Eagles Landing Sod turning event in October 2023. (battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

Starbucks Coming

Starbucks is coming to North Battleford

May 17, 2024 | 4:30 PM

It’s official, the venti Caramel Macchiato is coming to the Battlefords.

In a partnership between Red Pheasant Cree Nation and the City of North Battleford, Eagles Landing will be the location of the area’s first Starbucks.

“We’ve been working on this for I don’t know… six, seven months,” said Chief Cody Benson.

“It’s exciting – very exciting for the Nation but also for North Battleford.”

The 2,500 square foot stand-alone coffee shop is set to officially open later this fall and Benson said having the coffee giant in the community will bring spin-off success. According to Austin Ahenakew, director of economic development for Red Pheasant, the entire development is expected to be operational by November.

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“The City has been really good to work with,” he said. “They helped us with securing the franchise, they attended a few meetings with us.”

Ahenakew explained that Starbucks has a strong Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) team that helped get the franchise to the area.

“We feel that the efforts made by Starbucks really helped get us over the finish line,” he added, noting they thank the franchise’s team and Realtor Tanya LaRose.

Meanwhile, Benson said both the new and former leadership needed to be thanked along with the Nation’s elders for their prayers.

“They had a plan and a vision. They purchased the land and they wanted to see that land be developed,” he said of the leadership.

To make their November opening, Benson said Starbucks will want to start getting staff in place and expects that job postings will be going up shortly.

“It’s a really good opportunity for the Nation to actually have something like this that they can call theirs,” he said.

“’Cause it is everybody’s. It’s the whole Nation’s Starbucks. So, it’s just a sense of pride for not only us in Red Pheasant but the surrounding communities too.”

BattlefordsNOW reached out to the North Battleford Mayor’s office and are awaiting a reply.

“It’s a very good relationship, we’ve had a lot of good talks with the City, we have met numerous times with the Mayor and we got a really good relationship,” he said.

“I see a lot of good things coming for not just Red Pheasant but for North Battleford.”

As for the Chief of Red Pheasant’s first drink choice will be?

“I’ll probably have a Refresher,” he said.

“Strawberry [Acai].”

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julia.lovettsquires!pattisonmedia.com

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