Starbucks Will Plant Its Fancy Italian Bakery in Red Hook

The Italian bakery and cafe that Starbucks invested in last year will soon be opening a space in Red Hook.

Starbucks and Princi — a Milan-based bakery from Rocco Princi serving breads and pizzas — signed a lease for a commissary kitchen and bakery at 160 Van Brunt Street, according to the Post.

The Post notes that it may also eventually be open to the public, but it’s the site where the company will be making all the goods that will be sold in outposts of Reserve Roastery, the upscale version of Starbucks aimed at coffee snobs. The New York roastery will be at 61 Ninth Avenue, which will be the biggest Starbucks location in the world when it opens next year.

Founded in 1986, Princi’s Italy locations are open 24 hours with breakfast, lunch, and dinner offerings. When Starbucks invested in it last year, the company noted that Princi goods would be sold in New York, Chicago, and Shanghai Reserve Roastery locations.

Whether or not it’s welcome is another issue: the coffee giant is plotting a new location in the East Village that already has protestors lined up. The new outpost at 125 Saint Marks Place at Avenue A is still under construction, but some locals say they don’t want the chain in the space. The East Village Independent Merchants Association plans to rally in front of the site on Thursday, July 13.

The proliferation of chains has been a hot topic in the East Village as of late. Besides the community group, Community Board 3 has also been proposing a special zoning district in hopes of cutting down on big-box stores.

• Starbucks-owned boutique bakery is coming to Red Hook [NYP]
• A look the incoming Starbucks on St. Mark's and Avenue A, site of a rally on July 13 [EV Grieve]