2008 Woodie Awards
Starbucks closed for rennovations until June 13
New store layout, menu options expected
Kenneth Long
Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: News
Caffeine junkies will need to find other places to feed their coffee fixes besides Starbucks until it reopens June 13.
Construction on Starbucks, which began May 12, will continue until June 9. Starbucks will have a trial run, or soft opening, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 13. Regular summer hours will begin June 16, opening at 7 a.m. and closing at 6 p.m.
Food Service Director Bill Canney said the 6-year-old Starbucks is being renovated to meet company-required upgrades in equipment, furniture, layout and color pallets. The work area size will also be increased.
"Every so many years, (Starbucks) is required to upgrade to meet the modern phase Starbucks is in," Canney said.
Senior manager of Starbucks Frankie Polich-Burns said the renovations will improve the "awkward" design of the past store, in particular, the issue of a bottleneck at the end of the beverage line.
"We're hoping that the new store layout will take some of the bumps out of the road," Polich-Burns said.
While some of the old equipment will be reused, such as the espresso machines, locations for the machines will be placed in a more ergonomically-minded location.
"The espresso machines will be put at eye level with the customers," Canney said. "Customers will have eye contact with our employees."
Canney said the store would replace the espresso machines within the next year.
According to Canney, the store will also grind more whole bean coffee in the store, producing the traditional aroma of a Starbucks store.
"We're trying to get back to the basics and roots of what Starbucks used to be," Canney said. "We want to greet the customers and have them through the line in three minutes."
Polich-Burns said the soft opening will give the employees a chance to see how the new renovations have improved efficiency.
"Our employees already do a great job at servicing customers, but they need some time to get re-acclimated to establish a new flow to the store," Polich-Burns said. "It's all about efficiency and speed."
Canney said he was proud of the staff in Starbucks, along with the other food service areas.
"(Working at Starbucks) is a tough job, but it's our most popular area of employment," Canney said.
Talks about an outside kiosk included in the renovations for Starbucks were shot down when the franchise wanted an entirely separate licensing fee, Canney said.
Customers will have new beverages to go along with the new store, Canney said, including a new strawberry lemonade, as well as an expanded cold beverage menu for the summer term.
Polich-Burns said she didn't know all the new menu selections but was eager to serve them.
"I've already had a week off, and I can't wait to get back in," Polich-Burns said.
Construction on Starbucks, which began May 12, will continue until June 9. Starbucks will have a trial run, or soft opening, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 13. Regular summer hours will begin June 16, opening at 7 a.m. and closing at 6 p.m.
Food Service Director Bill Canney said the 6-year-old Starbucks is being renovated to meet company-required upgrades in equipment, furniture, layout and color pallets. The work area size will also be increased.
"Every so many years, (Starbucks) is required to upgrade to meet the modern phase Starbucks is in," Canney said.
Senior manager of Starbucks Frankie Polich-Burns said the renovations will improve the "awkward" design of the past store, in particular, the issue of a bottleneck at the end of the beverage line.
"We're hoping that the new store layout will take some of the bumps out of the road," Polich-Burns said.
While some of the old equipment will be reused, such as the espresso machines, locations for the machines will be placed in a more ergonomically-minded location.
"The espresso machines will be put at eye level with the customers," Canney said. "Customers will have eye contact with our employees."
Canney said the store would replace the espresso machines within the next year.
According to Canney, the store will also grind more whole bean coffee in the store, producing the traditional aroma of a Starbucks store.
"We're trying to get back to the basics and roots of what Starbucks used to be," Canney said. "We want to greet the customers and have them through the line in three minutes."
Polich-Burns said the soft opening will give the employees a chance to see how the new renovations have improved efficiency.
"Our employees already do a great job at servicing customers, but they need some time to get re-acclimated to establish a new flow to the store," Polich-Burns said. "It's all about efficiency and speed."
Canney said he was proud of the staff in Starbucks, along with the other food service areas.
"(Working at Starbucks) is a tough job, but it's our most popular area of employment," Canney said.
Talks about an outside kiosk included in the renovations for Starbucks were shot down when the franchise wanted an entirely separate licensing fee, Canney said.
Customers will have new beverages to go along with the new store, Canney said, including a new strawberry lemonade, as well as an expanded cold beverage menu for the summer term.
Polich-Burns said she didn't know all the new menu selections but was eager to serve them.
"I've already had a week off, and I can't wait to get back in," Polich-Burns said.
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