What’s so big about getting a Starbucks franchise anyway? It’s just coffee after all. That might be what you’re thinking while you read this column tucked into your local sports section. The new Starbucks on Perry Parkway by the Publix brings other thoughts to mind when I look at it. It makes me feel like Perry is finally a big time city. That’s no disrespect to what Perry was before the Starbucks arrived. The way the city opened its arms to people from southernmost Georgia and Florida who were getting out on front of Hurricane Irma last week proves that Perry’s heart is as big as any city in the state. There’s no questioning that. This move to bring a globally-recognized brand not named McDonald’s -there’s literally a McDonald’s everywhere- to Perry along with the 28th annual Georgia National Fair and the crowds that will visit the city from all over the country makes Perry a big deal. “We’re very pleased that Perry continues to get recognized by international brands such as Starbucks as a thriving, viable market for their products,” says City of Perry Mayor James E. Faircloth.
Imagine a visitor to town, first time ever visiting Perry, dropping by for a day or two and they find out that there’s now nothing they can get in Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, etc that they can’t get in Perry. What if at one point that something was a salted caramel mocha frappuccino? (Whatever that is. I don’t drink coffee and detest ordering food and drinks that I can’t immediately spell off the top of my head.) Well now you don’t have to wonder anymore. That’s a big deal. It’s also not a big surprise that Perry was on Starbuck’s radar. “It’s not surprising with all the growth we are seeing that Starbucks has decided to take advantage of this growth and set up shop in our community,” adds Faircloth.
For the record there are two Starbucks in Warner Robins and one in Bonaire so Houston County has been represented for some time but to have one in Perry says a lot about buth the business acumen of city officials, business owners and the potential for doing more and more big name business in middle Georgia. The location of the Perry Starbucks franchise is also a hop skip and a jump from downtown and most importantly from the hotels in town. There’s practically no chance a guest to the city could be here for even a few minutes and not see it. That’s good for both the city and the people that work there. Having a Starbucks in town can create the beginnings of a chain reaction that brings the city of Perry to the forefront of middle Georgia. Warner Robins has the Air Force base. Macon is, well Macon. Fort Valley has Fort Valley State University and Perry has a Starbucks. Sounds about even to me.
The holidays are around the corner and so is hot chocolate season. I think I’m going to be making a few stops by 277 Perry Parkway also known as “There’s a freakin’ Starbucks in Perry dude” this fall. According to a coworker who dropped by on Friday morning, the lines were a bit long but the service was good. A couple of minutes in a drive-thru is a small penance to pay for a positive addition to an already great place to live and in my case work. “We welcome [Starbucks] to Perry and wish them the best,” says Faircloth. “Judging by the crowds I’ve seen out there, they seem to be doing quite well already.”
Welcome to the big time Perry, you’ve earned it. A Starbucks is a big deal and maybe, just maybe the start of something much bigger.
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