Despite Starbucks' announcement earlier this week that it will raise its prices, the prices in most Athens coffee shops will be staying the same.
Starbucks says it will raise the average price of its beverages by $0.11 per drink at 4,500 stores in North America.
The company has not yet said what the average price of individual beverages will be after the increase.
Currently, a 12-ounce latte ranges from $2.25 in Minnesota to $3 in New York City.
The international coffee retailer blames the price hike, which will begin Oct. 6, on the recent increases in the costs of coffee and sugar.
Representatives from Starbucks said the price of coffee has risen 36 percent and the price of sugar 39 percent in the past year.
Although local coffee houses are also experiencing these increases, most say their prices will not be going up.
It's a factor in the industry
said Josh Thomas, the owner of Brenen's Coffee Café, 38 S. Court St. But we have no intention of raising our prices.
Brenen's, which opened Uptown in 1990, was purchased by Thomas in 2000. Its prices have not increased in the past year or two, he said.
Nathan Hayes, assistant manager of Perk's Coffee House and Roastery, 49 S. Court St., said the type of drinks it sells most often helps to keep down the cost of sugar.
We don't sell as many sugary drinks; we sell more coffee he said.
Perk's, which opened in 1991, will not be raising prices in relation to the coffee and sugar increases, Hayes said. The coffee house has not raised the prices for its coffee drinks in the past year.
Athens Book Center, 747 E. State St., which opened in February 2004, is also feeling the effects of the coffee increase, said David Brennan, the owner.
The price of the coffee they buy to make drinks increased $0.50 per pound in the past week, Brennan said.
Athens Book Center, which sells locally distributed coffee, has no plans to increase its prices at this time. A future increase is possible, Brennan said.
One local coffee house has looked to other ways to save money in response to the price increases.
Brenen's recently switched to a different coffee roaster, which offered them the same quality coffee at a better price, Thomas said.
-The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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