SOUTHINGTON — The new Starbucks location at Centurion Plaza, 1095 West St., has an anticipated opening in May as construction enters its final phase. Originally expected to open sometime earlier in the spring, supply chain delays have caused the opening date to be pushed back. The final component needed for construction, the electrical switchgear, will be installed this Friday, with exterior awnings to come in before the end of the week. Switchgears, which control and protect all of a building’s electrical systems, have been in high demand since the end of the pandemic, causing extensive delays in delivery, with property owner Mark Lovley having placed an order for one 10 months ago.  On March 24, Starbucks will begin its move into the building to outfit it with all the decor and equipment needed before the grand opening, which will take a little over a month.  Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. The store has both a drive-through and a walk-up window, so customers can get their orders out on the exterior plaza without setting foot inside the store itself. Starbucks occupies the last remaining vacancy in Centurion Plaza. By bringing such a recognizable and popular chain into the area, Lovley hopes that it will ultimately bring more business by encouraging customers to visit the stores in the surrounding plaza.  “Starbucks will bring a lot of action to the complex. And what happens is with Starbucks being there, I think a lot more people, as far as tenant turnover, will be interested in going there with them there. So it is definitely an aspect to the development of the plaza,” Lovley said. “We're happy to have them as a tenant there. And I think that it does have what it takes to be a great asset to the area.” The location will be the third Starbucks in Southington, the others being in the Target store at 300 Executive Boulevard South, near the future West Street location, and another new location on Queen Street.  Starbucks opted to expand in Southington after having formally occupied 613 Queen St. for over a decade, but after delays in approval to install a drive-through in the building, the company opted to close the location and move, reopening the store at 812 Queen St while also looking for the new location in Centurion Plaza.  Lovley had previously planned for a local chain, Cheshire Coffee, to occupy the space but plans fell through.  Town officials are excited to have a new Starbucks location in town, speaking to Southington’s promise as a continually developing community that’s attractive to new business even in the midst of an economic downturn. “Any business that's opening up during these tough economic times is a bonus, and this is a long time coming … the site is vetted to have a drive-through restaurant, the Planning and Zoning Commission did their due diligence. We're looking forward to it opening up,” said Town Councilor Mike DelSanto, chairman of the Economic Strike Committee.  “People want to live here, people want to work here, and people want to be here,” DelSanto said. “Southington is a great town. Even through tough economic times, we are a shining star in this kind of dark cloud.” cmetzger@record-journal.com

SOUTHINGTON — The new Starbucks location at Centurion Plaza, 1095 West St., has an anticipated opening in May as construction enters its final phase. Originally expected to open sometime earlier in the spring, supply chain delays have caused the opening date to be pushed back.

The final component needed for construction, the electrical switchgear, will be installed this Friday, with exterior awnings to come in before the end of the week. Switchgears, which control and protect all of a building’s electrical systems, have been in high demand since the end of the pandemic, causing extensive delays in delivery, with property owner Mark Lovley having placed an order for one 10 months ago. 

On March 24, Starbucks will begin its move into the building to outfit it with all the decor and equipment needed before the grand opening, which will take a little over a month. 

Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

The store has both a drive-through and a walk-up window, so customers can get their orders out on the exterior plaza without setting foot inside the store itself. Starbucks occupies the last remaining vacancy in Centurion Plaza. By bringing such a recognizable and popular chain into the area, Lovley hopes that it will ultimately bring more business by encouraging customers to visit the stores in the surrounding plaza. 

“Starbucks will bring a lot of action to the complex. And what happens is with Starbucks being there, I think a lot more people, as far as tenant turnover, will be interested in going there with them there. So it is definitely an aspect to the development of the plaza,” Lovley said. “We're happy to have them as a tenant there. And I think that it does have what it takes to be a great asset to the area.”

The location will be the third Starbucks in Southington, the others being in the Target store at 300 Executive Boulevard South, near the future West Street location, and another new location on Queen Street. 

Starbucks opted to expand in Southington after having formally occupied 613 Queen St. for over a decade, but after delays in approval to install a drive-through in the building, the company opted to close the location and move, reopening the store at 812 Queen St while also looking for the new location in Centurion Plaza. 

Lovley had previously planned for a local chain, Cheshire Coffee, to occupy the space but plans fell through. 

Town officials are excited to have a new Starbucks location in town, speaking to Southington’s promise as a continually developing community that’s attractive to new business even in the midst of an economic downturn.

“Any business that's opening up during these tough economic times is a bonus, and this is a long time coming … the site is vetted to have a drive-through restaurant, the Planning and Zoning Commission did their due diligence. We're looking forward to it opening up,” said Town Councilor Mike DelSanto, chairman of the Economic Strike Committee. 

“People want to live here, people want to work here, and people want to be here,” DelSanto said. “Southington is a great town. Even through tough economic times, we are a shining star in this kind of dark cloud.”

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