'System failures': Starbucks to close its doors amid recent violence in Osborne Village
The long-standing Starbucks in Osborne Village is set to close its doors next week – it comes one day after a man was attacked next door.
The organization confirmed to CTV News Winnipeg the closure will begin on May 6. While Starbucks says the closure is temporary, there has been no indication how long it will last.
“We would like to thank you for being part of our store community; you are the heart of who we are at Starbucks,” a sign on the front door of the coffee shop reads. “We are very thankful to have played a role in your daily routine and that you have shared these moments of your life with us.”
The manager of the store was not able to speak to CTV News, deferring comment to the brand’s communications department.
A spokesperson for Starbucks told CTV News this decision was made after 'careful consideration.'
The spokesperson did not give any specific reasoning behind the closure, and told CTV News they have no additional details to share at this time.
Man attacked outside Liquor Mart: police
Area residents and advocates believe the closure has something to do with several violent incidents in the Village.
On Wednesday evening, a man was attacked while inside the vestibule of the Liquor Mart, right next door to the Starbucks.
Police said one man was arrested after a confrontation with officers outside the store. He was charged with assault by choking, suffocating or strangling.
It's the latest in several violent incidents that have hit the Village.
Just last month, police say a woman was stabbed at a bus stop near the River and Osborne intersection, and in a separate incident nearby a man was seriously assaulted.
In February, police said a 26-year-old man was stabbed at the Osborne Transit Station, and last November there was a triple stabbing at the Shoppers Drug Mart.
'These are truly system failures': BIZ says
"The level of violent incidents that are going on, these are truly system failures," said Zohreh Gervais, the executive director of the Osborne Village BIZ.
"These are not things that business owners and businesses are meant to be dealing with."
She said while local businesses and residents have taken it upon themselves to address crime, with initiatives like the SABE Peace Walkers – it’s a responsibility Gervais says shouldn't fall on their shoulders.
"I'm not sure how we got to the point where it was expected that the BIZ zone with our tiny little operating budget that is meant to plant flowers and beautify the neighbourhood somehow became responsible for public security – like, that's insanity," Gervais said.
"I really hope that this provides a sort of alarm bell to the government to step up and actually start really dealing with these issues, because they are escalating and they are escalating quickly."
Provincial public safety strategy coming this fall
Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said the province is taking steps to deal with public safety, most recently hosting a Public Safety Summit in Winnipeg.
"We spent the day talking about solutions," Wiebe said, adding this will help inform a public safety strategy set to be released this Fall. "(It) will give you a better sense of how we can work together, what some of the solutions are, and how the provincial government can play a greater role in keeping our community safe."
Area councillor Sherri Rollins said she has had discussions with the premier and the mayor about the safety concerns in Osborne Village.
"I really would like to see more finely grained community policing in Osborne village," she said. "I've heard from businesses who are concerned with response times when incidents do happen… and the level of community policing that sometimes they don't feel as exists in the village."
Address the root causes of crime, resident says
Dianne McConnell says she's sad to see Starbucks close its doors. In the roughly six years she's been living in the area, she's seen several businesses close-up shop.
If something isn't done soon, she fears more businesses will leave the Village that is already peppered with empty store fronts and for-lease signs.
"We need to look at the homelessness crisis, we need to look at the addiction crisis. And we need to actually solve the problems that are actually creating the crime around the area," she said.
A notice posted on the River Avenue Starbucks door informing customers of its impending closure is pictured on May 2, 2024. (Danton Unger/CTV News Winnipeg)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Defence rests without Donald Trump taking the witness stand in his New York hush money trial
Donald Trump's lawyers rested their defence Tuesday without the former president taking the witness stand in his New York hush money trial.
Passenger killed, 30 injured as Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence
One passenger was killed and 30 injured after a Singapore Airlines SIAL.SI flight from London hit severe turbulence en route on Tuesday, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, officials and the airline said.
Feels like mid-30s in parts of Canada, while other areas expecting snow
Anything is possible this week, as far as Canada's weather is concerned, with forecasts ranging from scorching heat in some parts of the country to rain and snow in others.
Canada's inflation cools to 3-year low of 2.7%, in boost for rate cut bets
Canada's annual inflation rate slowed to a three-year low of 2.7 per cent in April, matching expectations, and core measures continued to ease, data showed on Tuesday, likely boosting chances of a June interest rate cut.
'Documents are fraudulent': Graceland is not for sale, Elvis Presley's granddaughter says in lawsuit
Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, is fighting plans to publicly auction his Graceland estate in Memphis after a company tried to sell the property based on claims that a loan using the king of rock ’n’ roll's former home as collateral was not repaid.
Trump campaign calls 'The Apprentice' 'blatantly false,' director offers to screen it for him
Donald Trump's reelection campaign called 'The Apprentice,' a film about the former U.S. president in the 1980s, 'pure fiction' and vowed legal action following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. But director Ali Abbasi is offering to privately screen the film for Trump.
Nestle to sell $5 pizza, sandwiches in the U.S. for Wegovy, Ozempic users
Nestle NESN.S will market a new, US$5 line of frozen pizzas and protein-enriched pastas in the United States which it says it designed specifically for people taking drugs such as Wegovy or Ozempic for weight loss.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
Independent stores and grocery alternatives see sales boost amid Loblaw boycott
As the month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores wears on, small independent food retailers and alternative grocery options say they're seeing a boost in traffic and sales.