The sudden closing of all locations of the coffee chain Supreme Bean has left some Bakersfield College students upset and others unemployed.
Without direct explanation as of yet, the chain closed the doors of all stores and drive-throughs recently.
The former employees weren’t given any real notice at all, and neither were the customers, as some people have been seen trying to enter different Supreme Bean stores throughout town.
“I was disappointed when I found out that they had closed down,” said BC student Liz Clarke, undeclared. “I used to go to the store on Mt. Vernon Avenue for the Wi-Fi access. I would spend three to four hours there at a time some days.”
Clarke, who travels to BC from Glenville, isn’t sure where she is going to be able to access Wi-Fi now.
“I guess I could go to the McDonalds on North Chester, but the atmosphere isn’t right there,” she said. “Supreme Bean was a nice place to go.”
Another BC student, Jennifer Pasasillas, education major, worked for Supreme Bean but wasn’t at the time of its closing. Pasasillas said that she would miss the unique choices that the chain offered, like the Jumping Monkey.
“I’m really bummed about it,” she said. “It’s really unfortunate. I think I took it for granted.”
Tallon Burger is another student at BC who actually was employed by Supreme Bean during its closing.
Before receiving a text from a co-worker expressing her concern about the state the chain was in, Burger said he had “no prior indication that this was going to happen, so it came as a bit of a surprise.”
Burger, who had been working at Supreme Bean on Hageman Road since January, said that he isn’t sure why the chain folded, as “they still haven’t disclosed any information regarding its closure,” but does think it may have been due to an “internal problem.”
He also knows of one other former employee who was recently evicted from her house due to not being able to pay rent after losing her job.
Not all students, however, were disparaged by the news of the incident.
Journalism major Jenna Jackson is an employee of Starbucks Coffee on Mt. Vernon Avenue, and thinks that the closing of the shops will be “good for business.” Jackson said some of her fellow co-workers were excited.
“This has brought more BC students to Starbucks to study, and we already have noticed business increasing,” Jackson said.
And while Starbucks might not have a Jumping Monkey officially on the menu, Jackson said that they can make them and other specialty drinks formerly offered through Supreme Bean, should anyone want to order one.
Jackson also admitted to being surprised that Supreme Bean had shut down, and also thought it was sad that “a monopoly like Starbucks” had taken over where Supreme Bean, a smaller and more local business, had left off.