- Credibility:
BRAINERD — Starbucks has opened at the site of a long-vacant gas station on the Far South Side.
Store hours are 5 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday at the new location, 9438 S. Ashland Ave. There is no drive-thru, but neighbors can order through the Starbucks mobile app or in the store.
The store had a soft opening May 13 and will have a grand opening celebrating the launch sometime in the coming months, company officials said. Glazier Corporation, a Chicago-based real estate development company, led the project.
Ald. Howard Brookins (21st) said “this store will be a big boost to the community” and raise nearby property values.
Brookins said he’d always envisioned the corner having something like a pancake house or a restaurant where church members could go before and after service. Although he “never thought a Starbucks would come there,” he’s “ecstatic” to have a family-friendly business in the community, he said.
“Starbucks is like a community. It encourages people to come, plug into their wifi and do their work,” Brookins said. “It’s a friendly atmosphere, and I think for the new economy of people not tethered to an office, it is a great spot and a great location on the South Side.”
Brookins said he hopes Starbucks is the first of many businesses that come to the community. He might not be leading the 21st Ward when it happens — he’s running for the Cook County Circuit Court judge slot — but he’s hopeful, he said.
“I will probably not be in office to a see a lot of things to fruition, but if I can get the fire started and it happens, I will be happy,” Brookins said.
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