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The word on the street was that a man named Malcolm, who headed the West Chester Business Improvement District (BID), was in charge of allowing certain businesses to come to West Chester. Based on the huge amount of comments we received on Sarah Reese’s article about Starbucks coming to West Chester, I thought it would be a good idea to meet him and get his thoughts on the Starbucks issue.
I walked into his office at about half past 4 on a Tuesday afternoon - the end of his workday. He very graciously sat with me at his office’s large conference table.
I started the discussion joking that,”not everyone gets a conference table of this size in their office you know? And you even have a window! You must be a very important man.”
He politely laughed and likely wondered (as many people do when they first meet me) if I was kidding or if I was crazy. He soon learned that I was a mix of both as I asked him blunt questions about his job and how it affects the town. In a nutshell, here is what he shared with me:
1. The BID does not determine what businesses come into West Chester; potential businesses approach property owners.
2. The BID can only turn down a potential business if they do not comply with certain zoning ordinances.
3. It is illegal to refuse a particular type of establishment (eg, Starbucks) if the same class of establishment (eg, a coffee shop) is approved.
He informed me that the BID was established in 2001 to fund and implement programs that reflect the following three general goals:
- Increase customer traffic and sales
- Retain, expand and recruit viable businesses;
- Advocate the interests of downtown to government agencies
Because corporate and pre-existing family-run businesses co-habitate, he is responsible for providing equal support to each business.
Although he helped to clear up many of my questions, he would like to help answer any questions from you the public or local businesses.
For more information on the BID, check out the website. For more information about Malcolm, click here.
The Final Dish:
Have questions for Malcolm? Leave a comment and open up the lines of communication.
About the Author
Mary Bigham, the creator of wcdish, is a self-admitted sushi and travel addict. She has a crush on just about every food but refuses to eat American cheese.
More About Mary...7 Comments So Far
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I grew up in Chestnut Hill which is very much like West Chester except that it has more shops than restaurants. And I can remember when The Gap wanted to open up a shop - the whole town was up in arms and furious that a “chain” was coming into town. And guess what - it was the the best thing that ever happened. It increased traffic in all of the shops and restaurants. Business is business, if the little coffee shops can’t play with the big boys then get out of the game. If you ask me, there are too many coffee shops in West Chester as it is as well as restaurants. Luckily, business is like nature, natural selection takes over and the strongest species continues. It all boils down to prices and service and I’ve been to all the little coffee shops and wasn’t impressed by either. Starbucks’s service has always been good, the product consistent and the prices - well high, but par for coffee.
Would anyone even care if Joe Schmoe’s coffee shop opened up instead? My only complaint is that they couldn’t somehow make it a drive-thru Starbucks. Good luck little coffee shops or good ridence! -
Well, if you want to live in a town like every other town, looks like you’ve got it.
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I, like most of the rest of you, was just as shocked when Starbucks moved in (right across the street from Sprazzo, of all places!). But I’m also guilty: I’ve been there at least 3 times since they’ve opened. Yep, Starbucks is in West Chester, just like it’s everywhere else in the country (side note: One of my favorite “The Onion” headlines read: New Starbucks Opening in Restroom of Other Starbucks). Does that make it a bad place? Nope. It’s just more competition. Think of it this way: You love hamburgers. There are, what, about 30 different places to buy a burger in West Chester? If you want a cheapo burger, you go to a place like McDonald’s or Wendy’s. You want a better burger, you go to Buddy’s or Kildare’s. There’s plenty of room for everyone, that’s what makes this country great.
FYI–Wait ’til McDonald’s starts selling their “special coffees.” Yep, they’re going to try to compete with your smaller coffee shops (even Starbucks!). I’ve been to one in Michigan recently; they had free wi-fi, couches, etc. I had to walk outside to remember where I was sitting…
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Hello,
Can anyone tell me where “America’s Cup” has gone or if simply Not in biz anywhere? I liked the owner-person.MAR.G.W.
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Starbucks in West Chester saddens me. But then, the McDonalds at the edge of town has been a staple ever since I can remember. It doesn’t mean I’ve ever eaten there, nor will I plan to. Same with Starbucks. I’ll be the one politely thumbing my nose from across the street while enjoying my espresso and panini sandwich at family owned Sparazzo. Corporate America has enough of everyone else’s dollars. I prefer to give mine to the little guy. I’m sure I will get a better product, at a better price with better service.
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It amazes me that the man who is trying to misinform the people about starbucks is soon to compete with Starbucks. Rumor has it that he, or his wife, is about to open a coffee shop in West Chester. I just hope that he offers as much fair trade coffee as Starbucks and I am sure that he and his employees will be involved heavily in community projects.
Today’s Inquirer has an article that states that Starbucks increases foot traffic in towns and actually helps smaller businesses, especially coffe shops. One small coffee shop in Seatle, has a business model where they will only open up close to a Starbucks. So if Mr. Malcom is smart, he should be praising Starbucks. It may actually help his new shop. -
I was hoping something interesting would open at the corner of High and Gay. What a disappointment. The appeal of West Chester’s downtown lies in its small-town feel and it’s family-owned businesses. Starbucks’ presence makes downtown more bland. But Starbucks’ arrival downtown is part of it’s predatory business model of clustering. Saturate the market with your product - there already two Starbucks stores 5-10 outside of town, as well as the university licensed Starbucks presence on the WCU campus. Go away Starbucks!