Detroit – August 27, 2025 (Qahwa World) – The well-known Starbucks branch on Michigan Avenue in East Dearborn has permanently closed after nearly 16 years of operation, paving the way for a Yemeni café that reflects the cultural shifts in a city with one of the most prominent Arab-American communities.
Michigan Avenue ve Oakman Boulevard'ın kesiştiği noktada bulunan mağaza 24 Ağustos'ta resmi olarak faaliyetlerine son verdi ve yakında bir Yemen kafesine dönüştürülecek. Yerel haberlere göre Detroit, Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Okemos ve diğer eyaletlerde çok sayıda şubesi bulunan Yemen kahvesi markası Moka & Co'nun burayı devralması bekleniyor. Kira sözleşmesinin birkaç hafta içinde tamamlanması ve kafenin tadilattan sonra 2025 sonu ya da 2026 başında açılması öngörülüyor.
Kapanış, Starbucks'ın Temmuz 2025'te duyurduğu ve 2026 mali yılına kadar ABD genelinde 90'a kadar mobil sipariş ve sadece teslim alma mağazasını kapatmayı ya da dönüştürerek geleneksel kafe formatlarına odaklanmayı içeren "Starbucks'a Dönüş" girişiminin bir parçası olarak gerçekleşti. Şirket bu lokasyonla ilgili özel bir açıklama yapmamış olsa da, bu karar Yemen kafelerinin giderek yaygınlaştığı Dearborn'daki tüketici eğilimleriyle örtüşüyor.
Dearborn, home to one of the largest Arab-American populations in the United States, has become a hub for Yemeni coffee through establishments such as Haraz Coffee House and Qahwah House. These cafés are distinguished by their richly spiced brews, honeycomb bread, and late-night community atmosphere, creating spaces that have often outshined corporate chains.
The upcoming Yemeni café is expected to serve single-origin beans from Yemen alongside a menu that blends tradition and modern trends, including iced pistachio lattes, moka spice lattes, Adeni chai, frozen drinks, refreshers, and matcha lattes.
The shift away from global coffee chains in Dearborn has been fueled both by consumer boycotts tied to geopolitical issues and by a preference for authentic, community-driven experiences. A 2024 report by The Arab American News highlighted a sharp decline in Starbucks sales in the city as customers increasingly turned to Yemeni cafés for better value, cultural connection, and superior taste.
For many residents, the closure of Starbucks marks a continuation rather than a loss. “Starbucks was fine, but Yemeni cafés offer something unique — coffee with a story, from Yemen’s mountains to our cups,” said Aisha Nasser, a regular at Qahwah House.
With renovations already underway, the location is expected to reopen soon under Yemeni management. For East Dearborn, the transformation of a Starbucks into a Yemeni café underscores a broader narrative: the city’s coffee identity is no longer shaped by global chains but by a return to its cultural roots — Yemeni coffee as both tradition and thriving enterprise.
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