The decision to close Starbucks at the Crowne Plaza Hotel should come as no real surprise to anyone who witnessed the volume of daily business during the past three years.
In sharp contrast to how one employee assessed the situation, most observers would probably describe the flow of trade there as a dry creek rather than a steady stream.
There were a number of days when the staff outnumbered the customers.
In all fairness, the coffee was as strong and as flavorful as you would have found in any of the nearly 600 company-owned stores that closed this year because of the hard-pressed economy. It was obviously geared to the tourist market as evidenced by a glance at the generally pricey menu.
The timing of this shutdown though is questionable.
Starbucks is pulling out just as Falls Street should experience a kind of rebirth with the demolished Wintergarden opening up the entire street between the Seneca Niagara Casino plaza and the entrance to Niagara Falls State Park.
Countless visitors — especially those exiting the park — will now see for themselves that there is something else downtown besides a high-rise roadblock and a vacant shopping mall that resembles an abandoned warehouse.
In a word, there is bound to be a better flow of pedestrians between Prospect Park and Third Street.
But, for some reason, Starbucks obviously didn’t want to wait even for another tourist season.
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FOLLOW THE SIGNS: If you’re headed to the French & Indian War events — the 250th anniversary of the battle — at Old Fort Niagara next weekend, you should note the detour starting with the Robert Moses Parkway exit at Youngstown-Lockport Road (Route 93). Turn right at the exit, proceed to East Avenue and Blairville Road for another right to the village and Veterans Park (across from the fire hall) for free parking. A shuttle service to the fort will be available every few minutes. Due to the expected influx, parking in Fort Niagara State Park will be strictly limited.
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REAL HOT SPOT: If you’re looking for a quiet place to read and relax these days, you’ll certainly want to avoid the Earl W. Brydges Library, especially the Local History Department.
On Friday, the third-floor room that houses a treasure of area history and documents, was 92 degrees.
“We don’t have air conditioning in this building and it could be that way for the entire summer,” Library Director Betty Babanoury said.
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THE 19TH HOLE: If the operators of Mulligan’s (the former Greens Restaurant at the Hyde Park Golf Course) want to build up their business, they’ll need to have more than one waitress on duty for the lunch crowd. Last week — it wasn’t the first time — one young waitress was rushing to look after nearly 30 customers including a busy bar.
Despite all that pressure, customers noted she kept her cool and pleasant manner. By the way, the food is good, too.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “ I’m going to bring high energy ... all the time. I’m going to bring personality and be somebody that comes in all the time and works hard. I can defend. I can put the ball in the basket. I can make my teammates better” — Jonny Flynn, ex-Niagara Falls High School and Syracuse University basketball star and No. 6 pick of Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA draft.
Contact reporter Don Glynn at 282-2311, ext. 2246.
Columns
GLYNN: Starbucks closes before Falls St. opens up
- Columns
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HAMILTON: Dandelions, parades, broken poles and people
There are still those remnants of the fading bouquets of floral tributes that still hang at that base of a tree on city hall’s lawn. It is near where, last year, from his shiny silvery cart, Melvin Johnson sold hot dogs and sausages to both city employees and passerbys while his tiny white dog excitingly yelped at anyone that came near.
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GLYNN: Gillibrand seeks help for prime bread-winners
A recent report shows that working mothers across the Empire State earn nearly 15 percent lower pay for the same work as men.
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BRADBERRY: There really are spirits in the water
Over the centuries since it was “discovered” hundreds of millions of people have traveled from every corner of the world to visit Niagara Falls making it the most visited of the great waterfalls on the planet.
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CONFER: The reality of rationed health care
The ongoing debate over Obamacare has brought to light the concept of rationed healthcare. Opponents of health care reform keenly point out that while the bill never explicitly calls out rationing, it features certain provisions that will lead the markets to adjust to strict federal demands and, therefore, dispense certain procedures in smaller amounts or not at all. Because of it being the first time that the subject has really come up in public circles, most people, especially on the right, believe that rationing is something new. It’s not. The free markets have been practicing that for quite some time. I should know; with a 4-inch long, 1-inch wide scar running south of my belly button – and a couple of related scars around my groin – I could be the poster child for rationed health care.
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CITY DESK: A regrettable error
We owe Carol Sensabough an apology.
Several weeks ago, the long-time reader and Niagara Falls resident sent a letter to the editor explaining that she took offense to some of the things written by a syndicated columnist, Stephen Dick. -
HIGGS: Niagara Falls' own West Side story
Trusello’s Bakery was on Elmwood behind the family home at 840 19th St. The family, Richard, William (Billy) and Sam along with two sisters, lived in the house.
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GLYNN: Falls, Ont., rolls out red carpet for Wallenda
Before Nik Wallenda even started practicing his high-wire routine in downtown Niagara Falls, state Sen.George D. Maziarz, R-Newfane, had noted the warm welcome the tightrope walker received across the river.
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HAMILTON: Civic ‘ParticipAction’ can work too
Back in the 1970s, our Neighbors to the North ran a national campaign called ParticipAction to encourage Canadians to get off their butts and do things for the sakes of their bodies.
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GLYNN: Graduates find they’re in staggering debt
Countless senior citizens often gripe about something, sometimes even with good reason. Perhaps they should consider themselves fortunate, compared with the younger generation.
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