The newest Starbucks in Long Island City is located at the corner of Vernon Blvd. and 50th Ave., right by the Vernon/Jackson station on the 7 line. Photo by Czarinna Andres
Feb. 18, 2025 By Shane O’Brien
A Long Island City street corner that has witnessed a rapid rate of business turnover in recent years is now home to a new Starbucks location.
The multinational coffeehouse giant opened its doors at 49-19 Vernon Blvd. on the corner of Vernon Boulevard and 50th Avenue late last year, according to staff at the newly-opened location.
Starbucks has maintained a strong presence in Long Island City, with several locations serving the neighborhood’s growing population. In addition to the newly opened store, the coffee chain operates at 26-14 Jackson Ave., near the busy Court Square transit hub, a location that has been in business since 2017.
Another Starbucks at 25-14 Queens Plaza South has been serving customers since 2019, while a third location at 21-02 49th Ave. opened the same year in the Hunters Point area.
Starbucks is the latest in a string of businesses to open at the prominent corner location, which is situated next to the Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue subway station, and takes over from the short-lived Juice n Bagels, which shuttered 12 months ago.
Juice n Bagels owners Dan and Odehel Magor closed the business in February 2024 just ten months after opening the store in April 2023.
They had previously operated another business at the location, opening Black Star Bakery and Kitchen in 2021 before closing down in March 2023 to change business concepts.
Juice n Bagels served a variety of smoothies, acai bowls, while Black Star was known for offering sandwiches, pastries and breakfast items. Black Star, which still operates several locations across New York City, also served Mediterranean-style food such as shakshuka, hummus and mezze.
Prior to that, the prominent corner spot was home to LIC neighborhood staple Dorian Café, which closed its doors at the location in December 2019.
The famed neighborhood diner offer a menu influenced by American and Greek foods, serving traditional dishes like matzo ball soup and gyro platters alongside pastrami melts and nachos.
Diner management didn’t cite specific reasons for the restaurant’s closure but left a simple note on the window announcing it.
“Thank you for so many years of coming to our restaurant to be our customers and friends,” the note read.
