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Who says we're not world class? Boston area could get 24-hour Starbucks

By adamg on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 7:20am

Starbucks is seeking Cambridge's permission to keep its planned new Harvard Square outlet open around the clock, Stephanie reports.

Neighborhoods: 
Harvard Square
Cambridge
Topics: 
Dining
Free tagging: 
Starbucks


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Comments

By Anon² on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 7:48am.

watch it get shot down

By Kaz on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 9:46am.

Extra hot, half-caff?

By Anonymous on Thu, 09/23/2010 - 4:20am.

the clock in the square??

By Pete Nice on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 8:46am.

The one on Rt. 1. Not enough business to keep it open 24 hours though.

By Ron Newman on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 9:52am.

it's not exactly the happening place for night-time activities. (Maybe that will change when the Norwood Theatre reopens next year.)

I wouldn't pick that town if I wanted to experiment with a 24-hour coffee shop in the 'burbs. Perhaps Moody Street in Waltham would have been a better choice?

By HenryAlan on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 9:55am.

It's on route 1, and has a drive through. I think the logic was that there would be plenty of car traffic on such a busy highway, enough to generate drive through patronage. But I agree, Norwood in and of itself is not a 24 hour destination, and apparently it's not even much of a 24 hour pass through location.

By adamg on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 2:39pm.

The Rte. 1 McDonald's has 24-hour drive-thru, the next time you're up at 3 a.m. and just need some McNuggets.

By Gerry on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 6:49pm.

Poorly written zoning laws make it impossible to open any type of cafe on Moody St, believe me I tried. The city has declared any establishment with fewer than 50 seats and without wait service to be "fast food". An exception is written for a shop that serves tea, but still excludes the sale of coffee, so that one of the council women could open her tea shop without competition. That street is suffering because of the cronyism of city officials.

By anon on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 8:53am.

Even the IHOP is only open til 4am.

By J on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 4:35pm.

Not by choice, they applied to be 24 hours but cambridge forced them to close for 4 hours a day.

By Ron Newman on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 9:06am.

Yes, it's a good idea. No, the city should not grant Starbucks an exclusive 24-hour franchise. Any other coffee shop or restaurant in Harvard Square that wants one should get a 24-hour license if Starbucks does.

By Bean counter on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 10:09am.

In an area packed with bars and students, 24-hour coffee shops, restaurants and other houses of sobriety are a great idea. They won't help a binge drinker, but one or two hours spent in such an establishment will allow the body to process one or two drinks.

By anon on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 5:21pm.

Students in Cambridge don't drive, so they can process while walking home.

By SwirlyGrrl on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 7:41pm.

Cafe Algiers in Harvard Square is open later, as is the Diesel Cafe in Davis Square.

Each offers a different scene, but attract drinkers and non-drinkers who want to hang out and socialize in a place where coffee is served. This includes people who are too young to drink. The Diesel's pool table is often occupied with groups of young people who are underage or from religious persuasions and societies where drinking alcohol is not acceptable - like students and young adults with BYU t-shirts and other identifying insignia drinking italian sodas or hot chocolate, or groups where all the women are in head scarves. I've also seen sober social groups congregating there as well.

There is a lot to be said for being able to hang out with friends and drink coffee (or sodas), chat, play pool, etc. without the alcohol. If having a late night coffee spot means a place for teens to hang out together, or people to socialize without drinking, that's a plus.

By Ron Newman on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 9:33pm.

They close at 11 pm. They used to close at midnight, but were never open later than that.

By SwirlyGrrl on Thu, 09/23/2010 - 1:21am.

11 is pretty late.

By Jimmy on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 9:38am.

Not sure if there are any others in the area, but the Dunkin Donuts in Magoun Square is 24 hours. In my opinion, this trumps Starbucks (bacon,egg & cheese biscuit > coffee cake as far as late night cuisine goes).

By Eighthman on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 11:57pm.

I thought it was funny a few years ago when that Dunkin first applied for a permit to be open 24 hours. Turns out, they had operating 24-hours a day for quite a while already without one.

By Kaz on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 10:09am.

Brighton DD is 24 hours.

I think BPD and some of the cabbies keep it bona fide.

By X on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 12:15pm.

Fantastic! I can't wait to take the T down there at 2am for some coffee.

By downtown anon on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 1:55pm.

The T shuts down at 12:30. Who is going to be there at 2 in the morning with public transportation?

By Ron Newman on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 2:23pm.

either by walking or bicycling. Also, it's pretty easy to find a free car parking space in Harvard Square at 2 am.

By SwirlyGrrl on Wed, 09/22/2010 - 2:54pm.

Maybe the same people who stay until the bars close? Who stay for a midnight movie? Who just got out of a cab after partying somewhere else?

On weekends at least, it can be a pretty active place at 2am, ridiculous T shutdowns not withstanding.

By Eighthman on Thu, 09/23/2010 - 12:00am.

Perhaps a student or two or twenty. Someone's going to be up all night making the next Facebook.

By boblothrope on Thu, 09/23/2010 - 4:52pm.

I'd like to attend the hearings for their 24 hour license, to speak in favor.

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2010/9/15/starbu... says there's a zoning variance hearing on September 30th, 9:15 PM, at the Senior Center at 806 Mass Ave in Central Square. But I think the hearing for an all-night license will be held by the License Commission.