A Starbucks is coming to Athens

Athens' first Starbucks location will occupy the recently completed space on W. Union St. 

[dropcap txtcolor="#234a83" style="dropcap1"]S [/dropcap]tarbucks will open its first full-service store in Athens at 16 W. Union Street during the summer of 2018, a spokesperson confirmed Tuesday. “Starbucks is always looking for great locations to better meet the needs of our customers, and we are happy to confirm that we will be opening a new location at 16 W Union Street in Athens, Ohio this summer,” a Starbucks spokesperson said in an email.[AdSense-A]This will be the first stand-alone Starbucks in Athens and the only store within 40 miles.The store will occupy the space between the Ohio University Credit Union and The Union Bar & Grill. According to the spokesperson, the new Starbucks will employ 23 people. It will be the first store to occupy the location since a November 2014 fire forced several businesses on the street to vacate. The Starbucks representative said the company is excited to be part of the Athens community.Starbucks will have to compete with local coffee shops including Donkey Coffee and Espresso, Court Street Coffee, Brenen's Coffee Cafe and Fluff Bakery & Catering. Several Ohio U Campus Cafes, including The Front Room located in Baker University Center, serve Starbucks Coffee.