Mineola's Legal Eagles Will Miss Starbucks

The only Starbucks in Mineola is closing today, as part of the coffee company's restructuring plans. Newsday points out that it's been a fixture for the legal community, because it's across the street from the court house. Defense lawyer Anthony Grandinette said, "I've made more than a few deals over a double Frappuccino here," while Eric Phillips, spokesman for Nassau County DA and skim pumpkin latte fan, said, "This is a place where you might see a judge, both attorneys, a juror and the defendant all in the same line for a coffee. Like truth and justice, the system requires a little caffeine to work." Grandinette doesn't think Starbucks devotees are going to go to the Dunkin' Donuts down the street: "It's similar to being a Jets guy or a Giants guy. No Jets fan would be caught dead at a Giants game, and no true Starbucks man would be caught dead at a Dunkin' Donuts.