What once was Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) on the corner of Jericho Turnpike and Willis Avenue in the village is now a Starbucks, which recently had its grand opening where members of the village board attended.
At a public hearing in October of last year, Starbucks representatives and attorneys went before the village board seeking their approval to open. At the hearing, Starbucks said that truck deliveries to the store would be daily between 10 p.m. and midnight and would last anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes.
Starbucks, which now has a drive-thru, did a complete renovation inside the building and also added new landscaping to the façade to make the store more visually appealing and welcoming.
The new village Starbucks has the typical 34-seat seating area inside, which includes tables and chairs as well as a community table. The new Starbucks has a similar feel to the recently built Starbucks in East Meadow on Hempstead Turnpike, which is actually smaller with less seats.
“Visiting the interior of the place and getting to speak to the person who’s in charge of this region as well as the manager, they really have gone out of their way to begin to fit into our community,” said deputy mayor Paul Pereira. “I’ve heard a lot of great things so I wish them well. They did a great job inside, they spared no expense and the building looks beautiful.”
“I think it’s going to be a great addition to the village,” added trustee George Durham.
Since the location of the popular coffee franchise is on a busy intersection, at the hearing the board questioned Starbucks about snow removal during the winter months to ensure the safety of passersby. Representatives from Starbucks responded that the company is solely responsible for maintaining the landscaping around the store and snow removal, and would take care it.
Starbucks is located at 139 Jericho Tpke., and is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week.
