Espresso, Mould, & Mattress Bugs Oh My!

Coffee is the reason I wake up every morning. It drives me through the day, so you can imagine my deep disappointment as I commuted in the pouring rain to the brand new Starbucks Reserve Roastery at 61 9th Ave only to find out there were Starbucks employees protesting against the establishment . A company employee, Madeline Starford, spoke to me about the 40-day protest at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery. Starford briefed me on the Starbucks Union strikes in the country. Over 100 Starbucks store employees walked out on Red Cup Day to protest Starbucks’ unsanitary working conditions. Starbucks’ Reserve Roastery has notable bed bugs and mold in the machines. Despite these disgusting circumstances, the Starbucks Reserve Roastery’s management refuses to close. According to another Starbucks employee who protested, “A week ago someone supposedly came in to get rid of the bed bugs, but just yesterday another employee reportedly saw a bed bug on the counter.” dedicated Starbucks Reserve Roastery does not care about the safety and well-being of customers or employees.

Although the Starbucks Reserve Roastery looks architecturally interesting from the outside, I lost all interest in drinking coffee at this roastery after hearing that the Starbucks employees themselves divulged the unsanitary Starbucks truths. Visually, this Starbucks Reserve Roastery is mesmerizing. The ambience of the Reserve Roastery is similar to that of a hotel lobby. Fresh coffee beans are ground over the counter, freshly brewed and served. If you didn’t know that the Starbucks Reserve Roastery has bed bugs crawling in the cracks and mold choking the inside of the machines, the outside of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery seems warm and welcoming.

Despite employee-led anti-establishment protests, the Starbucks Reserve Roastery had a line about a block long. The people waiting in line didn’t seem to pay any attention to the protesters. It can only be assumed that the reason people chose to wait in line was for the aesthetic of going to a Starbucks Reserve Roastery. The customers queuing outside had no idea of ​​the poor sanitary conditions prevailing within the walls of the building. The general working environment at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery is far from satisfactory. It is evident that Starbucks Corporate does not care about the health, safety and morale of its employees and customers. A direct quote from the protesting employee: “They found bed bugs in the break room and refused to close the store or mitigate the problem. Aside from the bed bugs, there were many violations of public health and safety… Whenever we found mold in the ice cubes, management told us to take out the moldy ice cubes and still serve the drink to customers. Staff are not providing adequate nutrition, health and safety hygiene training.”

As soon as I heard an employee say, “There’s mold in the ice machine and someone saw a bed bug in the break room.” I lost all desire to order coffee there. If you’re looking for a unique coffee, don’t waste your time or money at Starbucks Reserve Roastery. Instead, visit great local cafes like News Café and Caffè Reggio.