Starbucks shifting locations in Naperville
A favorite place to stop for coffee is on the go in Naperville as two of the 11 Starbucks stores in the city are preparing to move.
The downtown Starbucks at 42 W. Jefferson Ave. is moving first, shifting across the street from the southeast corner of Jefferson and Main to the southwest corner at 100 W. Jefferson Ave.
The move is set to take place this week. After the original location closed June 18, the new, larger space is scheduled to open Friday.
The new downtown shop will offer expanded seating in a space nearly four times as large and an immersive coffee bar featuring many aspects of the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle, a spokeswoman said.
Customers will be able to order from the Reserve line of coffees, which are small-batch brews available in limited quantities at about 2,000 Starbucks stores around the world.
Landlord and downtown property owner Steve Rubin called the new store's interior "stunning" with "very classy" finishes, designs and colors. He said he thinks downtown customers will appreciate the Reserve line, with its fresh concept and new beverage services.
Rubin said Starbucks leased the space last fall after Eddie Bauer downsized, creating space for the new Starbucks and a MAC Cosmetics.
The other Naperville Starbucks set to move in the coming months is at Ogden Avenue and Washington Street, north of downtown.
Later this summer, work is expected to begin on a strip mall renovation east of the intersection at 215-231 E. Ogden Ave., which eventually will allow the Starbucks to open a fresh location and add a drive-through.
The city council approved plans for the drive-through last week, despite some concern it could create long lines of cars waiting to turn out of the parking lot onto Ogden.
Vequity Real Estate has purchased the strip mall east of the Jewel grocery store at Ogden and Washington and plans to begin major renovations soon.
Vequity Principal Ryan Murphy said the work will improve a site that's in "terrible disrepair." Plans to overhaul the building also call for its westernmost 20 feet to be removed in order to add the drive-through lane.