New Starbucks in Brockton closes stores after school to deter teens

Local news

Starbucks, which recently opened on Belmont Street, closes its dining room between 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays during the school year.

A new Starbucks location in Brockton will close its dining room after school to avoid a gathering of teenagers from the local high school, Brockton police told school officials earlier this month.

Paul Bonanca, a Brockton police lieutenant and school police liaison, told the Brockton School Committee that there have been “some problems” in the past with students in stores near Brockton High School, particularly along Belmont Street.

A spokesperson for the Seattle-based coffeehouse chain told Boston.com that Starbucks opened a few weeks ago on the same street as the school.

Bonanca told committee members that he had met with Starbucks management, who had decided to close “between 1 and 3 p.m. when the kids are out of the house because that’s where the kids seem to be more focused when they’re near the high school.”

He said the drive-thru will remain open at the new Starbucks at 863 Belmont Street. The Starbucks spokesperson clarified that they will only close their dining room on weekdays between 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. during the school year. Customers can still come in and order, but cannot sit at their tables.

The Starbucks spokesperson said these are the chain’s opening hours since it opened.

“This is not a change,” the spokesperson said. “Our local operators have the authority to make these decisions.” They did not comment on whether the decision was due to student attendance or not.

mayor: Starbucks “should be fully open”

Mayor Robert Sullivan, who attended the Aug. 6 committee meeting, said in a statement to Boston.com that he was “not aware” that the new Starbucks planned to close its dining room. He said he planned to meet with the store’s management and Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez to discuss the closure.

“This wonderful new store addition in a busy part of our city should be fully open during full business hours every day,” Sullivan said. “Together, I am confident we will find a mutually acceptable solution to support this retailer and ensure the safety of employees and customers.”

The Starbucks is a 40-minute walk or five-minute drive from Brockton High School, where student violence escalated last year. In February, some school officials asked Gov. Maura Healey to send in the National Guard.

While Healey refused, dozens of teachers and staff members told the school board that it was becoming increasingly difficult to control students. One staff member said she was trampled by a crowd of people flocking to a fight in February, and another teacher was injured in a fight in March.

At the same school board meeting earlier this month, new interim superintendent Priya Tahiliani introduced the school’s first security director to help improve school safety.

The nearby McDonald’s also reportedly locks its doors after school and only lets one customer in at a time, WBZ reported. However, the restaurant chain did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

Brockton Public Schools declined to comment on the local company’s decision.