Patch.com is now part of Starbucks Digital Network, which is a a collection of hand-picked premium news, entertainment and lifestyle content.

The network is only available to customers in-store while they use Starbucks free Wi-Fi network.

The network will include Patch's latest local news from your hometown and has been designed for screens big and small, and customers can access the network from the tablets or smartphones while in line or sipping their favorite beverage in the café.

"Our customers are the inspiration for the Starbucks Digital Network. They've told us they want to be the first to know what's happening in their neighborhoods and around the globe, to have an easy way to discover new music, great books and important films and find ways to be more involved in their communities. And they're connecting with the brand digitally in numerous ways," said Stephen Gillett, Starbucks executive vice president, chief information officer and Digital Ventures general manager. 

"These points combined with our passion for creating a unique customer experience, our heritage of  recommending culturally-relevant works and focus on giving back to the community, led us to create this new, one-of-a-kind, localized content experience with Yahoo!."

The closest Starbucks stores to Shrewsbury are in Worcester with two locations, one at 11 East Central St. and the other at 1 West Boylston St., and in Westboro at 140 Turnpike Road.

Patch.com is planning to launch a local Web site in Westborough later this year.

Yahoo! built and will maintain and host the network, which includes six channels: News, Entertainment, Wellness, Business & Careers, My Neighborhood and Starbucks. 

The My Neighborhood Channel includes Patch, Foursquare, DonorsChoose.org, and Zagat. Patch delivers community-specific local coverage in hundreds of communities coast to coast.