Starbucks set to temporarily close amid crime, drug problems in Osborne Village

A violent attack — in which a man is accused of trying to strangle another person — at a neighbouring business appears to be the last straw for Starbucks in Osborne Village.

The coffee shop is set to close “temporarily” on May 5, amid rising crime and drug addiction in the area. Baristas have been trained to respond to customer questions with the following line: “It’s just so we can protect the (employee) and customer experience.”

Starbucks Coffee Canada remained vague about the reason for shuttering its popular locale. The shop, at the corner of River Avenue and Osborne Street, often has lineups and a hum of conversation.

The temporary closure comes after “careful consideration,” Leanna Rizzi, the company’s communications manager, said.

“Starbucks routinely evaluates our store portfolio to determine how and where we can best meet the needs of our partners (and) customers,” she wrote in a statement, adding “partners” means employees.

The review includes ensuring staff are “supported in serving customers in a warm and welcoming environment,” Rizzi continued.

She didn’t answer when, if at all, the location would reopen.

Starbucks closed 16 stores in the U.S. in 2022 due to safety concerns.

The Osborne Village BIZ’s executive director believes the closure is tied to an act of violence at a nearby Manitoba Liquor Mart.

At around 7 p.m. Wednesday, a man assaulted another man while in line. Liquor store staff called police. When they arrived, an altercation ensued and police were forced to Taser the man, Winnipeg Police Service spokeswoman Ally Siatecki said.

A 39-year-old man has been charged with assault by choking, suffocating or strangling and an outstanding warrant.

“What I’m really concerned about is that there have been more incidents of this nature happening — not just in Osborne, but across the city,” said Zohreh Gervais, the Osborne Village BIZ leader.

“What I’m really concerned about is that there have been more incidents of this nature happening… not just in Osborne, but across the city.”– Zohreh Gervais

“It’s alarming to see that security is becoming more of a concern.”

If security is a concern for Starbucks, the company could contact the Sabe Peace Walkers, who patrol the area Tuesdays through Saturdays, Gervais said.

Gervais has been tracking an increase in opioid-related incidents, she said, adding she worries this summer will be worse than last.

“We can’t have successful businesses if the pieces aren’t in place to keep people healthy and safe on the streets.”

Persistent crime and addictions speak to “a complete failure of our government” to address housing issues and supports for mental health, she said.

The River-Osborne area had a 99 per cent increase in overall crime year-over-year for the year ending November 2023, according to Winnipeg Police Service data.

Violent crime jumped 161 per cent, and property crime rose nearly 83 per cent. Last November, a woman was charged in a triple-stabbing at a Shoppers Drug Mart near Osborne Village’s Starbucks.

“We need to continue to work on any number of fronts to assure everyone that we’re listening, we’re hearing the concerns, and we’re doing all that we can,” said Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry).

She listed several government initiatives to improve safety, including investing in the Sabe Peace Walkers and the Downtown Community Safety Partnership.

Mayor Scott Gillingham and Premier Wab Kinew recently launched in-depth safety discussions at a summit, Rollins noted. She’d said she’d like to see a more noticeable police presence in the Village.

News of Starbucks’ temporary closure dampened spirits on a dreary Thursday.

“It is a chain restaurant, but it’s like a local coffee shop in Osborne,” said Joey Ekman, an employee at nearby Anytime Fitness.

Many people who live in the area don’t own a vehicle, she said.

“They have so much business,” Ekman said, looking out a window onto Osborne Street. “Look at that — there’s a girl walking around with a Starbucks.

“They’ll just grab a coffee and go to the little shops around here.”

Sreejit Manappetty, who lives and works in the area, also had a coffee.

“We need to continue to work on any number of fronts to assure everyone that we’re listening, we’re hearing the concerns, and we’re doing all that we can.”– Coun. Sherri Rollins

“Starbucks closing up, it will (make) Osborne to be a less safer place, I think,” Manappetty said. “Starbucks over here makes Osborne a good place.”

He stood behind the counter of Osborne Vape Smoke & Bongs. The business was broken into last week, he said.

“Safety concerns — I get it,” Manappetty said, adding a vacant lot where Starbucks is would be “a bad thing.”

He hopes the eatery reopens, and if not, that a café would take its place.

Staff at Little Sister Coffee Maker — which is across the street from Starbucks — believe business will get busier with the closure.

They lamented the uncertainty for longtime Starbucks workers.

The Starbucks employees will be able to temporarily transfer to a nearby location, Rizzi said.

She didn’t answer questions about whether Starbucks planned to close any other Winnipeg locations for the same reason. It opened four stores in the city in the last 18 months, she noted.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com