Starbucks is a major international chain of fancy coffees and teas that coerce the tongues of millions across the globe. It has naturally acquired a large fan base and is quickly spreading around the globe.

Searcy had been anticipating one for quite some time and finally, on Sept. 29, received their own piece of the chain.

“I didn’t believe it,” sophomore Migdalia Marquez exclaimed regarding the announcement of the new coffee shop.

Not only that but the shop is more than just a carrier for the Starbucks brand, the manager informed that it was a fully licensed store and a complete part of the Starbucks franchise.

Gina Grabill is the head manager of the new shop and has been there since the opening earlier this fall.

“There are about 15 other workers,” said Grabill. “There are a few Harding students working at the store, but being a student is not a requirement.”

According to Grabill, the most popular drinks are the new seasonal drinks such as the flavorful pumpkin spice latte and the delicious salted caramel mocha.

Grabill said that business is booming.

“It gets busy around 7-10:30 every night,” she said.

Searcy already had quite a few other coffee shops like Midnight Oil and Mr. Postman Expresso, and even another small shop in Hastings before Starbucks arrived. With Starbuck’s coming into town, these businesses risk severe customer loss.

Marquez has quite a bit of loyalty to the chain. “I was raised in a big city and Starbucks was my place to hang out,” she said.

Starbucks has gained some serious diehard fans quite quickly, some of which visit several times a day.

Interestingly though it seems that most people will not in fact be abandoning their old spots and have some solid reasons to stick to the old ones.

“Midnight Oil has a better atmosphere and the baristas are more friendly,” said senior Hannah Merrell.

The Starbucks in Searcy is tucked away obscurely on the corner of one of the new apartment complexes in Harding, which makes it difficult to find for non-Harding residents. There is some parking next to the coffee-house but not nearly enough to support its large fan base and some people have to park far out or just walk there.

“A woman stopped me while I was running for directions to Starbucks,” said Marquez.

To add to the difficulty of the location, the new Starbucks is small and relatively similar to its surrounding structures causing it to blend in and increase the difficultly of finding it.

While many in Searcy are excited over the new shop and like the feeling of big town that it brings, there are still plenty of people who are content with cozy local places.