A ‘Hole’ Lot of Options to Get a Morning Coffee in Rocky Point

After more than a year of planning, Starbucks has officially opened in Rocky Point. 

Last year, architects and lawyers presented to the Town of Brookhaven a plan to turn the former KFC at 25A and Hallock Landing Road into a Starbucks. 

After it closed earlier this year, construction began on the space, renovating it from a former fried chicken eatery into a coffee serving powerhouse. The building’s footprint hasn’t changed, though the inside and outside exhibit the typical Starbucks look.

And what hasn’t changed is this new Starbucks’ neighbors — which includes two bagel stores minutes away. 

Although the new edition to the community can be considered competition to the mom and pop bagel shops, Jennifer Bell, manager at Fresh & Hot Bagels, said that they haven’t seen too much of a change. 

“It got a little bit slower, but it hasn’t affected us too much,” she said. “We’re different … we sell egg sandwiches and bigger breakfasts — things they don’t sell.”

Anthony Post, the owner Brooklyn Bagels & Café Inc. in Rocky Point just across from the new Starbucks, said they are doing just fine even with the early morning giant on their doorstep.

“I mean, if they want to go in there and spend $7, $8, $9 bucks on a cup of coffee that’s what they’re going to do,” Post said. “They know when they come here, they can get something else.”

The only complaint he has is with the traffic in the parking lot, especially line that now forms in the early morning at the Starbucks drive-thru. That line, he said, can sometimes wrap around in front of his shop, with cars backed up almost into Hallock Landing Road.

Additional reporting by Kyle Barr