Starbucks Opening Bathrooms To Public In Wake Of Philly Arrests

PHILADELPHIA – Access to a Philadelphia Starbucks bathroom is what led to two black men being arrested, nationwide outrage, local protests, police and corporate apologies, and settlements with the City of Philadelphia and Starbucks.

Now, Howard Schultz, Starbucks' executive chairman, is saying the coffee chain will give bathroom access to all, not just paying customers per the company's "loose policy around you should be able to use the bathroom if you buy something."

Schultz said during a talk at the Atlantic Council in Washington that after the April 12 Philadelphia incident, in which Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson were arrested without incident but ultimately not charged, the company will now "make the right decision 100 percent of the time and give people the key."

"And in terms of the bathroom, we’re going to have to make sure that, we don’t want to become a public bathroom," Schultz said during the talk on Thursday, May 10. "But we’re going to make the right decision 100 percent of the time and give people the key, because we don’t want anyone at Starbucks to feel as if we are not giving access to you to the bathroom because you are less than. We want you to be more than."

Schultz said Starbucks' policy goal is to make everyone feel welcome in its stores.

"In terms of the policy, the first thing we want to make sure is that regardless of your station in life, the color of your skin, your sexual orientation, your gender, your ethnic background – everyone is welcome at Starbucks"

Nelson and Robinson asked to use the restroom in the Starbucks located at 18th and Spruce streets in Center City Philadelphia in the early evening of Thursday, April 12.

The manager did not allow them to use it because they had not purchased anything and asked the men to leave, but they refused as they were waiting for a colleague for a business meeting at the store.

The manager then called police, who showed up and peacefully attempted to get Nelson and Robinson to leave.

However, Nelson and Robinson still refused as they were waiting for the colleague. That colleague later showed up as the men were being taken away by police.

Naturally, the incident was caught on camera and the video went viral, causing backlash against police and Starbucks.

Then came the protests and calls for the manager who called police to be fired. That manager subsequently left her managerial job.

On Thursday, Schultz called the manager's decision to call police "terrible."

"And we were absolutely wrong in every way," he said. "The policy and the decision she made – but it’s the company that’s responsible."

Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson issued an apology statement to Nelson and Robinson and said he hoped to meet with them in person. Johnson, Nelson, and Robinson did meet later and reached a financial settlement for an undisclosed amount.

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross issued an apology statement saying he made the situation worse.

However, before the apology, police released audio of the 911 call and police radio chatter of the April 12 incident.

In addition to the Starbucks settlement, Nelson and Robinson reached a settlement with the City of Philadelphia for $1 each, but under the condition the city establish a $20,000 fund to support young entrepreneurs in Philadelphia public schools.

Photo by David Allen/Patch