Starbucks debuts streamlined express store format on Wall Street

Seattle – Stockbrokers in need of a quick caffeine fix between bouts of buying and selling have a new resource. Starbucks Corp. is debuting its new express store format on Wall Street in New York, across from the New York Stock Exchange.



The compact 538-sq.-ft. store space is designed to provide a streamlined customer experience and provide what Starbucks calls an “espresso shot” version of visiting its stores. Starbucks is relying upon store design, customer service and technology to provide the convenience it promises.



Starbucks plans to open four more express format stores in New York in 2015 as part of this pilot project. In addition, Starbucks will add 500 coffee-immersive Reserve bars worldwide serving rare, small-lot coffees, and will open another Roastery in Asia, in 2016. The company will also continue to invest in New York, notably with mobile order and payment and a delivery pilot debuting in the city later in 2015.



Upon entering the express store in New York, customers are greeted by a Starbucks employee who will be able to take orders with a handheld device. Creating mobile point-of-sale positions throughout the store can help manage wait times. Starbucks first deployed this solution at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room in Seattle, and is now leveraging it for this express format store.



Moving through the space, to the right of the entry, customers see a digital menu board displayed on four low-glare monitors. A set of menu options, tailored for New York customers, rotates on the screens. This display also serves as a form of art at night with glowing images of coffee farms shining through the front window.



Hanging above, where the menu would traditionally be, is artwork made from hot-rolled steel with a black patina finish and a laser-etched coffee tree design. Combined with the horizontal wood paneling on the walls and ceiling, this artistic focal point creates a sense of depth. The store meets green building LEED standards.



“It was a small space so it was important that we keep it as open as possible,” said Starbucks senior architectural designer John Park. “The bar is low and kitchen framed wide, like a show kitchen, so our partners are able to interact with customers from every point in the space.”