A tiny, unnamed kiosk could go out of business after the management at One Fordham Plaza has asked the newsstand, located in their rear lobby, to stop serving coffee and tea now that a Starbucks has moved into the building. Another outstanding kneel to corporate America!
According to the Daily News, when the coffee giant opened last month, manager Tony Wallace allegedly told the kiosk—which has operated there for 15 years—that it could no longer sell the coffee, which has been its lifeblood since opening. Revenue has now decreased 80% at the newsstand since the coffee ban began and the operator was forced to layoff his only employee as business dwindled.
The building's management has so far refrained from comment, but a Starbucks spokesperson told Norwood News, which first reported the story, that it "does not dictate what other stands or locations sell coffee. In fact, Starbucks welcomes competition and has helped to create a market where independent stores and small chains can continue to grow along with Starbucks."
Employees in the building have started a petition appealing to the building's management to reverse their stance. "The actions taken by the building management company are not only forcing tenants to purchase overpriced breakfast food/drinks, but also caused an employee of 5 years to lose his job and a business of 15 years to immediately decline," the petition, which has 256 signatures so far, states. "The tenants of 1 Fordham Plaza should have to option to purchase coffee where they desire, within close proximity to our offices and not have to support the overpriced, multibillion dollar Starbucks franchise."
