Starbucks Goes Back to School — in the Nation’s Capital

Washington, D.C., is best known as the nation’s capital – but it’s also a college town with more than 20 colleges and universities within the city limits alone. Take a look at how Starbucks’ very talented in-house designers crafted three different stores to meet three different spaces:

George Washington University

For the Starbucks in George Washington University’s Gelman Library store, designer Miguel Claros wanted to create the look and feel of a cozy library space. He and his team designed an efficient area for ordering at the front of the store, and more intimate spaces away from the hustle and bustle toward the back.



“We wanted to keep the library in mind with small details like the library seating,” Claros said.



For a focal piece, the team created a piece with wood slats to represent books with art installed on library tracks with rails and a rolling ladder. The “books” were finished in GWU’s signature blue and gold.



“It’s a modern abstract version of what a library would look like if it were a piece of art,” Claros said.

George Mason University

The store footprint for a new Starbucks store in the student center of George Mason University (Fairfax, Virginia) was a smaller one, with very little wall space and hardly any room for seating. The designers knew they would have to get creative.



“We decided that if the only place we can fit seating is in the middle of the store, then let’s anchor the center with a fabulous feature hanging from the ceiling that will resonate with the students,” said Starbucks store designer Jill Brunstad.



The design team set about trying to create a “flying bookcase” from reclaimed textbooks. They found an origami artist who could fold pages of the books to make them more sculptural and dynamic.



“We had never done anything like this before,” Brunstad said. “So we did a mock-up and figured out a nice composition with a variety of books. Then we packed it all up and the contractor put it together on-site like a puzzle.”



The final result: A one-of-a-kind collage of 34 flying books interspersed with nine clear glass globes that sparkle. Running along the perimeter of the café is chalk artwork reminiscent of classroom chalkboards.



The store design also tips its hat the university’s renowned science program with light fixtures made from iron pipes above the artwork evoke the feeling of a science lab.

American University

At American University in northwest Washington, D.C., designers started with a much larger space with room to fill. Brunstad and the design team opted for a long banquette seating area with a wall treatment above that serves as a nod to the store’s scholastic environment.



“Our original idea was to create a book wall above the banquette,” said Brunstad. “But the 37-ft. wall would have required 6,000 books, and would have been more weight than the floor could support.”



Instead, the team made a three-dimensional faux book wall with stock molding. A variety of stock molding pieces – curved, straight, fluted, flat and square – were put together and stained to create bookshelves and even the books themselves.



“We created a subtle design of the Starbucks siren amongst the books peeking over the banquette,” Brunstad said.



In addition to the flexible seating at the banquette with plenty of places to plug in, the designers also added a high-low community tables where students could stand around and chat, as well as soft seating for those who want to sit down and dive into a book or tablet.



“On college campuses, we have an opportunity to introduce the brand to young adults,” Brunstad said. “I try to make the designs a little more whimsical with elements that are fun and interactive.”