Somebody's got to keep them caffeinated at "Sandbag Central"

A Starbucks Gossip reader from Fargo writes: "The mayor of Fargo called for all non-essential businesses to close due to the catastrophic flooding ... Since almost all of Moorhead (our sister city) and most of Fargo was evacuated there were no partners to staff the other two stores, but the store in the middle of the flood action had to remain open because our manager and district manager felt it was an essential business. I'm just wondering how your readers may feel about Starbucks being an essential business." [It should be noted that there are volunteers in Fargo working at what's called "Sandbag Central."]

Comments

[Beantown Barista]

As long as the people volunteering to help out with sandbags and such are coming in to get coffee, I'd say it's a good thing you're staying open, as you're doing your part to help. Plus, when the time comes for corporate to cut stores, are they really going to axe the one that stayed open during a flood?

[Chicago Rebel]

if you can remember 9-11 we were to stay open because they told us to in downtown chicago. I had said anything for a dollar.they don't worry about anything,they just want money.

[ex-sbuxmanager]

When I worked in Chicago, I remember my manager telling me that they closed the loop stores on 9/11. But I wasn't there,so I'm not sure.

But, during the transit strike in NYC in 2005, we were not permitted to close. As a last minute concession, they allowed us to close the stores ONE hour early so that people wouldn't have to either walk home in the middle of the night (even though one hour early was still 10PM) or get refused a cab ride home to the Bronx or brooklyn from a cab driver who didn't like to go there after dark.

[ex coffee wench]

i was a sm worked in a store in chicago during 9/11. they closed all stores in possible harms way.my store was closed around 10 am that day. the dm called and said go home. don't clean just get out.we put things in the fridge and left. stores that closed were either in the loop or close to michigan ave. i was right across the street from the handcock behind the church.

[Christin]

I say let them stay open. Starbucks as a whole does NOT put partners in harms way just to make a dollar. If partners are willing to work and support the community let them!!

Off topic, Got the news today my store is closing. :(

[Aaron]

$5 lattes are "essential"?! Wow.

[hearbutloud]

It's not the coffee, it's the continuity and comfort.

[CamSpi]

I find it a little weird that the government is advising private businesses what to do. Actually, I don't find it weird. I find it disappointing.
I understand there is terrible flooding, and its the gov's job to protect people... but whatever happened to capitalism in this country?
All I know is that you guys in Fargo are in my thoughts.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Starbucks is like the Postal Service.

[Belle]

@ CamSpi:

The reason government was telling private businesses what to do is because non-essential people sitting in the path of a potential natural disaster have a chance to get another name: victims.

If the sandbags don't hold back the water and those businesses with all those non-essential businesses flood, then government is going to have to be responsible for rescuing them. In that situation, it's better to have fewer people sitting in harm's way. There's enough for emergency personnel to focus on without adding that to their list.

Trying to make sure that people are safe and emergency personnel are focused on essential tasks is the most responsible course.

[Emma]

It's good for the morale of the volunteers to have Starbucks open. I'm sure that it's really appreciated!

[barist]

o.k. so ethically, are you allowed to charge someone $4.80 for a venti wm if they have been sandbagging to save your ass all night?
if i was working at that fargo store i think there'd be a lot of surprise and delight going on.

[trixi g]

Get that brewed coffee goin', load it into Coffee Travelers, call the volunteer team leaders to come and get it! Suprise and delight the whole darned thing then get outta there!!

[hearbutloud]

@barist: We can charge as much as we want for a non-essential item. If we were selling gas, on the other hand, it would be totally unethical to JACK UP the price, but not to charge an already established price, like the $4.80(+/-) a venti white mocha costs. If a sandbagger WANTS a white mocha, he should PAY for it.
Also - when Starbucks provides things for free on a large-scale, it is generally regular coffee. Which is all they should give out for free.

[burningbridges]

Yes, for the very few people that have taken breaks from sandbagging to go to Starbucks, I'm sure it is appreciated.

However, should Starbucks really be considered essential? What about the people that were given the choice to voluntarily evacuate, and would have liked to for their own safety, but were ultimately unable to because they worked the next day. The other stores were not open due to lack of employees. What about the third store, just because the other two are closed, they are required to stay open?
I very rarely go a day without Starbucks, but in the situation of a natural disaster happening on Fargo's doorstep, gourmet coffee is not essential to anyone's being.

[stephanie]

another reason they had the city close was because we also had about 3 days of almost non-stop snow coming down. because of the flood there was no one to plow the roads and it was very difficult to get around. i worked at the only starbucks that was open through the whole thing and we were crazy busy. but most of those people coming in were the people from out of town with the red cross or the media.

[Moiraine]

Starbucks IS like the Postal Service!! Lol!
It's nice for the people who are sandbagging, and the media, etc. not only to be able to get a warm cuppa, but to have a place to regroup.

If the partners are in danger, that is something else altogether, but if not...doesn't it give you a kind of good feeling to be able to be there serving those folks?

[underfire]

Just a note, we served the red cross in excess of 100 gallons of coffee. We closed on the day that the call for unessential buisnesses to close and remained closed the next day. The city further defined essential business to include restaurants. We shortened the hours for the following days. We donated coffee to regulars who had crews of sandbaggers near our store. All evacuated partners were asked whether they needed shifts covered. We welcomed many enthusiastic customers who thanked us a for being open.

[(former)dmanagerla]

for the record, if YOUR store stayed open on 9/11, either your DM or SM over-rode the company decision that came down around 10am, Pacific Standard time, the the ENTIRE company was to shut down operations, so partners could be home with their families.
I can't remember if the VM came from Orin Smith or the other Orin, (i think it was Smith). Anyways, it was a great moment in Starbucks history, IMHO. I was very proud of the decision.