Starbucks looks to boost minority businesses, train youth in two new locations

Starbucks is keeping good on its latest national initiative.



The coffee giant said it will open a store in Dallas, in spring 2018, and Trenton, New Jersey, later this year, as part of its program to invest in at least 15 underserved communities across the U.S. by 2018. To date, Starbucks has opened six similar stores, including in Ferguson, Missouri, central Phoenix, and East Baltimore.



In Dallas, Starbucks will join the ongoing redevelopment of the iconic Red Bird shopping district in the southern part of the city. The store will be focused on creating economic opportunities by hiring locally, providing in-store training opportunities for youth, and working with local minority owned businesses. The store in Trenton, located downtown, will have a similar mission.



Starbucks plans to work with local women- and minority owned contractors for the construction of its upcoming Red Bird store, and is evaluating minority owned suppliers in southern Dallas for a locally sourced product to feature in the café.



The Red Bird Starbucks will be the first in the Dallas metropolitan area to have a unique in-store training space. Working with a local nonprofit organization, Starbucks will provide southern Dallas youth the opportunity to take part in a free multi-week job skills training program – based on Starbucks own customer service curriculum. When trainings are not in session, the room will be available for local groups to use for meetings and dialog – serving as a vital hub for members of the community.



With regards to the Trenton locations, Starbucks said it is currently evaluating local minority-owned vendors in the community to supply product for the store, and nonprofit organizations in the community to support its in-store job training program for opportunity youth.