From the Chicago Tribune

Vandals stick it to Starbucks coffee shops
By William P. Bohlen
Tribune staff reporter

August 7, 2001

The Starbucks faithful dreaming of a Monday morning jolt found a frustrating reality at 14 Chicago coffee shops, where they discovered someone had squirted Krazy Glue-type adhesive into the stores' locks.
A manager at the chain's North Avenue store reported 14 Starbucks--mostly in the downtown and Near North Side areas--had been hit overnight Sunday by someone who gummed up the door locks, police said. The vandalism delayed the opening of at least one of the affected stores by four hours Monday.
An assistant manager who declined to give his name said his employees at the 210 W. North Ave. store could not start serving until 9:30 a.m., four hours after the store's scheduled opening.
"Either somebody was upset or they had a really good practical joke in mind," said Mitch Benton, morning shift supervisor for the Starbucks at 600 N. State St. "It wasn't funny at 4:40 this morning."
Benton, who was supposed to open the store by 5:30 a.m., said a locksmith fixed the door by about 7:30 a.m.--after 20 disappointed customers had been turned away.
Benton said some loyal patrons stuck around for a while. "Those are my regular customers in the morning, so they were pretty friendly," Benton said.
Neil Martin, of Chicago, who said he patronizes the North State Street store twice a day, was glad he missed the early-morning commotion, which would have spoiled his day.
"It's part of my routine," Martin said. "I need my caffeine."
Police said they are not investigating because Starbucks did not file a formal complaint. Neither police nor Starbucks could identify a possible suspect or motive.

Copyright © 2001, Chicago Tribune

By William P. Bohlen
Tribune staff reporter

August 7, 2001

The Starbucks faithful dreaming of a Monday morning jolt found a frustrating reality at 14 Chicago coffee shops, where they discovered someone had squirted Krazy Glue-type adhesive into the stores' locks.
A manager at the chain's North Avenue store reported 14 Starbucks--mostly in the downtown and Near North Side areas--had been hit overnight Sunday by someone who gummed up the door locks, police said. The vandalism delayed the opening of at least one of the affected stores by four hours Monday.
An assistant manager who declined to give his name said his employees at the 210 W. North Ave. store could not start serving until 9:30 a.m., four hours after the store's scheduled opening.
"Either somebody was upset or they had a really good practical joke in mind," said Mitch Benton, morning shift supervisor for the Starbucks at 600 N. State St. "It wasn't funny at 4:40 this morning."
Benton, who was supposed to open the store by 5:30 a.m., said a locksmith fixed the door by about 7:30 a.m.--after 20 disappointed customers had been turned away.
Benton said some loyal patrons stuck around for a while. "Those are my regular customers in the morning, so they were pretty friendly," Benton said.
Neil Martin, of Chicago, who said he patronizes the North State Street store twice a day, was glad he missed the early-morning commotion, which would have spoiled his day.
"It's part of my routine," Martin said. "I need my caffeine."
Police said they are not investigating because Starbucks did not file a formal complaint. Neither police nor Starbucks could identify a possible suspect or motive.

Copyright © 2001, Chicago Tribune