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Letter to the editor

A new, but busy coffee shop could have perks

By Times editorial
Published June 29, 2007

Like a coffee drinker with a caffeine buzz, downtown Dunedin merchants are a-tremble over the news that a Starbucks may settle among them.

Joe Kokolakis, who heads a local contracting company, has purchased the retail strip that includes Allen's Florist, a longtime fixture on the north side of Main Street at Broadway. Kokolakis said his plans include reducing the size of the florist shop by two-thirds so he can add a cafe and parking, keeping the existing dress shop and jeweler, substantially upgrading the building's facade, and bringing in - ta-dah! - a Starbucks.

This would be the first entry of a national chain to quaint and quirky Main Street, where small, locally owned businesses have been the rule. Merchants are concerned about a slick Starbucks somehow upsetting the balance.

Downtown Dunedin has been a great success, in no small part because hard-working entrepreneurs with a deep understanding of the community have created an ambience that attracts both locals and tourists.

Yet Main Street is not always bustling. At certain times of day, getting a parking place is no problem and the sidewalks are wide open. An advantage of getting a Starbucks is that it is an around-the-clock attractor. Commuters stop in to get fortified for their morning drive. Workers in the area drop by during their coffee breaks or to check their e-mail and others visit in the evening for a quick dessert. At any time of day, Starbucks functions as a community meeting spot.

Smart local merchants will find a way to capitalize on the steady flow of customers in and out of the new coffee shop. And the updated facade Kokolakis plans on the rather dull existing building will add appeal to Dunedin's already attractive downtown.

[Last modified June 28, 2007, 22:34:58]