Fall is here and we have a drink that is equally as rich. A fusion of single origin espresso and aged black tea, combined with a touch of agave and chocolate dust. The pour on the right was from our rock star barista Jenna. It reminds me loosely of Starry Night by Van Gogh.
Come by and try one for yourself, you will be pleasantly surprised! Also check out several new single origin coffees while you’re in. One of which should be in our espresso grinder for your doppio. We have Kenya AB which we use in our fusion cappuccino, Guatemala Medina, and Aged Sumatra.
Here is the pic that I took of Jenna as she was making her Pu-erh Fusion. Focused and intent as she pulled the
perfect shot.
The passion around our coffee and tea has been great! See you soon!
Jacob
Peter’s been talking up (in)authetic experiences
by Brandon Schauer
How should a organization experiment with new ideas about customer experiences? What if they want to play with a totally new retail concept?
Starbucks asked a select group of employees create a completely new coffee house in Seattle called 15th Ave. Coffee & Tea. Peter Merholz explains that the concept store is Doomed to Fail as a inauthentic experience. He discusses why on CBC Radio’s Q program from Thursday—just jump to 1:40.
http://www.adaptivepath.com/blog/2009/08/14/peters-been-talking-up-inauthetic-experiences/
Thanks for your interest in our project and a link to Peter’s thoughts as well. I invite anyone who is interested in seeing for themselves to come in and see what we are doing. The only word that I would not use to describe it is inauthentic. Everything from our coffee, to the brewing methods, to the passion, amaze and inspire me every day. As I watch our Baristas share their knowlege and passion either while preparing great beverages or during our daily cuppings, I am reminded of how great things are built on the people who are genuinely engaged in what they do.
I do have to admit that I am glad that our project has sparked so much conversation. I feel that we need to connect more as a community and anything that provides that luxury is critical in view of the culture we live in. See you all in the store, we can sit down over a cup of coffee and talk, that’s what coffee shops are for!
Jacob
I have just listened to that entire interview with Peter Merholz. I’d like to know how someone can completely criticize the authenticity of 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea without ever stepping foot inside. He talks about reclaimed wood tables, like as if that were something new to Starbucks. It most certainly is not.
On the topic of design:
The store design, just in terms of aesthetics, follows naturally from its predecessor concept stores. In chronological order of Starbucks really experimenting with design there was (1) 4th S. and Diagonal – Has a table from Seattle reclaimed wood, an unusual center positioned two-sided condiment area, dark brown tones, and a heavy wood door (2) First & Pike – more reclaimed wood, further expansion of the same (3) University Village and then finally (4) 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea. If you KNOW all of these Starbucks stores (as I do) then when you walk into 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea, the Starbucks design elements jump out at me. I see lots of pieces of Starbucks the moment I walk in the store. Sure, there may have been groups of Starbucks employees looking to see what do independent coffee houses around them do, but it is not an inauthentic design copied from other businesses. It’s #5 in a sequence.
As to the “WHY” there is a 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea:
That’s a good question and I do not know the answer to it. I suspect Peter is correct that to a large degree it’s a learning tool to think about what pieces of the store operations would be effective to take back to a branded-Starbucks to breath new life into the brand. One can see that already, if you really know Starbucks. Pour over coffee? I’d bet my bottom dollar that Starbucks is trying to figure out how to actualize Pour Over coffee brew method to 7000 stores. Can it be done? If it can’t be done under ideal circumstances well, it cannot be done for the brand. Food sourcing: What happens when we change the variety of foods and place less emphasis on the refrigerated foods. In fact, Starbucks may be learning here what doesn’t work! I could go on and on.
Peter Merholz criticizes this store for the fact that he says that the store will simply fold when the going gets tough. Peter Merholz states that the store won’t have the economic incentive to try and get through hard financial times. Unlike a small business owner who has invested his own fortune into a store, the store doesn’t have this great stake and risk to help it thrive. There may be some truth in that. But if the purpose of the store is really to act as a great learning tool – And I’m sure there already have been many lessons, this might not be unreasonable.
Lastly, Merholz greatly exaggerates the dollar figure for the interior of the store. I don’t know that for a fact, but given that it follows in a sequences of 4 previous stores, I doubt that it was the millions and millions that he describes in store design. Some how I just find this kind of exaggeration offensive. I don’t think it can be millions and repeated 5 times. By the way, in terms of expensive design, I wonder if Univ. Village and 1st and Pike Starbucks were much more expensive given that they are much larger stores.
Customers will feel tricked: This is Seattle. People here KNOW it’s a Starbucks. They remember the store that was there before, and obviously no independent coffeehouse is going to write “Inspired by Starbucks” on the door. Merholz greatly underestimates the smarts of Seattleites!
Melody
I absolutely loved my first visit to this store! As a Starbucks partner, I was a little unsure at first, so a fellow partner and I headed up there one day after class to check it out. We were blown away! Everything, from the pastries offered, to the tea selection, to the Pu-erh Fusion Cappuccino, were just so well thought out, genuine and amazing. The baristas were passionate about their creations, and obviously love what they do.
Some people will always remain skeptical, but if you haven’t at least visited this cafe, you are missing out on an amazing coffee experience.