American multinational coffeehouse chain Starbucks is opening a new location in Batavia, located at 1998 McKee St.
Preliminary plans submitted to the Batavia Community Development Department were approved late last year, and construction continues today. There is no set opening date for this new Starbucks, but coffee-lovers can expect a grand opening by the end of the year. Other new tenants joining the existing Raising Cane’s include a new Chipotle and a Belle Tire. The new Starbucks will constitute the northern portion of the development, with a 2,330-square-foot building and parking for 33 vehicles.
This will be the third Starbucks along Randall Road, with the next closest being the Starbucks within Target across the street. Unlike the next nearest location, this new Starbucks will also include a new drive-through to make for easier access for commuters. These new businesses will be built on the site of the former Avenue Motors dealership, which closed in 2011 after 82 years in business in Batavia It was a Chevrolet dealership until 2009, when General Motors cut 1,100 dealerships nationwide during the Great Recession.
This new development comes on the heels of a nationwide movement to unionize. Earlier this year the Randolph and Wabash location became 1 of 4 stores in area to have filed for unionization in the past several months. Starbucks employees are organizing for adjusted hours, higher wages, and more affordable health insurance. Instead of each store having their own contract fits within their business model, Starbucks has filed a petition with the National Labor Review Board to have partners vote on a district level.
