Starbucks, I’ve Missed You So

Ladies and gentlemen, fellow law students, welcome to another semester at Boston College Law School.

I’ll admit, as a first year law student, last semester was a little rough. Legal writing took getting used to. Outlining was a new and unparalleled experience. And I am still unsure how to handle being outside of the library during daylight hours. Yet perhaps more than anything, the greatest challenge of the past semester was getting acclimated to life in Cleveland Circle.

As a native-born Manhattanite, Cleveland Circle leaves a lot to be desired. Not just because the buildings are not tall enough, but also because of our location at the end of the B and C lines. The entire area has a provincial feel and one is constantly reminded that we are not quite in the city nor quite outside of it either.

The lack of a thriving nearby commercial center is also disconcerting. The best of our commercial outlets consist of a few bars, a 7-Eleven, Applebees, and a CVS. Our cultural attractions include a closed-down movie theater and a Dunkin Donuts. And if that wasn’t depressing enough, our daily commute involves walking passed a cemetery.

Yet, all is not lost. Starbucks is coming.

I am not a coffee aficionado, corporate spokesperson, or Starbucks fiend, but I recognize that the establishment of a Starbucks is a monumental achievement for our deprived cloister. As great as Roggies may be, there is no real meeting place in Cleveland Circle. Similarly, the Dunkin Donuts has the ambiance of a McDonalds.

There is simply no amiable study space to enjoy a cup of quality coffee or behave like the yuppies that we are.

Some may point out that there are already two Starbucks on Washington St. and one in Coolidge Corner. But who wants to wait around for the T just to grab a cup of coffee?

While I’m on the subject of unnecessary commutes, where’s our supermarket? Is it too much to ask that a captive population of thousands of BC students not have to use public transportation just to get access to basic food supplies? Sure we have a Tedeschi, 7-Eleven, CVS, and convenience store all located within a block of each other, but wouldn’t a single supermarket replace the need for them and create the opportunity for better venues? Isn’t the old movie theater the perfect place for a new supermarket? Its a great size located in a convenient place and already has a parking lot. In contrast, the Star Market is just too far for those who live further up Comm Ave. This isn’t a matter of laziness, just sheer inconvenience. After all, would you want to walk five to ten minutes downhill just to wait for the T?

Likewise, as great as Wholefoods may be, it is not as accessible as the movie theater, offers a more obscure selection, and is more expensive. It’s a great resource, but supplements rather than satisfies our existing needs.

Despite my criticisms, Cleveland Circle holds a lot of promise. Hopefully the Starbucks will highlight its potential and bring a wave of development that reinvigorates this dying neighborhood and replaces the excess of meagerly-stocked food-supply stores with new and dynamic venues, places that offer communal meeting spaces, and if nothing else- a supermarket. We deserve no less.