Nov. 12, 2018 By Meghan Sackman
The Starbucks in Jackson Heights located at 78-25 37th St. has been shut down by the Health Department.
Since Friday, the busy location has had a large yellow notice plastered on its front door that reads: “Closed by Order of the Commissioner of Health and Mental Hygiene.”
There were two employees inside the locked location Monday but both were unwilling to answer questions.
The NYC Health Department was unavailable to comment Monday but Jackson Heights business owners and residents had plenty to say about the closure.
Janya Sing Pan Radezh, owner of the Thai restaurant Arunee located next door, said she was disappointed to see it close—even on a temporary basis.
“I’m upset because I’m a coffee girl too. I drink it every day,” she said. “I think they will improve it [the store] … and they will come back.”
Her daughter Ming was also disappointed by the closure.
“It will affect us in some way because we are next door,” she said. “I guess they [help] bring more customers here.”
Many residents who were peering in through the window had mixed feelings about the closure. Some were milling around outside disappointed they couldn’t get their drinks.
Others, such as resident Greg Culling, shrugged his shoulders and said he wasn’t upset because he never went there.
“I don’t usually patronize Starbucks anyway so I don’t really care,” he laughed.
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17 Comments
My wife walked by the store (Starbucks) early this (Wednesday) morning, and told me they were open again.
They closed on my birthday so I can’t get my free birthday drink. I found them to be dirty and not really cleaning the store too often.
Starbucks coffee is one of the first signs of a neighborhood becoming too expensive. When people start paying 5$ for something that costs 1.25$ down the street it’s a problem. Plus Jackson Heights has so many better places to get coffee. Heck even 7eleven has better coffee.
Arunee Thai ?
Don’t get me started !
I’ll vomit !
Well there’s always Cafe Benne 🙂
Y’all just go to Lety’s the coffee is better and the customers actually talk to each other
https://goo.gl/maps/tYvDUXJwvJw
I agree with you Tom Lety’s has better coffee and baked goods at better price.
While the article doesn’t give specifics of the reason for the closure, I witnessed a cockroach in the food display case one Sunday morning not too long ago. The Shift Manager was in the back and the staff had a difficult time to get her to come to the front to help recently hired staff to manage the situation. That Shift Manager seems to be no longer at the JH Starbucks. It is interesting that Janya Sing Pan Radezh, owner of the Thai restaurant Arunee located next door, said she was disappointed to see it close—even on a temporary basis” as the last time I ate in Arunee a cockroach walked across the table while we were eating. We once were served a fried rice dish that was clearly spoiled (by its odor) and we had a very difficult time getting the check adjusted so we did not have to pay for spoiled food. A close friend of mine became ill with food poisoning after eating at Arunee on New Year’s Eve (this statement is not proof that she became ill from food at Arunee, but it was the only meal she ate that day and she became seriously ill about two hours after the meal) which was just before we were served spoiled food. My suggestion to Janya Sing Pan Radezh is to spend more time taking care of her business rather than commenting on the business next door.
LOL (It’s like you read my mind, except I don’t eat that garbage at Arunee.)
An abundance of roaches must be part of the reason. My last three visits there evidenced roaches on the walls or the floor. I sent an email to the listed manager, but received no response. I do like the place, and hope it reopens clean. When I’d go there I was afraid roaches might get in my backpack and I’d bring them home!
Hey what do you want for $6 lattes? proper food maintenance??!! Now that they have to clean up their act, they will probably jack up the prices more. If you want good, cheaper coffee go to seba, seba.
“Critical” violations are displayed in red.
Violation points: 40
Sanitary Violations
1) Live roaches present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas.
2) Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage-associated (FRSA) flies present in facility’s food and/or non-food areas. Filth flies include house flies, little house flies, blow flies, bottle flies and flesh flies. Food/refuse/sewage-associated flies include fruit flies, drain flies and Phorid flies.
3) Food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service.
4) Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to attracting vermin to the premises and/or allowing vermin to exist.
Thanks, Sean, for the details. The PDF of the Health Dept. violations I attached didn’t make it into the original post.
Where will I go with my laptop ?
Where will I buy my trendy coffee ??
No more free Wi-Fi
All their stuff is
frozen
… freeze temps ?
Food stock :
Date rotation ?
Milk etc…
Temperature storage ?
Homeless issues ?
All their stuff is
frozen
… freeze temps ?
Food stock :
Date rotation ?
Milk etc…
Temperature storage ?
Homeless dumplings ?