• About
  • Masthead
    • Editorial Board
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
The Wellesley News -
  • News
    • Residential halls experience maintenance issues
      Residential halls experience maintenance issues
    • Wellesley community grapples with ChatGPT’s implications
      Wellesley community grapples with ChatGPT’s implications
    • Students protest for trans and nonbinary rights
      Students protest for trans and nonbinary rights
    • News in Brief
    • Senate Report
  • Features
    • ES 300 Conducts Waste Audit
      ES 300 Conducts Waste Audit
    • Scholar-advocate visits Wellesley to discuss women and incarceration
      Scholar-advocate visits Wellesley to discuss women and incarceration
    • Diana Khoi Nguyen leads workshop and poetry reading
      Diana Khoi Nguyen leads workshop and poetry reading
    • Alumnae Spotlight
    • Faculty Focus
  • Opinions
    • Navigating Anonymity-Seeking Apps at Wellesley
      Navigating Anonymity-Seeking Apps at Wellesley
    • Trans people are not your culture war
      Trans people are not your culture war
    • The Silicon Valley Bank collapse has exposed how the government chooses to spend its money
      The Silicon Valley Bank collapse has exposed how the government chooses to spend its money
    • Staff Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Arts
    • Hozier stuns with “Eat Your Young” EP
      Hozier stuns with “Eat Your Young” EP
    • Diana Khoi Nguyen leads workshop and poetry reading
      Diana Khoi Nguyen leads workshop and poetry reading
    • “Cocaine Bear” indicates the return of camp movies
      “Cocaine Bear” indicates the return of camp movies
    • Books Before Boys
  • Sports and Wellness
    • No image
      What even is a BORG and why does it matter?
    • Indoor Track & Field Team Prepares for Outisde
      Indoor Track & Field Team Prepares for Outisde
    • What even are BORGs and why do they matter?
      What even are BORGs and why do they matter?
    • Athlete of the Month
  • The Wellesley Snooze
    • Miss Me With That Gay Shit
      Miss Me With That Gay Shit
    • Tower House Prez Emails
      Tower House Prez Emails
    • Worst Human Being You’ve Ever Met Validated by Stone Center Therapist
      Worst Human Being You’ve Ever Met Validated by Stone Center Therapist
By Michaela Abrams Features, News, News and FeaturesMay 9, 2021

Peet’s Coffee is the latest in a series of Wellesley business closures

Photo courtesy of Tripadvisor.

On Sunday, March 14, 2021, loyal customers bid farewell to Peet’s Coffee in Wellesley. Voted the “Best Coffee Shop in Wellesley” on TripAdvisor, it has been a common meeting place for students and town residents since the early 2000s. Soon, the former Peet’s space will be replaced by a Chase Bank branch, complete with a sitting area and ATMs. While the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on restaurants nationwide, former Starbucks employee Caroline Francois ’23 said that customer noncompliance with mask mandates may also have taken a toll on the Peet’s employees.  

“I’m wearing a mask for six-hour shifts and some people can’t put one on just to come inside for a minute,” Francois said. 

While students can still visit Starbucks in Wellesley Square for their caffeine fix, Bethany Pasko ’23 worries about the effect of the Peet’s closure on student employment opportunities. 

“Students worked at Peet’s and The Gap, which also recently closed, and since students probably won’t be working at Chase, I think it’s concerning,” Pasko said. 

Maddie Moon ’23, who worked at Peet’s since July 2019, cited concerns about students’ ability to find inexpensive food in the town of Wellesley after the recent closures of Peet’s, Breugger’s Bagels and Dunkin Donuts.

“There really aren’t many inexpensive places now, Natick is less expensive but it’s really hard to access if you don’t have a car,” Moon said. 

These comments are especially relevant after concerns this year about students’ access to affordable groceries given the tight restrictions on travel off-campus due to COVID-19.

Beyond employment opportunities and accessibility, students also raised concerns about changes in the town of Wellesley’s atmosphere following the closures.  

“Wellesley seems like it is straying away from the ‘college town’ vibe,” Pasko said. 

Francois agreed that establishments for casual socializing are important not just for college students.

“The high school students in Wellesley also benefit from places like Peet’s and Starbucks,” Francois said. 

Pasko also wonders if, beyond student employment, the closure of Peet’s in March and Dunkin Donuts in 2019 will affect the number of students leaving campus.

“Maybe there will always be a loyal Starbucks crowd, but I think some people will leave campus less because there aren’t as many places for a quick stop,” Pasko said. 

The plans for the new Wellesley Chase Bank branch include changes to the facade of the current Peet’s and plans for multiple ATMs, offices, as well as a lounge space inside the branch. 

Share on

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Google +
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Previous articleSenate Report — 5/3/21
Next articleWellesley Students on the front lines of the vaccination effort: From Arizona to Oregon

You may also like

ES 300 Conducts Waste Audit

Scholar-advocate visits Wellesley to discuss women and incarceration

Diana Khoi Nguyen leads workshop and poetry reading

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

COPYRIGHT © 2023 THE WELLESLEY NEWS
Back to top