But to Cranberry Cafe owner Cathe Walsh, the arrival of the Seattle-based coffee chain represents not just a new rival across the street. To her, it would be the beginning of the end to the East Broadway she knows and loves.

“The line has to be drawn somewhere,” Walsh said. “We do not need a corporate giant on East Broadway.”

The two sides faced off at a contentious community meeting at the Tynan Elementary School Monday night, ostensibly to discuss a normally routine city license request for a Starbucks to open at 749 East Broadway. The meeting lasted more than an hour, and the bitterness among the 75-plus attendees made it clear that this was about more than just a simple coffee shop.

For many who were there, this was an opportunity to make a stand. They’ve watched as the schools, factories, and churches they grew up with were converted into luxury condos.

Some beloved establishments such as Jones and Terrie’s Place are long gone — and Stop & Shop and Rite Aid hold dominant positions on East Broadway. But the independent shops that line both sides of the street represent a crucial part of Southie’s identity, something that has endured the condo onslaught.

These battles aren’t unique to Southie. North End residents once fought a Dunkin’ Donuts proposed for Hanover Street, for example, and the Whole Foods store on Jamaica Plain’s Centre Street didn’t arrive quietly or smoothly.

Read the entire Boston Globe article here.