Lakers News: PETA Issues Letter Criticizing LeBron James' New Starbucks Store

There's more to this than just one store, however.

Los Angeles Lakers All-Star small forward LeBron James' brand-new, high-tech Akron, Ohio community space, House Three Thirty, has come under fire recently from PETA for some very specific issues with regards to its in-house Starbucks shop, which is touted as being the very first totally dairy-free Starbucks location ever, per Ryan Gaydos of Fox News.

PETA senior VP Lisa Lange penned a letter to James requesting the new store halt the practice of adding extra surcharges for dairy milk alternatives in its beverages.

“The first dairy-free Starbucks location at House Three Thirty would set a precedent for socially responsible business practices and create ripple effects that would affect society in a positive way for generations to come. I hope you’ll consider my request. We could team up to make a positive change for animal welfare, the environment, and those who suffer from lactose intolerance,” the letter stated.

"This policy unjustly penalizes millions of lactose intolerant Americans, particularly people of color, since around 80% of Black and Indigenous Americans and more than 90% of Asian Americans are affected. We believe that no one should be punished for wanting to make a more compassionate and environmentally conscious choice. That’s why I’m urging you to make a game-changing play by insisting that the Starbucks store at House Three Thirty be the chain’s first dairy-free location.”

To be clear, this practice of up-charging for dairy alternatives is generally done across all Starbucks stores, not just James' store. It is fascinating that this particular venue is opting to uphold the corporate Starbucks practice, even though it boasts zero dairy options.

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