The Starbucks location at 103 East Franklin Street temporarily closed its doors Sunday as the business moves to a larger storefront across the street. 

Located underneath Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery at 100 East Franklin Street, the new location is tentatively set to open Friday at 6 a.m, ahead of the new UNC school year. Renovations for the space began in 2019, which was previously occupied by Medici, a Neapolitan-style pizza restaurant. 

A sign displayed outside Starbucks at 103 East Franklin Street ahead of its closure and relocation.

The new storefront is double the size of the current location, and according to manager Daniel Reutzel, allows for more seating opportunities, like larger tables and increased study spaces. It will also hold around 90 customers, compared to its current 30 to 35. 

The larger space will also feature two entrances to hopefully relieve customer congestion at the front end of the store. He said it will also be a “flagship store” with features that make it distinct from other Starbucks locations. 

Raising Cane’s, the neighboring chicken tender restaurant to the current Starbucks storefront, plans to expand into newly-vacated space in early fall, according to a report from the Triangle Business Journal. The Louisiana-based company purchased the 101-103 East Franklin Street corner in December 2021. The first floor of the two-story property is split into two-tenant spaces, and the half that Raising Cane’s currently occupies opened last November. 

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