If you're a fan of the Starbucks located in the city's Chapters store — one of just two outlets in Greater Sudbury — you're going to have to get your caffeine fix elsewhere for a while.
The store will be undergoing renovations for a good chunk of January.
Store manager Leah Dupuis confirmed the popular cafe will be closing early on Jan. 6 — at 5 p.m. — with renovations starting Jan. 7 and continuing to Feb. 1, when the store is scheduled to reopen.
She said the cafe will be “gutted,” and once renovations are complete, it will look like a whole new store.
“It's going to look like the Starbucks stores you see in Toronto,” Dupuis said.
The store manager said she realizes some of her customers will be disappointed that the cafe will be closed for three weeks.
“But this has been a long-time overdue,” she said. “I mean, this cafe is 18 years old. It's never had a renovation since I've been here.
“I'm really, really excited for the renovations and what's to come. I know three weeks is a long time, but it's really going to benefit the customers.
“I'm really excited to give the customers a beautiful store, something that they deserve, especially for the ones that have been coming here regularly for the past 18 years.”
She said the store's 20 employees will have some time off, and are being “fully supported” by Starbucks during the renovations.
Last June, Greater Sudbury's planning department received an application from Starbucks for approval of a drive-thru restaurant at 555 Barrydowne Rd. in New Sudbury.
When contacted by Sudbury.com at the time, no one at Starbucks media centre would comment on the plan.
Dupuis also wouldn't comment on the possibility of a new drive-thru restaurant.
“That I can't really say anything on, because it's not confirmed,” she said.
In the meantime, if you really need your Starbucks, the city does have one other Starbucks location — in the library building on the Laurentian University campus. It's open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.
