While the store is not closing down, discussions are ongoing about where Starbucks will be located next fall when the Hinman College dining hall will be under construction. Forse said a decision on where the store will be relocated has yet to be made. Tara Mandel, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience, said she was initially unsure if the sign related to the planned move.
“I was waiting on the line to order, and I heard one of the workers saying to another one how Starbucks might be getting moved and replacing Dunkin’ Donuts in the Union,” Mandel said. “I didn’t know if that sign maybe had something to do with it or if it was just a coincidence.”
Forster said she is relieved that the store isn’t shutting down.
“It’s definitely confusing to see your favorite coffee shop on campus stop working as efficiently as it usually does all of a sudden, and then hearing rumors about it changing its location at the same time,” Forster said. “Whatever the case, I just hope I can get whipped cream on my caramel latte next time.”