The Morristown, NJ Starbucks closes and a lot of people are sad

Not only will the Morristown Starbucks be missed for its coffees, but it will also be missed for its low-hassle bathroom. "All the other restaurants around here have signs posted saying that restrooms are only for customers," says Michael Cap, 50. "I stopped in here today just to use the bathroom." One regular isn't sure where he'll go now. "I won't go to the Dunkin Donuts unless I'm in trouble," he says. "It's not coffee over there, it's chemical." (Morristown Daily Record)

Comments

[James the Barista]

Uh oh...you know what they say, if one closes many will follow.

[Theolaxor]

how the hell did a starbucks close down??? isnt there enough corporate funding to stop that, or did everyone in the region die or something?

[DT]

from the article

The 1,500-square-foot coffee shop closed because the historic Epstein's building that it is located in is slated to be torn down and redeveloped into a condominium complex with attached retail, office, and parking spaces.

--I'm sure the new condo complex will come complete with a Starbucks, or else one will be opening down the street.

[Josie]

Having a buildig re-zoned is not the same thing as closing down due to poor performance (profit). It is a badly written story from that aspect, besides the spokesman for SBX said another will open in two years.

[CuteBarista!]

i'm rather worried that this may happen to my store in the future. we are kitty corner to where the new Barnes Foundation building is going to be in a few years, and i have a feeling it's going to change the whole neighborhood.

damn condos!

[Just Me]

With the mention of a public restroom I can't help reading the quote from Michael Cap as non-coffee related. Where WILL he "go"? Does the Dunkin Donuts have a chemical toilet? I'm a little loopy today...

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[katie]

I heard that there is a new coffeehouse coming to Morristown...called Smartworld Coffee! I researched them on the web and discovered that they will serve organic, fair trade and shade grown coffee, along with using hormone free milk. The "buzz" around town is that it tastes better than Starbucks...hooray!!! Not sure of when they will open, but its somewhere on South Street near Planet Smoothie.

Anyone else hear about this?
Katie

[Steve]

Smartworld Coffee-I picked up a coupon in front of the new Smartworld Coffee location on South Street. It said that there is also another one opening on Rt. 15 south in Lake Hopatcong. I drove up there to see what was going on and the store is almost open. It is a beautiful store with free wifi and a lounge area. The manager of the build-out told me that the store will be open in November and Morristown will be open in December. She also said that they are looking to open one on Rt. 23 somewhere, she was not sure. Anyway can't wait to get a decent latte in Morristown again.

[katie]

Wow! Now there is going to be a total influx of coffeehouses in Morristown! I heard that in addition to Smartworld Coffee there is a chain called Dingleberry's Coffee from the south. I think they specialize in coffee and tea. Good competition in Morristown!! Let's wait and see who will prevail!

[Sara]

they opened on rt. 15 in jefferson and WOW they are great! smartworld...

[DM]

I just heard that there is a new coffee shop opening up on the green. It is called greenberry's coffee. The website is really cool and it looks like it is going to be an upscale starbucks!!!

[WSAD]

Smartworld is open in Jefferson and Morristown. Ready to take NJ by storm, it offers what I consider to be the best darn cup of coffee around. If a Starbucks were to even try and open again in Morristown, they'd be foolish. "Grande" this, "Venti" that. I don't want to fricking read what to say if I just want a cup of LARGE coffee.
Phew!

[majdi]

I have been frequenting smartworld coffee for the past 2 weeks. The coffee is way better than starbucks. Strong but not acidic. Try their smart mudd

[Jerry]

I got a cup of coffee from smartwold - it was horrilble. it was foamy and sweet. I also saw a mouse in the food display rack! how gross

[Melissa]

I own a local business in town and tried to frequent this Smartworld coffe - I agree with Jerry. They have an attitude and their coffee is outrageously expensive. I have a feeling the positive remarks we see on here are from the owners of this establishment - since the positive comments were posted before they even opened.

[Kelowna Starbucks Rebel]

Yes, I think that the positive posts are a poor form of "buzz" marketing. It actually looks like something a focus-group came up with.

[Skip]

I know - I am so sick of these companies lying with this marketing crap. how could there possibly be so many good reviews - they have only been open for a short time. Honestly - WHERE IS STARBUCKS! -
and what's the deal wich c'est cheese - cause they have chairs and they are grossily overpriced - does that make it good?

[owner -SmartWorld Coffee]

Yea such marketing crap, we are such big bullshitters with our ORGANIC, FAIR TRADE, SHADE GROWN COFFEE!! What the hell are we trying to do, make a difference in the world. How crazy are we trying to give farmers a fair wage so they could support their families, use less chemicals, stop cutting down the rain forests, what the hell is going on with this "MARKETING CRAP". We better go back to our "Marketing Division" and speak to our "Focus Groups" again to see if we could come up with some better "BUZZ" marketing, shame on them for coming up with poor "BUZZ MARKETING". Yes, let us bring back STARBUCKS KELOWNA, you crazy Starbuck rebel. A company that posts a 3.2 BILLION profit on 6.7 BILLION in sales. Sound like another company I was reading about maybe it was Exxon.(sorry, just for the record STARBUCKS doesn't get 10 Billion in taxpayer "AID" money to help support their outrages profits) But let's see, are the poor farmers who are trying to make a living and feed there families getting screwed, I don't know, could it be. Maybe we can screw the poor farmers out of even more money and make higher profits, down with Fair Trade. What did you say "the environment". The hell with sustainable farming, let's just pollute even more, cut down more trees and make MORE profits.

So "Majdi" how can a cup of coffee be "FOAMY" and "SWEET". It is just coffee grounds brewed with water. Maybe it was a LATTE with that you had with terrible organic, fair trade coffee and Bovine hormone free milk, yes I think that was why it was "SO BAD" And "Jerry" we are priced less than STARBUCKS and DUNKIN DONUTS so how can we be "OURAGEOUSLY" expensive (we should all head back to DD for watered down coffee in a Styro cup, yea let's enjoy our daily brew on the backs of high corporate profit and the ruins of our environment).

We brew the top 5% of the best beans grown worldwide (so much profit to pay all of our "MARKETING PEOPLE) so how "HORRIBLE" can it be. These sound like unsolicited "REMARKS" from a competitor to me. Maybe these "coffee experts" should consider that SmartWorld Coffee is trying to make a difference in the world. Maybe spending money in places such as SmartWorld Coffee will start to help our environmental situation globally (think + instead of -) and guess what, we do all the work, you just have to show up and purchase from us and you to will be helping to make a difference in the world (what a unique concept). Maybe these "coffee experts" should try to do something good for the world themselves (energy better spent) instead of trying to undermine a small company who is doing something positive for a change.

I was at the Unity School fund raiser the other night and was moved by a video with a simple unique message that we should all share. "JUST DO SOMETHING" it may be small, it might not be perfect but we need to start some were to make a change in a global situation. Shut off that light, recycle that extra bottle, walk instead of drive, support globally sustainable movements in your everyday purchase but "JUST DO SOMETHING"

Thanks,

Dave (real name, not made up for a hidden agenda)

[Jerry]

Wow, Dave, you are intense man! Go get em. By the way, you got upset at Madji for saying your coffee was foamy and sweet - look again - it was me, not Madji. Madji actually liked your coffee. Anyway, nice to meet you, but I would recommend YOU lay off the caffine. ps - you spelled outrageous incorrectly. lol

[Darleen]

but I would recommend YOU lay off the caffine. ps - you spelled outrageous incorrectly. lol

ps, you spelled caffeine incorrectly......lol

[akeelah]

actually, you guys are ALL terrible spellers.

[AKEELAH]

i can't stop myself

[jay]

Mmmm, Dunkin Donuts.

[majdi]

OK. Melissa, Skip and Kelowna...hold your horses. First of all, Melissa if you can't handle hip places or you are used to 1$ cups of coffee that you get at the gas station, then you are right. This is not the place for you.

Kelowna, you do have a good grasp of conspiracy theories, you should start your own investigative services to save us gullible ones from the OTHERS.

Skip, I have one word for you ...SKIP out of here man, you got issues.

[Mary]

Hey, Jerry, Skip et.al,
Go to Smart World, bare with the good tasting coffee, the hip atmosphere, and meditate on this:

In a World of No Gravity...
Taking of your clothes does not make you lighter.

[Patrick Campbell]

My wife and I had SmartWorld coffee this morning. In fact I had two cups. The coffee is much much better than Starbucks burnt garbage. The place is neat and clean, although I almost thought I was inside of a Starbucks, however overhearing the manager talking with a customer about his personal low environmental impacts habits AND the much better tasting coffee reminded me that I wasn't. Free wireless internet is a huge plus. I don't need to buy $5 coffee and then pay another $5/hour to surf the internet.

[Mary S]

I live in Monmouth county and travel to Sussex on the weekends. I look forward to the drive home so I can stop at SmartWorld coffee on Route 15. It is the best coffee I have ever had. I used to think Small World in Princeton was the best, but I am now convinced that SmartWorld is the best coffee in New Jersey. (sorry NoJoe in Red Bank).

[bullhonkie]

Does anyone really believe this crap - ahh, pr at it's best. I think the only two people that go to this page are me and the owner of smartworld.

[pretty shifty]

the akeelah comment was laugh out loud hilarious.

[debh]

SmartWord coffee rocks!!!

[jon]

try spelling Smartworld correctly, debh. Overpriced at best

[Patrick C.]

I am not the owner of SmartWorld - I've only ever been there once, but I am a fan. Overpriced? It doesn't seem any more expensive than Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts or any chain, but a) it tastes better (opinion) and b) is organic (fact) c) fair trade (fact) d) shade grown (fact). So what is the problem? If you don't like it that is fine - DON'T GO THERE! But, your argument has no basis. Are you trying to say that their coffee is not actually organic/shade grown/fair trade? Or something else? Just come out and say it!

[Chelsey]

Can an area be over-saturated with Starbucks? We had another Starbucks open on the other side of our small township and it has really affected sales, along with several more slated to open in our area in the near future. Would Starbucks close a store that was consistently low in sales?

[Mary H.]

Mary S. What’s your damage? You think the owner of Smart World Coffee has time to blog? He/she has better things to with his/her time? I bet you don’t recycle.

[BurntOutShift]

Does anyone know anyone that used to work at the Morristown Starbucks?

My store recently rehired one of their former partners and I'm curious as to whether her old store had the same problems we're having.

[Blogger-in-Residence]

I have to say I've been a long-time Starbux fan. I really do enjoy the taste of their coffee, and I've always enjoyed the 'hip' atmosphere, as Majdi says.

But I have to say that I enjoy SmartWorld's coffee just as much, and the added benefit of swilling organic, fair trade coffee and hormone-free milk makes me a SmartWorld fan now. And of course, as a blogger, you can't beat free WiFi!

Additionally, the owners are nice, interesting and personable, and they have a fantastic, hard-working staff.

All things being equal, SmartWorld will get my coffee dollar over Starbux any day.

And no, I'm not a paid employee.

Cheers

[Jake M.]

Whats going on in this town?? All the places that made this town what it was are closing...I just heard that planet smoothie is trying to get out of their lease?!?!?! not that they made morristown but whats next???

[kendra]

I was by Planet Smoothie today, and it is closed. Ricky's Candy store also closed this week

[Coffee Bob]

I wanted to post this link under the News section of our website where we put all the lunatic fringe stuff.I'd like to know if the Starbucks ever reopened, and what people vote the best coffee is out there.It's Dec. 8,2007 on our planet and a full moon. Thanks.

[John R.]

I go to Smartworld coffee on a daily basis. The staff and owners are very nice, and the coffee is wonderful. Overpriced? I don't think $1.98 is overpriced for a large cup of excellent coffee.

[higginslads]

Starbuck's CEO is a rabid Zionist who gladly uses your hard-earned money to support Israel's apartheid in the Occupied Territories.

http://www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-starbucks.html

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4&section=0&article=78731&d=4&m=8&y=2006

[Jerry (not the same Jerry as above)]

SmartWorld, ok, pretty good coffee, but they do display an attitude, like a Mahnattan boutique.

Greenberry's coffee tastes better, good'n'strong but balanced, and the service is tops, very attentive, as in, for the 2-3 minutes you're at the counter, you're what matters most (and they check you out for refills at the seats, but not intrusively.)

[Dave]

It appears that SmartWorld Coffee is about to open at the former Starbucks site on Broadway in Denville, NJ. They are sharing the building with Subway, which is about to open in the former Valley Appliance Parts storefront.

So much news! I had no idea the SBUX in Denville had closed. I used to enjoy the easy access from I-80. The SmartWorld I've never heard of, but I'm anxious to try it out after reading some of the comments here. I've tasted Greenberry's at a couple of chamber functions in Morristown area before they opened. Wasn't impressed.

Another town with a coffee culture in New Jersey is Metuchen. It's only about 1 square mile but boasts a Starbuck's, Brewed Awakening (isn't that a great name?), Java's Brewin', Cafe Paris and the one that started it all in Metuchen...Lucca's.

With all that competition, I must admit that Starbuck's is by far the best coffee. But it's not run very well - way overstaffed and the gossip about customers by the employees is not to be believed. Luckily there are other SBUX in the area because the one on Lincoln Highway definitely needs to close and the employees need to be forgotten.

For New Jersey residents, another town with a good coffee culture is Westfield. Along with all the competitive coffee shops there is the first (and possibly the best) Starbuck's in New Jersey. This is a busy place, and the staff is exceptional.

amen on the starbuck's in edison! the one on route 27. It whould be closed. the only bad service starbuck's i've seen

AMazed that so many people complain about the prices at Starbuck's. The prices at Dunkin' Donuts are higher! Grande Americano at Starbuck's in this area is $2.46 (with tax). The exact same drink at Dunkin' Donuts is $3.14!! (and the Dunkin' version does not taste good). Give Starbuck's a break in this department!

[don'tburnthejava]

Not complaining, but that Starbuck's in Edison, NJ gives a lot of free drinks. Maybe that's to make up for the poor service and all the other problems. If you just want a free drink, it's a good place to visit and get friendly with the crew.

[GMan]

Actually, the Starbucks in Denville is not closing - it's just moving across the street to a new and larger location. It will be interesting to see the competition between SmartWorld and Starbucks - people in either store will literally be able to look at the window at one another.

[JCat]

I used to go the Starbucks in Denville, once they closed I started to go to the Mara's around the corner. I LOVE that place. Im not sure when the new Starbucks or SW are opening but I do not see myself being pryed from Mara's. They are so busy, but I have never had a bad experience there. I do not see how SW is gonna make it with a bigger Starbucks and Mara's within a few hundred feet.