The smell of coffee and baked goods will be wafting from West College Avenue now that Starbucks Coffee Co. has opened its first full-service store in State College today.

The company's move to 232 W. College Ave. is a result of finding the right site at the right time, Starbucks Coffee regional spokesman Alan Hilowitz said. Starbucks is opening in the area as a result of requests from students and faculty and in response to comment cards in other stores, he said.

He said the store usually complements local cafes and doesn't put them out of business as some critics charge.

The price list at this Starbucks will be the same as the stores' locations in Pittsburgh.

Though Starbucks is sometimes thought of as pricey, Hilowitz said this has not deterred customers in other college towns. He considers the coffee "an affordable luxury."

A corporate business, Starbucks Coffee holds no advantage over independent cafes, some local business owners said.

Mick Capriani, owner of the Daily Grind Coffee House, 107 E. Beaver Ave., said he "doesn't really have a problem" with Starbucks moving in.

"If it gets more people to try gourmet coffee, that's a good thing. [Starbucks] is obviously doing something right," he said.

Capriani said he has no concerns about the competition.

The Daily Grind has a good location, he said, and is State College's first coffee shop.

Rege Serinko said he has been going to the Daily Grind every morning for more than a year. Serinko said he drinks coffee there because the establishment is locally owned by good people who sell good coffee.

Elaine C. Meder, co-owner of Webster's Bookstore Café, Inc., 128 S. Allen St., said he doesn't feel that the new Starbucks will hurt her business.

Webster's has name recognition in town and she is looking forward to Starbucks bringing more foot traffic to the west end of downtown, she said.

Meder said it is fine that Starbucks is moving in, but the town really doesn't need it. She said she would prefer to see independently owned establishments instead. Meder's biggest concern is customers coming into Webster's and ordering the wrong drinks.

"[Starbucks] has done a lot to educate the coffee consumer, even if that is miseducation," she said.

Craig Avedesian, store manager of Saint's Café, 123 W. Beaver Ave., said, "It's progress, I guess. It's good for competition. I'm happy for them."