If you are visiting Seattle’s University Village shopping center, there are two company-operated Starbucks stores. One is very large and is well-known. The other is a tiny little store about two blocks (or less) away near the Crate and Barrel store. The large Starbucks store tends to get a lot of attention, and is a gorgeous LEED-Certified Clover Starbucks. My feature article on the larger store is here.
I felt like I should do a little mini review of the tiny store because it is so often barely noticed, living in the shadow of the big University Village store.
The twitter profile for the little University Village is here:
University Village Starbucks store 3394 on twitter.
I dropped into the little University Village store today (January 7, 2012) and saw this nice chalk art, and was inspired to put together this “mini” store review article:
This little store is friendly, though I’ve noticed that it stays very busy. Despite that it is a small store, the line can get long. The address is 2650 – NE 49th Street, Seattle, WA 98105 (206) 522 6410. I know I should probably not call it the “little” store, it’s just that one Starbucks is huge, and the other is tiny. By the way, I also like the wall of coffee bags in this store. I noticed that there is a Sun Dried Yirgacheffe coffee bag in the wall design. Having seen many walls of coffee bags, I haven’t seen that bag included in many of these kinds of coffee-bag-wall designs.
So this is my “mini” review. A few photos, and a mini write up!
Enjoy! (By the way, if you like reading about store reviews, you find many more articles about Starbucks stores here. Just click through the pages and enjoy!)
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Nice review. Melody I have come to realize that often the smaller SB stores are quite nice to linger in unless they get crowded with people staying. However, I find often with smaller stores you get to know the partners. Which store was first?
Melody, another great store find.
This store is utilizing its space well. However the baskets are almost to the point of obstruction (I am not a fan of the baskets, too low and a tripping hazard to the inattentive).
I like the coffee bag wall and chalkboard art calling out the free tall with a pound.
Glad to see you have started your day, and week, on a bright note.
Melody, there is a very small store near me in Allen, TX. When it was built, they really didn’t expect much out of it. BUT, due the the location, it is consistently slammed with a full parking lot and long drive through line. It is one of the busier stores in the area.
Actually, I’d say 2 or 3 of my all time favorite Sbux are “tiny” ones…actually pretty small. But, it works out. and has, for more than 10yrs in all these stores I refer to.
of course, I love the sun-dried Yergacheffe 🙂 included on the wall. no better coffee in allllll the world. Am so glad to have gotten a re-model old Yergacheffe sign from a store that knows my love of it. ( now perfectly displayed on a brick wall I have going upstairs)
I love how you notice all the little details in these stores!
Great little store! I actually like small Starbucks stores…most likely because I do work at a tiny store and I guess the atmosphere is much more familiar and partners have a better relationship to more guests than in a big store.
@DinahMoeHumm That was my starter store! I worked there for a year before moving to Seattle. You are right about the drive-thru being crazy. Recently, they have started placing cones out during the morning rush to help with the traffic, and they are able to serve 60+ cars per half hour!!!
I happened to stop by this store fairly late tonight, Had a wonderful time- Ran into a partner I knew but hadn’t seen in a while. Had a perfect hot chocolate. This really is a gem of a little store!