SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — When you drive down Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach, you won’t find many chains. It’s the only town where Starbucks’ notorious green sun shades stick out like a sore thumb.
“I come to Starbucks almost everyday,” said Soheil Karimi.
Some locals are excited to see it.
“I love that it’s consistent, it’s hot, I don’t have to tell them to reheat it,” Karimi said.
But most people in Ocean Beach looking for a hot cup of coffee don't even consider Starbucks as an option.
“I honestly never went to Starbucks,” said Katelyn Conrad.
They prefer local cafes.
“I would always choose other places over Starbucks,” Conrad said.
When the OB Starbucks opened in 2001, hundreds took to the streets in protest.
“I think it’s a sign of the population here and what people want in OB,” said Hillery Kemp.
“Kind of like, move that out of here, because I like it to be community fed, I like it to be non-franchise,” said Raymond Torres.
Twenty one years later, and their voices have been heard. A sign on the store’s front window reads that this location will permanently close on Dec. 12. OB’s local coffee shops are already seeing more customers.
“Starbucks closing is really to me, like, 'Bye,'” Torres said.
In a statement, a spokesperson says Starbucks will “evaluate its store portfolio to ensure it’s meeting the needs of its customers and communities.” The spokesperson also says employees at that location will have the option to transfer to another nearby Starbucks.
