Georgetown’s caffeine supply, which wasn’t exactly in danger of dissipating before, got an extra shot last month with the addition of a new Starbucks store near campus. The new shop, located at the corner of 33rd and M Streets, joins another Starbucks two blocks away on M Street and two other locations across the street from each other on Wisconsin Avenue to ensure that the ubiquitous franchise has the Georgetown area covered. But even as students rush to buy enough caffeine to fuel themselves through finals next week, the advent of yet another supplier raises anew the specter of competition in the area’s already saturated coffee market. One of those competitors, The Corp, has long held a privileged place for campus coffee drinkers. The student-run company operates three coffee shops on campus, and its leaders have maintained in the past that The Corp’s ties to the university would always give it an edge over name brands. But Kevin Lynch (COL ’09), director of Midnight MUG, said that a new Starbucks so close to campus changed the equation for his shop on the second floor of Lauinger Library. “I’m concerned about the opening of the Starbucks on 33rd and M, but I’m not too worried,” he said. Lynch said that the added competition could encourage Midnight MUG to improve its own services to students. “Starbucks is a hugely successful company, and with one opening just a few blocks away, we’ll definitely have to be looking for ways to promote our advantages and competitive edges,” he said. The Corp’s Corporate Financial Officer Jillian Perlow (COL ’08) also said competition, such as the new Starbucks, serves to challenge Corp coffee shops but, in the end, improve service. “We like competition in that it always forces us to figure out what else we can do for our customers,” Perlow said. “We have to step up our game.” Perlow said there has been a focus on improving Midnight MUG, including the new service counter, which was added over last year’s winter break, improved wireless access, the addition of sandwiches to the menu and new furniture. Perlow also pointed out other advantages of Corp shops, ones she called “intangible,” such as the idea of going to a store completely run by students with music and a feel that appeals to students. She also said that an attractive feature of The Corp is the amount the stores give back to students. Perlow said there was a constant effort to balance serving students with providing scholarships and other philanthropic endeavors. “Not everyone is going to apply for a scholarship; not everyone is going to come to our philanthropy,” she said. “We’re hoping that everyone can come to us for a cup of coffee.” Other students working for The Corp downplay the idea that they are competing with other stores at all and emphasize their unique mission of serving Georgetown students. Robert Kris (SFS ’08), director of the Intercultural Center’s More Uncommon Grounds, said that he was not concerned by the arrival of the new store. “The three Corp coffee stores offer unique services that are specifically tailored to the Georgetown community,” Kris said. Still, the university community’s loyalty to its own coffee shops has already been put to a recent test, when the upstart chain Saxbys opened a shop only blocks from Healy Gates at 34th and O Streets. The newcomer became an instant hit among students and others in the area and employs a number of Georgetown students. Jack Egle, who with his brother Ryan Egle runs Saxbys, said he also feels the pressure from a new competitor in the neighborhood but doesn’t fear losing business. “I think that you know Starbucks definitely had their following, but what I see more than anything else nowadays is that people are looking for other options,” he said. “Our offering is one I think is very conducive to students and their neighborhood that we’re in.” Both The Corp shops and Saxbys have worked to portray themselves as more attentive to the local concerns of the neighborhood than a large corporate chain. Uncommon Grounds recently sponsored a “Drink of the Month” program that featured student clubs, and Saxby’s promoted a special Georgetown-themed drink during the Hoyas’ historic run to the Final Four earlier this year. The Corp and Saxbys both accept GOCards, which are not honored at Starbucks. Corp locations also recently began accepting Flex Dollars, which are now included in most student meal plans. any students have said that the relative proximity of The Corp’s coffee shops to where they live has prevented them from sometimes making the trek to Saxbys or Starbucks. Susan Taylor (COL ’08) said she chose Midnight Mug over Saxbys or Starbucks because Midnight Mug is student-run. “It’s convenient. I enjoy supporting The Corp,” Taylor said. Briana Kearney (COL ’09) said Midnight Mug’s location on campus is a reason she gets her coffee there instead of at Saxby’s or the new Starbucks. “It’s closer. I live in Village A,” she said. The opening of the Starbucks doesn’t seem to have had much of an effect on The Corp’s coffee shop earnings. Perlow said Midnight Mug, the shop in closest competition with other neighborhood coffee shops, did not lose business when Saxbys opened at its 34th and O Street location, either. Since the opening of Saxbys in October 2006, the three Corp stores have seen slight gains in revenue. In the year preceding the arrival of Saxbys, Midnight Mug’s average revenue was $45,576.62, and in the 12 months afterwards, it rose to $45,758.52. The store is closed in June, July and August. Uncommon Ground’s average monthly revenue rose from $38,731.28 in the year before Saxby’s opened to $40,177.71 in the year following. UG’s average monthly revenue also rose slightly, from $23,598.40 to $25,298.98. MUG also remains open year-round. – HOYA Staff Writers Stephen Santulli and Richie Frohlichstein contributed to this report.