Not too long ago I featured a blog entry with a picture of a partner in Texas, at work in his store. It was a great candid photo, and it made me think that there might be more of these kinds of photos out there. It’s always fun to look at pictures of smiley faces, and surely working at Starbucks produces some happy faces, and so I put out a call to gather such photos. This was easier said than done. The previous blog post was here:
The faces of Starbucks: Seeking pics of real people, real partners
I had outlined a long list of rules, but most people sort of half-way followed them. I ended up cropping people out of photographs where the permission to use the person’s image appeared ambiguous to me. In other words, if a partner sent in a pic with him or her standing next to someone, and that other person didn’t provide me permission to use their image, I cropped the photo. As a result of this, a few of the photos below may appear oddly cropped.
I realize this was a tough request that I made. Most people aren’t really all that fond of sharing face pics. Furthermore, I asked for just partner participation which limited the number of emails I would get. I didn’t imagine that I would get a bunch of close ups, because I thought candid pics will sometimes be at a distance. I got a mix of both. I really have to thank every single person who sent in a picture. It is much appreciated. Those people who sent an address with the emailed photo will get a ‘prize’ from me – The prizes, listed in a previous blog post, were a very cool Starbucks coffee stirrer, and a $10 Starbucks gift card. Oddly, very few people included an address with their picture submission.
The photo that is the anchor photo for this blog requires a short explanation. The barista is now, only just recently, a former partner and right here in Seattle. She is someone whom I used to see regularly. Although she’s left the company, we talked on the phone recently and she shared this photo and said I could use it. It doesn’t really count as a pic for a prize, but this person is one coffee knowledgeable and passionate person!
The kind of passion that people have for Starbucks as a brand is inspiring, and you can definitely see it in these pictures. It makes each and every one of these pics its own precious gem.
Enjoy and please comment!
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Look at all the happy, smiling faces! I think it’s fun to see so many people looking so happy to have their picture taken.
I just have to ask… what’s the costume in the last picture? Partially peeled banana?
LOVE the candids! I love when people are truly passionate about a brand. If a picture is worth a thousand words, and word of mouth marketing is the best you can get, then I’d say Starbucks is doing okay.
How fun! I especially like the mustache on the pen pic!
I’ve kinda always wanted to be a Barista. I’ve never met a Starbucks Barista that wasn’t smiling & I thought, “hey! that would be a fun job.” This post makes me want to jump on board even more. But then, I’d probably get fired for drinking and eating everything in sight. Not a good thing.
I love all these photos! Cindy in Canada looks especially happy. 
I have been looking forward to this post for a long while now. This was a long running contest but the post was worth the wait. This post is going to just bet better with age to. I would love to see you do this one time every year
i love how real these pics are! you can really see a starbucks ‘spirit’ wherever you go!
i love these! they should have “other partners” pics (from across the country) up at all stores!
@Rachel It is a funny pic. I was trying to figure out how that was held up earlier. :p It looks to me like it’s a coffee stirrer stuck into a straw. Could be a pen though. :p
I’ve always wondered if the happy people working at Starbucks really are that happy or if it’s just good customer service. I love that so many people really seem to enjoy working there. I’ve heard Starbucks is a great company to work for and happy employees is the best testament of that!
What a fun post! It’s really neat to see such happy, smiling faces. It makes me wish I worked at Starbucks!
I always love how friendly my baristas are.
Great photos! They show off a lot of personality. I hate when I go in to Starbucks (or anywhere, really) and try to chat with the person taking my order and they clearly just don’t want to be there. It’s nice to see people who seem to enjoy their jobs!
Nice set of photos.
They managed to get permission from every single partner in the Singaporean photo?! That’s an impressive feat of organisational skills! =)
*Eeek* @Stephen Jacob – I let that one slide … It was such a great photo and doesn’t really feature anyone person. I analogized/rationalized it to people taking class photos.
Amazing and fabulous blog post! LOVE IT!
That’s how Starbucks must be and work…with a smile on the face. Those guys and gals make us happy every day…those pictures should be shown to every new employee of the company just to show him or her how Starbucks works.
This post is just perfect, Melody! Smiley faces really are what get me up every morning! I’m so sorry I forgot to email the photos I took from my store
I’d been collecting for a few weeks to contribute. Alas, it’s hard not to LOVE my job with partners like these! For what its worth, my favorite is the Singaporean one.
I teach public high school. These people would seemingly have a much more mundane than teachers, but there they are, enjoying themselves way more than teachers usually do. No wonder so many kids hate school: it is a downer. My challenge will be to be at least as perky as my favorite barista.
Melody you did it again! An absolutely terrific thread. Love seeing the photos of happy partners. Can you tell us where these photos are from? I wish some of the partners at my local SB would see this because of late they seem somewhat grumpy and tired. All these people clearly enjoy their job. Thanks again to all the people that submitted the pics and Melody for organizing it.
I realized clicking on the pics tells you where the partners are from and so interesting many from Canada and Texas. You should continue the request for more pics – would love to see some from other locations.
Here (this blog) is pleasant. I seem to be in Starbucks.
The smile of partners is vigor of Starbucks. The smile causes a chain reaction. It’s excellent.
@Sebastian
Probably you will put your photo here on the next time.
@Jordan
Do not forget it on the next time! But you can show your photo by twitpic.
@RikiYamada
Wear an apron!
What a great post – it has been said repeatedly in the comments above, but this post really does capture the spirit of Starbucks. The baristas truly make or break the Starbucks Experience and all of these happy smiling faces do show the best that Starbucks has to offer.
My own personal experience has shown that a friendly smile and genuine enthusiasm makes all the difference in the world. Who wouldn’t want to try Anniversary Blend with Cindy from Canada showing so much enthusiasm about its return? And a beverage hand-off smile like Cam’s makes even the most average drink better.
SSC take note: the opposite is true too – a negative attitude can make a perfect beverage, seem below average. Please take care of your baristas.
Love this! A cheerful cup of java IS a nice way to start the day!
Wonderful photos. Hope you do this again!
@Nob
I hope so, next year…:)
Its cool to see so many happy baristas! I love it!
Although, I’m totally disappointed Skooter did not participate. I tried very hard to get him to send a pic, and he denied you a bunch of great ones.
(@CamSpi and @CD)
@CamSpi – Awwww! I understand though why I didn’t get more pics! Most people really don’t like to share pics of themselves, but Skooter should’ve sent one in! I him and his cute face!
@CD – It’s amazing what a difference the expression on one’s face, and tone of voice is. That pic of Cindy with Anniversary Blend is such a good example – You’re right! She looks like she’s visiting/and hugging an old friend in a bag of beans, and wouldn’t you like to pull up a chair and stay for a while? So much said with just pic!
Yayyyyy. I was looking forward to this blog post! Too bad I wasn’t wearing an apron in mine
. But it was a rollout night 
. Great pics guys!
Great mix of photos. I’ve had great experiences at Starbucks and bad ones. It seems like the great ones always start off with a warm smile.
Flavored Via is coming and guess what…
Customers get any free tall drink with the purchase of Starbucks Flavored Via. You heard it first here on Starbucks Melody!!!
More news to come later on the launch of Starbucks Flavored Via…
@purple1 – Sorry I didn’t write to you sooner, but I saw your comment and meant to reply to it. I do have significant readership in Texas and Canada. There are a lot of Starbucks in Canada, and it’s an English speaking country, and I have to thank a few partners on twitter (and here) who have really spread the word about my blog. I’ve physically been to Texas, and promoted my blog there. Texas is a big state! The state where I get the most visits is obviously Washington, then California, then Illinois, and then Texas … And I think that somewhat represents also by some luck, how I’ve connected with certain readers and certain followers on twitter.
@ merryncole – the costume is indeed a banana from when we launched Vivannos 2(?) or 3 years ago…we also had an egg costume at my store when we got the warming ovens 4 years ago. I think there’s a cup costume floating around out there as well as a stick of VIA costume!
Thanks for a great post, Melody!
(I’m from Illinois by the way, so I guess I’m part of your Illinois stalker group! haha)
Great blog Melody! I didn’t expect to be the cover picture! heehee
Melody glad that your blog is taking off in so many states and more readers are finding this gem. You need to have a work project take you to more states so you can share this great blog with more SB people. Wouldn’t that be great! Keep the great community while growing! Would love to see more happy partners from different locals.
LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing all the happy smiling Starbucks Partner faces
Oh my BostonStarbucksRebel, that’s an interesting development!
this is GREAT. Still sad life got in the way (and I forgot!) of my sending you some.
These are such fun photos! ^.^
Love these photos! I think we can all agree that we love what we do! It may be stressful at times, but these captured good times make you grin through any rush or ambiguity at Starbucks!
I love the guy in…umm…is it a banana costume?
Also, Alex is a /former/ partner???
@Jrmy – Only recently a former partner! She was both passionate about great espresso beverages and the whole bean coffee wall. As you know, she went from a normal Starbucks to 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea, and now I miss hearing her regularly say, “Can I make a delicious hand-crafted beverage for you?” – I’ve heard it said that she started many a conversation like that at 15th Avenue Coffee … whether you were hypothetically first time customer or Howard …
Yes…it’s true. I used my line on Howard by accident! heehee
That would be hilarious! I doubt I will ever meet Howard, but then again, I could never imagine him walking into our store. I would probably have to get my inhaler.
i think the guy in the Starbucks Pride shirt is cute… wait thats me
@hogwartsbarista !!! i’m a Slytherin too i wear my tie at work all the time.
“oh Canada…..”
great pics, fun and cute and enthusiasm.
I too wish more people from around the country would’ve sent pics in.
re: free drink w/ flavored VIA? and NOT regular VIA? crazy. off topic, sorry…. glad to hear the news FIRST, here usually!
It’s always good to see when a company fosters a certain amount of pride in their employees for the job they do and allow em to have a bit of fun too!
A few weeks ago I walked back into the Starbucks I usually frequent during Uni time. The Barrista remembered me and noted I hadn’t been there in a while and we had a short chat. The entire team seemed in good spirits which is always nice to see
Keep up the good work guys, and never stop having fun. Job’s suck if theres nothing to enjoy out of them!
Wow, everyone looks so nice in their green aprons! I especially love the photo with everyone crowding in (top row, middle)! They all look like their having so much fun! Maybe you could make this a annual post, Melody. Now that you’ve shown us what everyone’s photos are like, I’m sure more people would be willing to send in theirs
About the banana suit:
Yes, I wore it for Vivanno launch, for fun. Unfortunately, the only banana costume I could find in short notice was the shriveled thing you see in the picture.
I suppose it correlates to how soggy those frozen ‘naners can be! I sure do miss being in a fresh banana market.
Best,
Miles/seventysix
Nice to see so many happy faces…I used to drop by Starbucks when I was a student. Nowadays, I don’t really go to cafes anymore…
Such great pictures! I love all of these!
What happy baristas! Makes me smile just looking at them!
I was hoping to find a shot of one of my local baristas, but no luck. (I suppose it would have helped if I’d taken a few photos myself?) But it was cool to see one familiar face – Alyssa from TX!
This is a great post and is exactly why I’ve been with the company for so long. Thank so much for writing and putting all this together!
Thanks for posting this. It’s great! The faces of Starbucks are so inspirational.
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