New Starbucks: Does Orillia Really Need Four?

Starbucks currently has two locations in town: outside Orillia beside Weber’s, and across from the Lakehead Orillia campus beside Costco. It was announced recently that two more will be popping up: one on Front street, replacing the Country Style which closed its doors on March 7th 2021, and the other on Memorial, between the Shell Gas station and McDonald’s. This expansion comes as no surprise, as the University Street location is always busy and often their drive-thru line stretches into the plaza. 

The opening of a couple more Starbucks could be good for the town; after all, Barrie has three on Bayfield Street alone. Lakehead student Connor Mcleod supports the new franchises, saying that “It’s a uni town, and it’s on the way up to cottages so it just means more money coming into the town, which is good.” 

The opening of new coffee shops also means that new jobs will be available. With Covid-19, student jobs have decreased, so having a couple more options will be great for students looking to work close to home. 

This change also allows for fewer lines near the university and drives more traffic to the downtown area. Still, some people see it as a problem, pointing to the current traffic issues on Front Street and how adding a Starbucks location here will likely make things worse. Front Street is known to get backed up during the summertime with cottages and the beach being down the road, so the addition of a busy Starbucks could exacerbate the issue. Some Lakehead students are also not thrilled about these latest editions, including Liam Sillis, who believes that “Starbucks is preying on student finances and s***.” 

While people certainly have conflicting opinions on these new locations, one thing’s for sure–getting your coffee fix in the morning will never have been easier.