This Next-Generation Starbucks Store Is the First of Its Kind
We got word in September that a new “Starbucks Pickup” concept—the first of its kind, primarily designed for customers who use mobile order—would be debuting in New York City's Penn Plaza, and now there’s finally an opening date. Come Tuesday, November 5, Penn Station travelers will find a small store at 242 West 34th Street where they can quickly grab coffee and food.
Per Bloomberg, the space is only about 1,000 square feet (compared to a typical 1,800-square-foot Starbucks store), with only 300 square feet allocated for a dining area. The streamlined size and mobile order prioritization is the reflection of the company’s push to “reimagine the customer experience in high-traffic, metropolitan areas.”
“Our customers who are on-the-go have told us that connection and convenience are important to them,” Katie Young, vice president of Urban Markets for Starbucks, said in a statement. “By designing a store specifically for the mobile order occasion, we can deliver both for these customers using the store’s design, location and the expertise of our baristas.”
With a few clicks in the Starbucks app, customers can select “Starbucks Pickup–Penn Plaza,” and craft an order from the brand’s full menu. Upon arrival, the store will look different from other Starbucks locations in that there won’t be a menu board or food cases—merchandise or whole bean coffee won’t be for sale, either. A digital board that displays order statuses will let customers know when their orders are ready. That’s not to say that you necessarily have to use mobile order, even though the store is designed for it—baristas will still be there to take orders, and a representative confirmed that traditional payment options will be available at the Penn Plaza location.
This isn’t the only buzzy opening Starbucks has on the horizon. The company is also slated to debut its largest store ever in Chicago on November 15, beating out the Tokyo Reserve Roastery (32,000 square feet) and Shanghai Reserve Roastery (30,000 square feet), which have previously held the title. While details about the location’s menu are scarce, we do know that there will be exclusive specialty Reserve coffee, tea, and “mixology beverages” inspired by Chicago. Stay tuned for more updates as we draw closer to the opening date.
The Starbucks Pickup store at Penn Plaza will be open Monday-Friday from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm.
