Take a look inside the overhauled East Olive Way Starbucks in Seattle

It opened Monday morning, but there was a preview on Sunday.The redesign is intended to evoke a coffee warehouse, reports Capitol Hill Seattle blog. "It is part of a global refocus for the coffee giant on adding more entertainment -- and late night -- offerings to their stores." Read "First look inside the overhauled East Olive Way Starbucks" || USA Today: "The Starbucks of the future arrived today"

Comments

[Legendarily Lean]

Melody? Where are you? We need a witness account! By the way, this is a good publicity day for Sbux -- it's linked in the column on Drudge

[Melody]

@LegendaryLean - I went to the "media preview/friend& family party" on 10-17 and then wrote my own blog post about the store at my own site (link in name). You can even play 'where's Waldo' and try to find the pic I shot where I got Howard in it, as he too circled around the party.

The store is stunning. It's so nice to have a fireplace. I wish they'd bring that back to more Starbucks. What a comfy feature.

[Joe Clark]

Still got the fake espresso machines, I see. Nothing says American like Starbucks “espresso.”

[travelgirl]

I'm here now. Very beautiful on the inside. Love the woods used. However, I'm not a very big fan of the loud music being piped through at this time of th emorning. Or Maybe I'm just old. Or both. I see that the beer and wine isn't offered until after 4pm. Looks like 3 beers being offered, all in a bottle.

[Doppio Con Karma]

@ Melody
From everything I've been told, the cost of insuring retail stores with fireplaces is the reason they're not more widespread.

[hipsterdufus]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this concept.

[ExSbuxManager]

Love the store design, and the beer and wine for me is meh. The people who hang out at Starbucks at night (having managed 9 stores in totally different communities for a good sample) and the people who don't drink or are to young to drink. Actually lots of NA and AA people meet up at Starbucks to be supportive. It really doesn't fit with the fast food image Starbucks turned to for the past 15 years.

However, there are those people who do like to drink and the friend that doesn't for a happy medium.

Google Circadia, it was a failed Starbucks experiment similar to this about 10 years ago, but probaby more what they SHOULD be going for now. Bring in the spirits and I would totally be there.

[ExSbuxManager]

Actually, the Circadia experiment should have been the direction they went with and not the fast food image the diluted the brand.

[Iowa Bumpkin]

Fireplace? Can you say "Caribou," kids? Sure you can.
Having a basket of bottled beers is kind of like serving Espresso made from Via. Whole Foods has been installing taps to sell draft beer. Our new local deli has draft beer--No BudMillerCoors--and it serves Intelligentsia coffee. As long as this new store is selling fake "craft" brands like Blue Moon and going with local brewers, I'd give it a try.

[Iowa Bumpkin]

That should be "NOT selling fake "craft" brands like Blue Moon…"

[caraz]

I Love it! my store looked bland, now it's plain sinister haha

I can't wait to see Starbucks go back to be a jazz playing snobby brand and not some frappucino selling fast food chain for teen girls it became.

[travelgirl]

Took home a copy of the "later menu"

It states:
Wine, beer & accompaniments served after 4pm

Wine
By the class or bottle
*Barnard Griffin Fume Blanc
*Maso Canali Pino Grigio
Snoqualmie "naked" (organic) Riesling
William Hill Central Coast Chardonnay
Erath Pinot Noir
Alamos Malbec
The House of Independent Producers Merlot
Chateu Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon
Beer
*Peroni Nastro Azzuro
*Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale
*Pyramid Haywire Hefeweizen

Specialty Plates
Perfect for Sharing. Served after 11 am
*Salumi & Olives
-Premium sliced Italian cured meats, including coppa, peppered salame, prosciutto * secci, served with mixed olives & whole-wheat sesame crackers
*Mediterranean Mezze
-Grilled white-chicken strips, hummus for dipping, sliced vegetables & grape tomatoes, served with wheat flat bread & mixed olives
*Artisan Fruit, Nut, & Cheese
-Brie, Gouda, and white cheddar cheeses, whole-wheat sesame crackers, dried sweetened cranberries with almonds * a cluster of fresh grapes

dessert
*Indulgent Double Chocolate Brownie
-A warmed classic brownie made with premium chocolate chunks & cocoa powder, served with fresh whipped cream & Carmel sauce drizzle

[todd br]

what did they do with the homeless people that sleep inside during the day?

[MasterMisto\m/]

My stores not due for a remodel for 2 more years!!!!! :(

[Rick]

Love the design, but kinda a suck place to study now....tiny tables, not enough sockets to plug-in a laptop, loud and overcrowded in the evening with the drinkers. It's just very difficult now to find space to study or to just chill.