Starbucks to open new East County location

EAST COUNTY — Coffee fiends soon will have another place in East County to get their morning caffeine.
Starbucks is opening a new location with drive-thru service at the northwest corner of State Road 64 and 66th Street Court East.

A Starbucks spokesperson said the 1,800-square-foot store — built at 574 66th Street Court East, the three-quarter acre site of a former Shell station — will open in mid-August.

The property’s developer, HUPP Retail, purchased the property in March.

The store becomes the 11th Starbucks in Manatee County.

Other nearby locations include one on State Road 70 in Creekwood Plaza, another at The Square at University Town Center off University Parkway and a third at Main Street Lakewood Ranch.

Construction already has begun on the new store, which will also include outdoor seating.

The Starbucks spokesperson said the location is an ideal spot to meet the needs of customers.

“Choosing a site for a new Starbucks location is a key element in providing customers with the Starbucks experience, and we carefully consider many factors when opening a new store,” the spokesperson said.

“This selected location has a growing community and is a prime spot for Bradenton commuters.”

The addition of a new Starbucks store follows a lull in expansion, after years of growth in Manatee County.

The expansion of Starbucks has slowed in recent years in the United States and has shrunk since 2008 in Florida.

The spokesperson, who said the store will create roughly 25 new jobs, would not say if the company has any plans for other new East County stores.

“Starbucks is always looking for great locations to better meet the needs of our customers and we are continually evaluating our store portfolio,” the spokesperson said.

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].