Page 65 - The Starbucks Experience

PRINCIPLE 2

uct. The details of the total experience mattered. . . .
Every particular—from napkins to coffee bags, store-
fronts to window seats, annual reports to mail order cat-
alogs, tabletops to thermal carafes—seems to reflect . . .
the authentic and organic roots of Starbucks.

Top management at Starbucks appreciated from the out-
set that the atmosphere of the company’s shops would be a
key driver of success. Starting in 1991, Starbucks assembled
an in-house group of architects and designers to work to
ensure that each store would convey a consistent image and
character. At the same time, these designers were encouraged
to experiment with a broad range of store formats, from flag-
ship stores in brisk traffic areas and highly visible locations
to kiosks in supermarkets and building lobbies. To take
50 design up yet another level, Starbucks assembled a “stores of
the future” project team to create a vision of the next gener-
ation of Starbucks stores. Starbucks leadership not only
focuses on today’s details, but strives to anticipate the detailed
needs of the future.
Members of the design team have been required to start
their careers at Starbucks by working behind the counters.
Knowing how store design interfaces with the needs of cus-
tomers and baristas allows these partners to develop work-
spaces that are both aesthetic and functional. Few Fortune
500 companies go to such lengths to make sure that key
visionaries and planners are so in touch with the needs of cus-
tomers. When such an effort occurs, it pays off both for the
business and for its customers. For example, in the French
Les Capucines store, design team members decided to invest
in preserving an elegant nineteenth-century ceiling with its
painted frescoes, gold beading, crystal chandeliers, and mar-